At this moment when the political landscape is so polarized, making progress on any issue will require engaging across differences. We offer resources for building your strength to act from your values and for how to engage in dialogue across differences.
Dr. David Campt developed the White Ally Toolkit, “which educates anti-racism allies on engaging in transformative discourse about race and other polarizing conversations.” It offers proven ideas for how people can interact with skeptics, drawing on best practices of non-violent communication (listening, storytelling, and compassion) and the neuroscience of persuasion. The principles and tools are universal for addressing difficult topics. To get a flavor, check out this article: “A Dozen Do’s and Don’t’s for Effective Dialogue in Trying Times.”
In an age where social media is driving people apart, the field of dialogue offers one antidote. Essential Partners has developed a reflective, structured dialogue format to help people “wrestle with their differences openly, honestly, and with dignity. It encourages a stronger sense of community, which is what makes real and lasting change possible.” This guide offers approaches to dialogue for all BIPOC groups, all white groups, and mixed race groups. In their mission of “building a house united,” Braver Angels has also created a dialogue process to address political polarization, where they bring together equal numbers of ‘reds’ and ‘blues’ in highly structured workshops — not to change people’s political orientation, but simply to engage in re-humanizing encounters. In NH, NH Listens is a civic engagement initiative, based at the Carsey School at UNH, that helps residents talk to each other about hard public issues to create communities that work for everyone.
NH Workplace Racial Equity Learning Challenge Resources 