In this first session of our small-group conversation series about Truth & Democracy in America, citizens from around the country gathered online via Zoom for an exploratory discussion of several key questions about the news media, truth, and democracy. Below...
Lucille Bridges was the daughter of sharecroppers living in the Deep South. She had to leave school after the eighth grade so that she could work to help her family make ends meet. She wanted much more for her daughter. After the Supreme Court’s decision in Brown...
Exploring Civic Passions Dear collaborative discussion friends, This week we are highlighting Activity 5.1 Identifying Your Civic Passion, designed to help discussion participants figure out which civic topics are of greatest concern to them as individuals and as a...
Introducing the Identity Pie Activity Dear collaborative discussion friends, This time we are highlighting an activity that helps to build self-awareness about our social and cultural identities. It explores the meanings we ascribe to these identities and how they...
Gerda Weissmann was born to a Jewish family in Poland in 1924. She was 15 when the German army invaded. Gerda and her family were soon separated, with both of her parents sent to death camps. Since Gerda was young, she was forced into slave labor to manufacture...
Tools for supporting critical feeling Dear collaborative discussion friends, This time we are sharing an activity that helps to gauge the emotional charge of a discussion. By examining the feelings that participants bring to a discussion, we create space for self...
Understanding ourselves and others Dear collaborative discussion friends, This time we are highlighting two activities that help to identify personal and shared values. The activities examine how values show up in discussions and how they are prioritized...
How is truth important for a healthy democracy? What are the sources for getting and testing the truth? Where and how do untruths threaten the health of democracy? And what can we do, as a society and as individuals, to meet these challenges? In this series we’ll...
Annie Jump Cannon was born in 1863. Her mother excited her about the stars and encouraged Annie to pursue an education in mathematics and sciences. Annie lost most of her hearing at a young age, but that did not stop her. She earned a degree in Physics and...
Using metaphors as a way to enhance or “unstick” a discussion Dear collaborative discussion friends, This time we are focusing on an activity that can be used to help “unstick” groups. Sometimes groups need creative interventions or stimulants to help move past...
