Dialogue on Race

The Dialogue on Race program is an interactive, facilitated process that opens lines of communication and fosters mutual understanding to help address racial conflict and decrease racial tensions. The program convenes participants from as many parts of the community as possible to exchange information face-to-face or virtually, share personal stories and experiences, honestly express perspectives, clarify viewpoints, and develop solutions that address community concerns.

Program Overview

1. In step one, participants explore the question “Who are we?” and share their personal stories.
2. The second step helps participants understand “Where are we?” through a deeper exploration of personal and shared racial history in the community.
3. During the third step, participants develop a vision for the community, in response to the question “Where do we want to be?”
4. In step four, participants answer the question “What will we do as individuals and with others to make a difference?”

Program Objectives

• Transforming perspectives and empowering change: Dialogues have the potential to go beyond sharing between participants and can be the catalyst for change
• Uniting divided communities through a structured, civil, and informed sharing of local racial history and its impacts on different communities
• Developing solutions: Dialogue facilitates solutions and collaborative action
• Reaching beyond the usual boundaries: Dialogues involve the entire community, offering opportunities for new, unexpected partnerships