Spring 2022: The Responsibility To Act: Dialogue Across Difference and Social Justice Leadership

A person on a Zoom call speaking with people of various backgrounds

The Robert E. Strippel Memorial Fund for Continuing Dialogue on Human Rights and Social Justice

Wednesday, March 2 | Depolarizing Within: Exploring Braver Angels' Methods for Dialogues across Difference

5-7 p.m.
Virtual Workshop

A free workshop to support you to become aware of your "inner polarizer" and learn methods for disagreeing without contempt and ridicule.

Much of today’s polarization is driven by how we talk with like-minded people about those on the other side. Too often, we stereotype, dismiss, or ridicule our fellow citizens who support the other political party, its leaders, and its policies.

This free workshop supports participants to build skills in:

How to be more aware of their own "inner polarizer"
How to be critical without demonizing, dismissing or stereotyping large swaths of the population
Strategies for intervening constructively in social conversations with like-minded peers when these conversations veer into contempt and ridicule for people who hold other political views.

Students who participate in this workshop can earn credit toward their Leadership and Service Certificate.

This is a two-part workshop combining an online eLearning course and an online, interactive workshop offered over Zoom.

Part one consists of our 40 minute interactive course. You complete this online before the workshop.
Part two is practicing what you've learned in our two-hour, online workshop.

Workshop Moderators

Beverly Horstman joined Braver Angels in 2018 as a member and became trained as a moderator. In 2019, Beverly accepted the role of Ohio State Coordinator with the national organization, providing her with the ability to combine her personal commitment and her educational degree with 40 years of business experience. She has organized over 35 workshops and assisted as a co-moderator. As State Coordinator, Beverly actively supports the five local Braver Angels Alliances working throughout Ohio.

Eugene Rutz is Assistant Dean for eLearning and Emerging Programs in the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Cincinnati. He oversees the Master of Engineering programs and college eLearning initiative. Eugene also supports College international activities including faculty-led study abroad and teaches professional skills courses for engineering students. Eugene is a trained moderator for Braver Angels workshops and has led numerous online and on land workshops in Ohio and Kentucky.

Who should attend? Anyone interested in examining their own inner polarization and learning strategies to disagree without condemning or ridiculing others.

Co-sponsored by Miami University’s Robert E. Strippel Memorial Fund for Continuing Dialogue on Justice and Human Rights; the Menard Family Center for Democracy; and in partnership with Wilks Institute for Leadership and Service, NAACP Oxford Chapter, and the Global Initiatives' Center for American and World Cultures.

Resources

Braver Angels, Our Story, Building a House United

Understanding Political Polarization on Social Media, Politically Speaking Program presented by PBS Michiana. Aired: April 9, 2021

Previous Events

Fall 2021

Three images depicting children wearing masks in school, people protesting against homelessness, and people being served food at a soup kitchen

Everyday Heroes: COVID-19 Impact in Ohio’s Education Landscape

7 p.m., Tuesday, October 19

Students and faculty in education have been among those most affected by COVID-19. From the switch to online education and back to the struggle over mask and vaccine mandates, school faculty and students have been at ground zero in their attempts to mitigate some of the worst impacts of COVID. We will hear from students and faculty about their experiences so far and their recommendations for the future.

Moderator

Deloris Hudson, retired Teacher and member of the planning committee of the Robert Strippel Memorial Fund for Continuing Dialogue on Justice and Human Rights

Panelists

Deborah Jackson, Vice President at Southwest Ohio Education Association and Teacher at Princeton City Schools

Jannie Kamara, Miami University Alumna (2021) and President of MU Associated Student Government (2020-2021)

Rachel Williams, current Student at Fairfield City Schools

Related resources and websites

Ohio Schools Board Association, COVID-19 Resources

Education in a Pandemic: The Disparate Impacts of COVID-19 on America’s Students, U.S.A. Department of Education - Office of Civil Rights.

COVID-19 Well-Being Toolkit and Resources, Center for Healthy Minds, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Unemployment, Hunger, and Housing Crisis: COVID-19 and the Pillars of Insecurity

6 p.m., Tuesday, November 16

So many individuals and families were already living on the edge of hunger and homelessness, and the global pandemic tipped many over the brink. We will talk with local organizations that address these basic needs about how the pandemic has changed the calculus of where the next meal is coming from.

Moderator

Kathy McMahon-Klosterman, Eminent Faculty Scholar for Community Engagement & Service, Emerita; Professor Emerita: Educational Psychology; Affiliate: Women’s Studies; Disability Studies; Interdisciplinary Studies, Miami University; member of the planning committee of the Robert Strippel Memorial Fund for Continuing Dialogue on Justice and Human Rights

Panelists

TOPSS truck

Talawanda Oxford Pantry and Social Services, TOPSS

Ann Fuehrer, Director, Talawanda Oxford Pantry and Social Services, TOPSS

Mark Mussman, Director, Education, Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition

Melissa Mosby, Member, Speakers Bureau, Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition

Homeless coalition activists at Cincinnati city hall

Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition

Related resources and websites

Impact of COVID-19 on people’s livelihoods, their health and our food systems

Ohio COVID-19 Minority Health Strike Force has a blueprint of recommendations to respond to the disparities.

Census 2020: Ohioans at Risk of Undercounting and the Impact of Covid-19

Food insecurity and mental health of women during COVID-19: Evidence from a developing country

The 2021 Panel Series is sponsored by the Robert E. Strippel Memorial Fund for Continuing Dialogue on Human Rights and Social Justice in partnership with the Center for American and World Cultures; Butler County Board of Developmental Disabilities; the Ohio Department of Health; the Ohio Commission on Hispanic Latino Affairs; the Oxford Citizens for Peace and Justice; and MujerLatinaToday, media partner.

Co-curricular Program Goals

This program will provide:

opportunities to explore and establish a shared language regarding the meaning of equity, systemic equity and collective social responsibility to better define best practices of planning, response and recover from COVID-19 pandemic -locally and globally;
comprehensive health equity data, data analysis and outcomes regarding the overrepresentation of underrepresented communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Ohio and beyond; and
an exposure to dialogue mechanisms to create a space for learning-sharing, reflection, and opportunities to take democratic civic action.

Learning outcomes

Participants will:

1. reflect on how/why re-framing the meaning of equity, systemic equity and social responsibility can create, support and sustain a strong social justice leadership development;
2. assess and summarize the key take away of their reflections and define how/ why is a matter to collective social responsibility to cultivate their personal and professional civic skill building capacities and democratic agency; and
3. design action strategies focusing on equity, systemic equity and collective social responsibility best practices - to imagine alternatives to transform the present and the future of democratic, just and sustainable societies.