Citizen Discourse’s Conversation Collective is a community from around the country — and even the globe!! — who gather for compassionate and restorative conversation. We start with a mindful moment and incorporate some writing and reflecting and one on one conversation. First timers are welcome to come join us as a guest. Membership is available…
Register now for the Interactivity Foundation’s (IF) annual Collaborative Discussion Coach Summer Training. All trainings are limited to 15 participants to ensure interactive, hands-on engagement. After completing this training, certified collaborative discussion coaches will be able to offer their own certificate programs in classrooms, communities, and workplaces. Coaches are able to award certificates & digital…
We restore faith in American Leadership by training Reconciliation Leaders (www.global-leader.org) and hosting first Monday monthly America’s Soul Community from 7-8:30 pm eastern time. RSVP at virginiaswain.com/upcoming-events for zoom link and/or make a voluntary donation. Bring paper and colored markers to doodle. Learn more about our visioning process here: https://global-leader.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Imaging-A-Strategic-Visioing-Process.pdf. Drawing on 30 years’ experience…
Grab a drink and come hear about the latest democracy news, topic of the week, ongoing efforts to fix democracy, and actions you can take at our weekly Democracy Happy Hour, Wednesdays @ 5 pm PT.
Civic life encompasses the infinite ways that people may connect and contribute to their community and society: from voting in an election or organizing a neighborhood block-party, to standing up for a just cause or supporting arts in our parks. For some time, however, many facets of civic life have been in decline. This conversation…
Learn the basics of money in American politics and how YOU can be part of the solution to this problem! Our nonpartisan presentation covers big money, dark money, and foreign money that continues to flow — unchecked — into U.S. elections. You will learn how we got here, and why we need a constitutional amendment…
Amid today’s increasingly divisive politics and growing mistrust, it is imperative that we find ways to come together and take action. The best place to start is in our local communities. That’s why Living Room Conversations and The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation are teaming up for an interactive online discussion on April 4, 10am…
IN PERSON REGISTRATION: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climate-forward-election-edition-tickets-777173215007. ZOOM REGISTRATION: https://usc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2pfTRCleRaicWs-69_ACog. In celebration of Earth Day, the USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies and Sustainability and the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future are hosting a series of conversations around advancing climate change issues. Please join us for the fourth annual Climate Forward conference on Tuesday, April 4 from 10 a.m….
Last week, the State Government Committee passed HR 317 with a successful bipartisan vote of 22-3! This resolution calls for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution granting states, including Pennsylvania, the power to set their own campaign finance regulations.This landmark resolution is now poised for a floor vote in the Pennsylvania House, but we need…
About Citizen Office Hours:If the Citizen is to be the highest authority in democracy, should we not have office hours to make ourselves available and accountable to our fellow citizens? The answer is YES – yes, we should.Also, in a democracy, there is no power without responsibility. If the citizens do not accept the responsibility…
April 7 @ 7:00pm CDTTalking Politics: A CPL WorkshopHosted by Crossing Party LinesWe thought AI was a big deal, and then came ChatGPT and other machine learning artificial intelligence tools. Today we’re seeing a flood of AI generated content, from art to novels, informative chatbots to realistic-looking fake images and videos. At this week’s meeting,…
Join Department of Labor and State Business Executives for the kickoff of Youth Apprenticeship Week as we talk with industry leaders and Department of Labor senior leaders on registered apprenticeship opportunities and accelerator.
A guided video conversation that you’ll take with another American who may vote differently than you or be different than you in other ways.
