Dinner at the Square: Respect, Rebel, Repeat

In divided times like ours and through history, brave and unlikely friendships have endured, inspired and redeemed.

About this event:

Join us for the first dinner in our 2022-23 Dinner at the Square season:
Respect, Rebel, Repeat: Subversive Friendships for Divided Times
YOU’RE NOT AS CRAZY AS I THOUGHT?

“I’ll still hold to the conviction that American citizens have the ability to explain themselves to one another, and to let friendship redeem the Republic.”

—Patricia Nelson Limerick, Dining with Jeff in The New York Times

Back in the day, many political foes were friends in real life—hanging out for a beer after a tough legislative floor flight, attending their kids’ weddings over the weekends. It’s a sure sign of the times when any across-the-aisle friends that still exist tend to keep their friendship on the down low, in case they’d be accused of fraternizing with “the enemy.” From the halls of Congress to our hometown, this makes becoming or staying bipartisan friends an act of straight up rebellion against the toxic and divided culture we find ourselves in.

We’ll be joined by one such pair of fantastically dissimilar friends, Dr. Jacob Hess (who has been the most influential force for The Village Square who you’ve never met) and Village Square Founder Liz Joyner (you might have met her). Jacob and Liz have been rebelling together for about a decade now, and they’re not only convinced liberals and conservatives are better together but they are obstinately bound and determined to buck the stultifying groupthink and start a trend.

Also joining us are two extraordinary people—Alex Workman and Talethia Edwards—who each have made relationships across differences an integral part of the lives they lead—and the communities that have formed around them show why that matters to the future of our hometown (and we think the future of democracy itself). The conversation will be facilitated by The Village Square’s brand new Executive Director and podcast host extraordinaire Vanessa Rowse (she takes this job seriously and went and married her political opposite).

Visit our event page to learn more about Jacob, Alex and Talethia.

**Bring a friend who looks or thinks different than you and you both get a squishy flying pig stress toy to squeeze when other people annoy you.

*** Note that you can pay by check (ticket price only, no system processing fee) by emailing tickets@villagesquare.us to reserve your ticket(s), and then simply MAIL YOUR CHECK to: The Village Square, PO Box 10352, Tallahassee FL 32302.

Dinner Menu provided by Lively Cafe:

Chicken Divine — chicken tenders coated in sour cream, Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs
Vegetarian option: Tofu Divine
Roasted garlic mashed potatoes
Buttered broccoli and mixed green salad
Rolls with butter
Iced tea, lemonade, coffee
For dessert: Blonde brownies and lemon bars