Chloé Valdary

Chloé Valdary
Nationality	American
Education	University of New Orleans
Occupation(s)	Writer, entrepreneur, lecturer
Known for	Social commentary; founding Theory of Enchantment

Chloé Simone Valdary is an American writer and entrepreneur whose company, Theory of Enchantment, teaches social and emotional learning in schools, as well as diversity and inclusion in companies and government agencies.

Early life and education

Valdary grew up in New Orleans, in a family that belonged to the Seventh-Day Sabbatarian Christian Intercontinental Church of God. In 2015, Valdary graduated magna cum laude from the University of New Orleans, earning a BA in international studies.

Career

Valdary founded a pro-Israel student group, Allies of Israel, while a student at the University of New Orleans. Over the years, she has participated in debates where she represented the Zionist perspective and is from a Zionist school of thought akin to Rudy Rochman.

Before 2015, she served as a Robert L. Bartley Fellow and Tikvah fellow under journalist and political commentator Bret Stephens at The Wall Street Journal. In addition to The Wall Street Journal, Valdary has written articles for The New York Times and The Atlantic magazine.

Valdary has also criticized Critical Race Theory, asserting that it fails to truly capture human complexity and oversimplifies reality.

Theory of Enchantment

Theory of Enchantment (ToE) is a conflict-resolution program developed by Chloé Valdary that combines social & emotional learning, character development, and interpersonal growth. Characterized as a "compassionate antiracism" (contrast to such philosophies as those of Robin DiAngelo), it is based on three fundamentals called the "Theory of Enchantment Three Principled Practice":

1. "Treat people like human beings, not political abstractions;"
2. "Criticize to uplift and empower, never to tear down, never to destroy;" and
3. "Root everything you do in love and compassion."

This practice uses the study of pop culture and literary texts by seminal writers and thinkers, which includes such materials as popular films, songs, books, and essays.

The program is divided into parts, each with their own relevant pop cultural materials and tasks for the student:

1. "Complexity in one's self" — understanding and contemplating one's "internal complexity." Materials for this can include:
   • the songs "DNA" by Kendrick Lamar and "In the Blood" by John Mayer;
   • the books Everybody’s Protest Novel by James Baldwin, Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed, and East of Eden by John Steinbeck;
   • the music albums Human by OneRepublic and Prodigal Son by Rationale;
   • a TED Talk video by Brené Brown called "The Power of Vulnerability";
   • Stoicism; and
   • Disney’s The Lion King (1994)
2. "Complexity in one's neighbor" — learning how to be in a healthy relationship with others. Materials for this can include:
   • the Air Jordan advertisement called "Look Me in the Eyes"
   • the songs "Wings" by Mac Miller;
   • the books Decoded by Jay-Z;
   • the Disney films Beauty and the Beast (1991) Aladdin (1992), and The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), as well as the film Freedom Writers.
3. "The purpose of criticism" — understanding that criticism "should be rooted in positive intent and personal edification." Materials for this can include:
   • the books The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin and Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates;
   • arguments by Maya Angelou, Joyce DiDonato, Denzel Washington, and David Foster Wallace regarding the observation of value in others; and
   • the "I have a Dream" speech by Martin Luther King Jr.
4. "The role of love" — understanding that "ToE is a practice in love both for one's self and for one's neighbor." Materials for this can include:
   • the "A More Perfect Union" speech by Barack Obama
   • the New York Times column "An agenda for Moderates" by David Brooks; and
   • the Disney film Moana.