People use the word “dialogue” to describe a variety of conversations and communication styles. At Essential Partners, we’ve developed a proven, highly adaptable approach called Reflective Structured Dialogue (RSD). RSD is designed to help people build relationships across differences to address their communities’ most pressing challenges. It does this by empowering communities, schools, and institutions…
Discover how to cultivate trust in elections and communities with the upcoming webinar, “Building Trust in Elections through Living Room Conversations,” on April 10th at 4 pm ET (3 pm CT, 2 pm MT, 1 pm PT). Co-hosted by the National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation and the National Civic League, this event equips participants…
At a time when the process and outcomes of elections are increasingly questioned, join us to learn how to build trust in the electoral process within your communities. The webinar will equip you with a great tool for fostering trust in each other and explore how we can make elections more fair and inclusive. Co-hosted…
This podcast episode of Village SquareCast will drop on April 11th. You can find it wherever you get your podcasts or at https://podfollow.com/villagesquarecast/view. While our special guest, Alexandra O. Hudson, author of “The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles to Heal Society and Ourselves,” finds the challenges to civility today dire, she thinks they’re not new —…
CURIOSITY, NOT COMPLIANCE: BRIDGE BUILDING IN THE WORKPLACEMany Americans are exhausted by polarization and hyper-partisanship. Bitter political divides are not just a problem for election campaigns and political institutions; they’re also damaging the workplace.Employee morale at many businesses and nonprofits has plunged— impacted by tribalism, culture wars, and politics. CEOs are often in a tough…
Learn invaluable insights from leaders across a variety of faith traditions and ideologies as they discuss effective strategies for implementing the Faith in Elections Playbook nationwide. Through real-life examples, our speakers will illustrate successful approaches to addressing polarization, fostering trust in the electoral process, and countering misinformation. Attendees will engage in an interactive discussion, exchange…
Eradicating Racism: A Path Forward Learning Series (April 2024) Photograph by Luca Nicoletti This four session learning series is delivered virtually over four consecutive weeks. Each week, there is required pre-work and a two hour live group discussion. What are the goals of the learning series? Assist participants in understanding the complexity, and the simplicity,…
Learn the story of Jefferson’s debate with Madison about periodic constitutional renewal (Jefferson wanted each generation to write its own Constitution; Madison favored an enduring Constitution). That historical debate opens up different proposals for constitutional change today. Learn about historic challenges and what is possible today that could make the American Constitution even more effective…
April 14 @ 7:00pm CDTBridging: United We StandHosted by Crossing Party LinesWhile political polarization is running rampant, members of CPL are reaching across the expanse and talking to their political others. It’s easy to do when guided by a skilled moderator, but what about at other times? Too often we find ourselves walking on eggshells…
Better Together Film Festival: A National Week of Conversation Signature ExperienceThroughout the week of April 15-21, 2024, community spaces across the country will participate in the Better Together Film Festival. Libraries, museums, community centers, churches, colleges, etc. will help bring together diverse groups of people to view films that showcase hopeful stories of bridging divides….
Better Together Film Festival: A National Week of Conversation Signature ExperienceThroughout the week of April 15-21, 2024, community spaces across the country will participate in the Better Together Film Festival. Libraries, museums, community centers, churches, colleges, etc. will help bring together diverse groups of people to view films that showcase hopeful stories of bridging divides….
Better Together Film Festival: A National Week of Conversation Signature ExperienceThroughout the week of April 15-21, 2024, community spaces across the country will participate in the Better Together Film Festival. Libraries, museums, community centers, churches, colleges, etc. will help bring together diverse groups of people to view films that showcase hopeful stories of bridging divides….
Better Together Film Festival: A National Week of Conversation Signature ExperienceThroughout the week of April 15-21, 2024, community spaces across the country will participate in the Better Together Film Festival. Libraries, museums, community centers, churches, colleges, etc. will help bring together diverse groups of people to view films that showcase hopeful stories of bridging divides….
Better Together Film Festival: A National Week of Conversation Signature ExperienceThroughout the week of April 15-21, 2024, community spaces across the country will participate in the Better Together Film Festival. Libraries, museums, community centers, churches, colleges, etc. will help bring together diverse groups of people to view films that showcase hopeful stories of bridging divides….
