When Snoop Dogg passed through Willie Nelson’s neck of the woods during South By Southwest in March, he took some time to pay tribute to his unlikely friend.This year, YWCA Northeast Indiana’s Diversity Dialogues tackled some tough topics: immigration, media bias and law enforcement issues.
And that’s exactly what facilitators wanted.
The YWCA’s Diversity Council solicited ideas from the local community for the first time, resulting in passionate yet civil debates about race and gender.
June’s panel on bias in the legal system meant “people were able to voice frustration and give testimony. … We didn’t even get to gender, because race dominated the conversation,” YWCA education advocate Chynna Presley says.
Next Wednesday’s topic for the monthly Diversity Dialogues will be human trafficking and how it affects Fort Wayne.
The discussions begin at noon at the YWCA office, 1610 Spy Run Ave., and are open to the public, but advance registration is necessary.
Attendees are encouraged to bring their lunch. Although dialogues are scheduled for 90 minutes, organizers realize that not everyone can stay that long.
The program is part of the YWCA’s mission of “eliminating racism and empowering women.”
The dialogues aren’t just about raising awareness but also promoting social activism, Presley says.
The session on media bias led to a letter-writing party a few weeks later after some participants wanted to do more than just talk about it.
The YWCA provides a forum where the seeds of ideas can be planted, with the “hope that it grows as (people) leave with a new understanding and appreciation that they didn’t have before,” says Steve Miller, director of development and communications.
“Every dialogue is a little different. Each one can take on a life of its own,” he says.
The goal is to provide a safe space to discuss potentially contentious topics. Many sessions begin with local experts presenting the issue and getting the dialogue started.
And there are rules.
Everyone is asked to listen to the speaker and refrain from personal attacks when challenging ideas. If one person dominates the conversation, the facilitator will step in to expand the discussion.
“We haven’t had an issue where people are offending other people. The people that come typically want to be heard and are interested in the topic,” Presley says, adding that the facilitator’s job is to provide “a mandatory comfort zone.”
The ultimate goal is to promote a healthy exchange of ideas rather than engage in the loud arguments that are common to TV punditry and talk radio, Miller says.
“We often miss the opportunity to dialogue, because we’re so busy trying to prove our own point, or we don’t understand everything that’s going on,” he says.
