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UID:Indybay-18850975
SEQUENCE:19013225
CREATED:20220712T154800Z
DESCRIPTION:Co-sponsored by the Conflict Resolution Center of Santa Cruz County and the 
 Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History\n\nThe United States is becoming more 
 and more polarized, socially and politically. These divisions show up in 
 our own community as well, with sharp divides on both sides of issues such 
 as politics, housing, gun laws, attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community, 
 etc. As in many other places, people tend to stay in their bubbles, only 
 interacting with like-minded people. \n\nWhat if you left your bubble and 
 met someone new?\n\nThe overarching idea of this event is that it is 
 difficult to see someone as "other" when you have had an opportunity to 
 connect with them as a human being, therefore through simple conversations, 
 deep divisions can begin to be healed.\n\nThis free and interactive event 
 will include:\n- 1:1 Conversations with people with different identities\n- 
 Social Fabric Interactive Art\n- Listening Stations\n- Curious Scroll with 
 Andrew Purchin\n- Un/Seen Identities Project\n\nWhat would it be like to 
 have conversations across difference that foster empathy and 
 understanding?\n\n"Let's talk About It" is modeled after similar 
 initiatives in which participants (the public) can request to have a 
 conversation for 30 minutes with someone who identifies in a particular 
 way. Dialogue partners cover a wide range of identities and experiences. 
 They could be people who deal with alcoholism, housing insecurity, and 
 mental illness. They could be immigrants, refugees, transgender or 
 non-binary, or formerly incarcerated. People of misunderstood and 
 marginalized religious identities are also included, as well as police 
 officers, activists, and people experiencing homelessness.\n\nHow does it 
 work?\nParticipants are welcome to ask any questions they want (as long as 
 they’re respectful), and the dialogue partners openly and honestly answer 
 those questions without judgment. These dialogue partners represent a 
 stigmatized or misunderstood group in the community and based on their 
 personal experiences can answer questions from participants to help 
 challenge what is being said/told/understood about a given topic. The 
 overarching idea is that it is difficult to see someone as "other" when you 
 have had an opportunity to connect with them as a human being, therefore 
 through these simple conversations, deep divisions can begin to be 
 healed.\n\nWhat else is happening?\nWe are incorporating art into the event 
 and envision a tapestry where participants can write some of their 
 identities on pieces of cloth and then can weave it into a tapestry, the 
 "social fabric," as it were. Local artist Andrew Purchin will be there with 
 his "Curious Scroll" where people have conversations about difference while 
 painting together on a large scroll.\n\nWe will also have a table of 
 “un/seen identities” where participants or anyone would be invited to 
 select some of their identities (both obvious ones and ones that are more 
 hidden) from an array of stickers, and put the stickers on their shirts, so 
 that the dialogue partners could also have an idea of the participants’ 
 identities, which might prompt interesting mutual discussions.\n\nAnd, as 
 we all have intersectional identities, the dialogue partners would be 
 invited to use the stickers to indicate identities beyond the primary one 
 they are representing for the event.\n\nWe will be using the MAH atrium for 
 the interactive art and the garden courtyard at the museum for the 
 conversations. Participants would be oriented and matched with conversation 
 partners at a station in the atrium. In addition, we will be having a 
 Listening Circle and Listening Stations for participants to process their 
 experience after the conversations or simply walk up and engage with a 
 listener.\n​\nPlease join us on July 23 for this free, interactive event 
 and be ready to listen deeply and learn something new about the fellow 
 members of our community.\n\nInterested in volunteering to help us put this 
 event on? Please contact Alaya Vautier at alaya@crcsantacruz.org\n\nLearn 
 more at: https://www.crcsantacruz.org/lets-talk-about-it.html\n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2022/07/12/18850975.php
SUMMARY:Let's Talk About It: Finding Common Threads Through Conversation
LOCATION:Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History\n705 Front St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2022/07/12/18850975.php
DTSTART:20220723T210000Z
DTEND:20220724T010000Z
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