Better Together Film Festival: A National Week of Conversation Signature ExperienceThroughout the week of April 15-21, 2024, community spaces across the country will participate in the Better Together Film Festival. Libraries, museums, community centers, churches, colleges, etc. will help bring together diverse groups of people to view films that showcase hopeful stories of bridging divides….
For this year’s National Week of Conversation 2024 (NWOC), which runs from April 15 through April 21, Crossing Party Lines has designed a 7-day challenge. This challenge takes you on a quick survey of the options available to you for getting more involved in reducing toxic polarization and learning to Disagree Better. As we at…
WHAT:Delta Chats will host “The Music of Our Lives,” as a celebration of how music shapes our civic hearts. This online event will feature local musicians, be a mixture of music and dialogue, and have the takeaway goal of creating a community-developed “Songs for Civic Inspiration” playlist to reflect the “civic vibe” of the area.WHY:Music…
How Do We End the Divisiveness and #DisagreeBetter? Experience at least 7 ways to connect in harmony at our special Zoom event during the National Week of Conversation.Your hidden superpower is your ability to connect beyond disagreements—by tuning in to the 7 Dimensions of Life. Divisiveness is not fated. Harmony is our destiny. Dianne Collins…
WHAT: A webinar where you can hear from participants from the Fora Mobile pilot share and discuss their experiences with this new platform as part of a larger discussion about improving civic conversations. The session will show what an app-based solution to toxic division might look and feel like. In the Q&A portion of the event…
Join the Center for Innovation in Social Work & Health at BU School of Social Work (BUSSW) and BUSSW Votes for the second session in the From Ballots to Better Health virtual series, Agents of Change: Social Workers Leading the Fight Against Dark Money in Politics. Dr. Charles E. Lewis Jr., director of the Congressional…
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the landmark Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act that established a budget process unique to the Legislative Branch. The Act created the House and Senate Budget Committees and the Congressional Budget Office, along with procedures the president must follow when implementing congressional appropriations. Fifty years later, the Bipartisan Policy…
WHAT:Our communities are facing wide-scale challenges like political division, social isolation, and decreasing trust in institutions. Libraries play a critical role in communities and are uniquely poised to make a difference.This interactive panel event will showcase community dialogue happening in libraries across the country. Attendees will walk away with concrete tools to learn about organizing…
The Arrival of the First Africans in America to their Descendants in the Revolutionary War Speaker: Ric Murphy, Educator, Historian, Lecturer, and Award Winning AuthorPlease join us via Zoom on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, 7-9 pm EDT (UTC-4) for Let’s Talk Series: The Arrival of the First Africans in America to their Descendants in the Revolutionary…
Challenging topics are difficult to discuss, even more so when there’s an imbalance of power or privilege. How can we approach such conversations with skill, sensitivity, and courage? Come join this online program with Tania Israel, psychologist, professor, and author of Beyond Your Bubble: How to Connect Across the Political Divide, in conversation with story…
Join us on Thursday, April 18, 2024 at 11:00 AM for a virtual community event centered on a series of conversations about the ways literature and historical moments have shaped who we are.
Our office has observed a national conversation emerging over the last several years around the narratives of America and how they shape our sense not only of what has happened in this country, but what could happen. We have been asking ourselves and our collaborators: Are there narratives of America that are truthful, inclusive, empowering and…
Join us for this lecture hosted by Crossing Party Lines and co-sponsored with the Academy of Learning in Retirement!
