Two men walked into an East Belfast pub. One, a local who had lived there all his life, the other from middle America, visiting for the first time. They both ordered a pint and sat side by side at the bar. “How are you, then?” asked one of them. “I’ve been better,” said the other, and the conversation unfolded as they slowly emptied their pints. … Continue reading Pub talk
We spent a week in residence with the Padnos/Sarosik Center for Civil Discourse at Grand Valley State University and their community partner Seeds of Promise in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was election week and a good time to ask the question, “What is one hope you have for our country during these divided times?” If I were to have answered the question, it would have … Continue reading Civil Discourse
I’ve gotten to know Graham Bodie over the past year as I’ve gotten involved as a coalition partner for The Listen First Project, a group of organizations focused on using dialogue to heal the social fabric of America. Graham is a Chief Listening Officer of Listen First Project and also a professor of integrated media communications at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi. “Swapping … Continue reading Graham Bodie
Betsy Mulligan-Dague runs the Jeanette Rankin Peace Center in Missoula, Montana. She is also a Harley Davidson rider, a boxer, and an inventor. She believes it is important to explore different perspectives. Together, with Dan Gallagher, they found a way to bridge the divide that can exist between veterans and peace activists. “We have things that bind us together that we can fall back on when … Continue reading Betsy Mulligan-Dague
