Workshop Schedule 

Community Dialogue Workshop 


Presented by the School of Peace and Conflict Studies, Kent State University.

In Collaboration with Hands Across the Hills, the Growing Democracy Project, and the Department of Political Science at Kent State University.


Location: All events take place at the Kent State University Hotel unless otherwise noted.


For those arriving early or not participating in the Friday training, we highly suggest visiting the May 4th Visitor’s Center. Regular hours are 9am to 5pm weekdays. Information on the site can be found at: https://www.kent.edu/may4visitorscenter.


Workshop Schedule


Friday


Breakfast: 8am to 9am 


Mini-Training in Dialogue and Community Organizing

9am to 5pm


Description: This interactive pre-workshop experience will help develop hands on skills in dialogue as part of larger community building and organizing work. This pre-workshop event will be ideal for those interested in integrating dialogue between groups into their community work, including students, community organizers, and organizational leadership. Lunch will be provided.


Dinner at KSU Hotel

6pm to 8pm


Saturday


Breakfast: 8am to 9am


Kick Off

9 to 9:15am

Neil Cooper: Director, School of Peace and Conflict Studies

Johanna Solomon: Assistant Professor, School of Peace and Conflict Studies


Meeting Communities Where They Are: Community Engaged Practice

9:15 to 10:35am


Description: Speakers will briefly present (5-10 minutes) the programs they created or are involved in, focusing on their origins and how/why dialogue was were uniquely able to meet a community need. Presentations will be followed by a question and answer period, then group discussions on the topic.


Speakers 

Tats Arai: Straight Talk Dialogue Program

Leanne Trapedo Sims: Dialogue in Prisons

George Papp McClellan: Dialogue in Residence Halls

Gwen Johnson and Sarah Pirtle: Hands Across the Hills


Facilitator: Johanna Solomon


Facilitating Difficult Conversations

10:45 to 12:30


Description: Speakers will briefly share their insights into facilitation (5-10 minutes), each with a unique focus. Presentations will be followed by a question and answer period, then group discussions on the topic.


Lynn Woehrle: Addressing Power Imbalance

Ty Olsen: De-Escalation Techniques

Jill Stauffer: Listening to Difficult Stories

Ben Fink: Addressing Systems Outside the Room


Facilitator: Mike Gover 


Local Lunch in Downtown Kent: 12:30 to 1:30


Innovative Approaches to Dialogue: Bridging Divides

1:30 to 3pm


Description: This session is designed to facilitate discussion and module development on innovative topics that can be integrated into dialogue to make the experience more humanizing and engaging. Speakers will briefly share their experiences and ideas (5-10 minutes). Presentations will be followed by a question and answer period, then group discussions on the topic.


Jamil Al Wekhian: Cultures and Identity

Neil Cooper: Sport 

Ben Fink/ Sarah Pirtle/ Gwen Johnson: Food and Art

Elaine Hsiao: Technology


Facilitator: Ben Fink


Teaching Dialogue in the Classroom

1:30 to 3pm


Description: This session is designed to facilitate discussion and module development on innovative topics that can be integrated into the teaching and training of dialogue in the classroom. Speakers are experienced educators and will briefly share their experiences and ideas (5-10 minutes). Presentations will be followed by a question and answer period, then group discussions on the topic.


Jen Batton

Sara McDonald

Tats Arai


Facilitator: Johanna Solomon


Program Development and Sustainability 

3:15pm to 4:45pm


Description: This session is designed to facilitate discussion on creating programs inside and outside academic settings that are sustainable. Speakers will discuss program creation, overcoming institutional and political barriers, and sustainability (5-10 minutes). Presentations will be followed by a question and answer period, then group discussions on the topic.


Ty Olson and Lisanetta McDade: Dialogue Programs at Cuyahoga Community College 

Brigittine French: Integrating Circles at Grinnell College 

Sandra Kaufman: Dialogue and Public Processes 

Tats Arai: Building New Generations of Facilitators through Strait Talk


Facilitator: Jamil Al Wekhian


Community Organizing and Partnerships

3:15 to 4:45pm


Description: This session is designed to discuss the link between dialogue and community organizing/ community partnerships. Speakers will discuss their own intersections between dialogue and organizing, as well as thoughts on how we can improve this link (5-10 minutes). Presentations will be followed by a question and answer period, then group discussions on the topic.


Ashley Nickels: Community Organizing in Flint MI and the Growing Democracy Project

Deborah Rosa and Andre Campbell: The United Way and its Partnerships 

Amanda Woodyard: Community Engaged Learning

Liam O’Brian: Technology in Organizing and Dialogue 

Ben Fink: Power, Identity, and Organizing 


Facilitator: Camille Tinnin


Dinner Break: 5 to 7



Saturday Evening Event: Fishbowl Discussion with Hands Across the Hills

7pm to 8:30pm


Description: This fishbowl will center the experiences of Hands Across the Hills participants and creators. Questions and discussion will address a wide range of facilitator and community questions on topics such as addressing stereotypes, power imbalances, travel, politics and more. Community members are welcome to join in the center circle discussion, as well as submit or ask questions of those in the center.


Facilitators: Ben Fink and Johanna Solomon


Sunday


Program Evaluation: Grants, Research, and Publication

9-10:30am


Description: This session is designed to discuss the challenges of evaluating, publishing on, and getting grants to support dialogue. Speakers will discuss their own research and evaluation experiences (10-15 minutes). Presentations will be followed by a question and answer period, then group discussions on the topic.


Landon Hancock

Ifeoluwapo Tolorunju


Facilitator: Johanna Solomon


By and For Students: Student Organizing and Networking Event

9 to 10:30am


Description: This session is designed for students to discuss programs they have established, worked with, or wish to create at their own institutions or communities (5-10 minutes). Presentations will be followed by a question and answer period, then group discussions focused on creating or improving programs. This session is for and by undergraduate and graduate students to allow for creative connections and networking.


TBD


Facilitators: Tiera Moore and Camille Tinnin


Wrap Session: Where We Go From Here

10:45am to 12:15pm


Discussion, Brainstorm, and Planning 

Survey on Future Events and Gatherings 


Boxed Lunches Available


1pm to 3pm Visit to May 4th Visitors Center