WHAT: A new American Public Television documentary – Divided We Fall: Listening With Curiosity – explores how two groups of strangers equally divided over President Donald Trump were able to come together and discuss some of the most divisive and pressing social issues bedeviling America today. Filmed over two weekends, the documentary features Gen Xers and Millennials who were brought together to…
Join the Institute for Youth in Policy for our NWOC-affiliated interactive, student-led workshop on the Israel-Palestine Conflict. In this session, students will engage in a two-part interactive workshop about the Israel-Hamas War. The event will equip students with the tools necessary to have civil and informed conversations about the Israel-Palestine conflict through two breakout room…
April 20 @ 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm CDTTalking Politics: A CPL WorkshopHosted by Crossing Party LinesLocation: Online—————Civil, respectful discourse. Talking. Listening.In CPL 101 we’ll share the secrets of Talking Politics in a way that invites others to listen instead of daring them to defend against your ideas or shut you down. Talking politics refers…
Over the past year, Waging Dialogue has paired individuals across America from different backgrounds and beliefs — liberal and conservative, religious and secular, urban and rural, of different ages and genders. We’ve given these “dyads” a unique space to share their personal stories and perspectives. Through this process our participants have bravely uncovered and navigated…
WHAT: The Bridge Alliance Education Fund will host the Civil War Film Dialogue Event as an engaging example of how pop culture intertwines with our societal experiences. This online event will feature a facilitated dialogue about the new film Civil War, a dystopian action film written and directed by Alex Garland and distributed by A24….
April 21 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm CDT America in Crisis: Divided We Fall A conversation hosted by Crossing Party Lines Recently, Donald Trump warned that there would be a “bloodbath” if he doesn’t win the upcoming election. What did he mean? And do we believe him? At this meeting we’ll explore this disturbing…
Engage in this exciting webinar, Situation Rooms and their Efficacy in Election Integrity. This 90-minute event will be on April 24th, 2024, at 1:00 pm ET (UTC -4) / 8:00 pm Uganda. Please use the Time Zone Converter to determine when this engaging conversation will be in your time zone. Register here! Speaker Bio: Dr. Helen Kezie-Nwoha is the…
Registration COMING SOON. The USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future invites you to join a screening of True False, Hot Cold on Wednesday, April 24 at 6 p.m. in the Stark Cinema Theatre. This award-winning documentary is centered around climate change, belief, and civil discourse. It was filmed in Utah over the course of one summer in…
Virtual book discussion of “Parable of the Sower” by Octavia E. Butler Wednesday, April 24, 2024, 7-9pm EDT (UTC-4) The Dock C. Bracy Center’s Reading for Understanding monthly book discussions are free and have two requirements: Read the book and make time for the discussion. Cover of the book Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler Reading for…
This podcast episode of Village SquareCast will drop on April 25th. You can find it wherever you get your podcasts or at https://podfollow.com/villagesquarecast/view. Friends since middle school, Berny and Geston are both children of Haitian political refugees who fled political instability that put their families at risk. Despite their friendship and shared family immigration story, they…
Americans are exhausted by the hyperpartisanship and polarization in our country, and rightly so. The toxicity and conflict have not only overtaken news, politics, and social media; they have also crept into our workplaces. Join Business for America and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox to learn about the campaign to Disagree Better, and hear from prominent business…
April 27 @ 3:00 pm – 5:30 pm CDT Book Club: The New China Playbook by Keyu JinHosted by Crossing Party Lines—–April’s book is The New China Playbook by Keyu Jin.This book challenges Western perceptions of China, exploring its departure from traditional economic models, including the consequences of its one-child policy, the government’s complex relationship…
April 28 @ 7:00pm CDT -isms: What Do They Mean? Hosted by Crossing Party Lines In previous meetings we’ve discussed a lot of -isms, from classism to racism, socialism and capitalism to interventionism and isolationism. People rally against them or advocate for them. At this meeting, we’ll discuss -isms in general, starting with this definition…
The Meaningful Movies Project and Fix Democracy First proudly present an exclusive, free online screening of the thought-provoking documentary, John Lewis: Good Trouble by Dawn Porter. Mark your calendars for Sunday, April 28th, at 4:00 pm PT/8:00 pm ET, as we embark on a journey towards positive societal change. John Lewis: Good Trouble isn’t just…
What is misinformation? How can we spot it and avoid it? How has the emergence of artificial intelligence technology complicated how we evaluate information? In this webinar hosted by the News Literacy Project, we’ll explore current trends in misinformation and identify types of misleading, inaccurate and false information. We’ll also discuss the fundamentals of fact-checking…