A recent poll showed that about six-in-ten (58%) say race relations in the U.S. are generally bad, a view that is held by majorities across racial and ethnic groups. Still, blacks (71%) are considerably more likely than whites (56%) and Hispanics (60%) to express negative views about the state of race relations. (Race in America 2019, Pew Research Center, April 2019, Horowitz, Brown, Cox:  https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2019/04/09/how-americans-see-the-state-of-race-relations/)

What is the disparity between these two groups? Is this the two Americas? In 1965, Martin Luther King Jr. alluded to a promissory note now being cashed by Black Americans. As we move into the year 2020, is there a promise still to keep?

Using various learning modalities, with an emphasis on experiential learning, discussion and lecture, participants will:

• Understand how one’s personal and community history affects one’s self-esteem and sense of safety
• Explore, experience and learn how to converse from a diverse perspective
• Understand how racial differences can affect relationships, communication and behaviors
• Learn how to listen and respond to personal experiences from a cultural perspective
• Discover how to listen compassionately and mindfully
• Learn how to begin where someone is, not where we want them to be
• Practice ways to respond with honesty and compassion when a conflict involving a diversity issue occurs
• Learn how to ask meaningful and intimate questions of individuals from diverse cultures