Featured Workshops

Re-Learning LARA: New Engagements with Familiar Tools

Sunday June 9th, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Adi Grabiner-Keinan, Rachel Sumner, Jazlin Garner Gomez & Stephen Kim, Cornell University

In this session, you will learn about Cornell's scaffolded process for introducing and practicing the LARA (Listen, Affirm, Respond, Add information) method across campus. You will engage in exercises and reflections that have been used at Cornell to implement LARA in the classroom, residential communities, workplaces, and online. Finally, based on data collected at Cornell, the group will explore how widespread exposure to this method for communicating across difference can support processes for structural campus change.

Examining Narrative, Identity and Conflict in Facilitated Conversations

Sunday June 9th, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Deepika Marya and Leah Wing, University of Massachusetts-Amherst

This workshop examines power imbalances and identity in the handling of conflict and explores how mainstream conflict resolution does not serve all disputants equally despite the best intentions. While research demonstrates success for many, it also illustrates that conflict resolution practices routinely reproduce privilege: structurally within institutions and interpersonally between disputing parties, undermining meaningful conversations and relationship building.

Interactive activities offer an opportunity to unearth some of these patterns and the trainers will introduce principles and new strategies to counter discriminatory impacts of privilege on conflict interventions. The workshop includes interactive activities, brief skills practice, and presentations connecting theory to practice.

Though the facilitation of dialogue spaces is not the only ingredient needed to create a powerful dialogic experience, intentional, authentic and purposeful facilitation can assist in creating a recipe that inspires a depth of learning, relationship building, and transformation for participants and facilitators. But how do we embrace the vulnerability in our facilitator role and inspire greater possibilities in participants? What does it mean to facilitate with authenticity. Join us for a conversation that engages these questions in an interactive discussion of facilitation.

Introduction to Relational Storytelling: Building Communities of Support

Sunday June 9th, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Javiera Benavente, Maya Sungold, Desta Cantave and Jules Petersen, Hampshire College and Safire DeJong, Collaborative for Educational Services

Many communities face challenges in building strong, dependable relationships. Often we fall into grinding conflict, rupture, and pain despite striving to live by our values. It is challenging to build resilient community in a culture of individualism, oppression, isolation, and competition. In this workshop, will introduce you to an intentional storytelling practice that cultivates community resilience and collective capacity in the face of these challenges. Through Resonance and Storytelling practice we learn to distribute the support of a caring community and a culture of connection for all, in order to counter the dominant culture of isolation and self-sufficiency. Practice developed by Relational Uprising.

The events of the last two decades have troubled, inspired and challenged people living in the U.S. to ask questions about their country, it's relationship in the world and their own roles as individuals. More than ever we are in need of civic dialogues that welcome the passions as well as the opinions. Yet the opportunities for citizens to engage on these issues with people of differing ideologies are almost nowhere to be found. Arts-based civic dialogues are playing a critical role in making such exchanges possible. Understanding that people get smarter by telling their stories, that listening is powerful tool in creating community, and that art is essential to transformation - A People’s Dialogue invites participants to examine their relationship to America through memory, storytelling, and facilitated performance.