Getting Started
You can bridge divides TODAY – Join a video conversation, host a conversation of your own, and tap into a community of people involved in the work of connection.
Living Room Conversations are a simple way to connect across divides - politics, age, gender, race, nationality, and more.
Getting at the heart of what we share in common with one another, these conversations have powerful, positive impacts across society – including a sense of respect, understanding, and even friendship in unexpected places!
WATCH: Excerpts from a Living Room Conversation on “The America We Want to Be”
Join an Upcoming Staff- or Volunteer-led Conversation
The conversations listed below are events hosted by Living Room Conversations staff or trained and seasoned hosts. Want to become a seasoned host? Contact us!
Join our free trainings listed below, participate in a conversation on Kazm, our preferred video conversation platform (in beta testing).
Note: There are conversations on Kazm which are not listed below. Visit the site directly in order to find even more conversations!
Join or Host a Conversation on Kazm
Anyone can join and host conversations on Kazm, our meaningful conversation platform.
Kazm (formerly known as Junto) is currently in beta testing – your feedback helps to make it the best it can be!
Don’t see the conversation you want to have listed? Host one yourself! Just click “Start a Conversation” on the left menu.
For the best experience, we recommend that you join from a laptop or desktop using Chrome or Mozilla Firefox internet browser. Joining from an iPad or iPhone will work OK, but be sure to use Safari browser on these devices. Remember, you’ll need to be connected to the internet, and have the camera and microphone that are part of your device turned on!
Join our Community
Join the Facebook Community
Continue the conversation on our Facebook Community! Stay thoughtfully connected, and recruit participants for more conversations.
Volunteer with Us
Passionate about connecting across divides? Want to do more than host? See what opportunities are available to get more involved.
Host a Conversation
Living Room Conversations can take place in person or online video chat. No matter where your conversation takes place, there are three steps to hosting your own!
Need additional support? Check out our hosting guidelines for in person and video conversations below. Get even more in-depth training and materials from our Host Toolkit.
1. Choose a topic
Living Room Conversations has over 100 topics ready to discuss or your can build your own. Each topic has targeted questions for your group to answer.
2. Choose a date and location
To make scheduling easy, try an app like Doodle, that helps people coordinate availability.
Decide on a comfortable space - maybe an actual living room, your favorite coffee shop, or even online.
3. Have your conversation
After everyone has gathered, go over the Conversation Agreements.
These guidelines let everyone know what is expected of them and create a positive environment for your group to have a great conversation.
And let us know how it went!
Hosting Best Practices
Check out our Host Toolkit for even more resources.
- Make introductions and take care of any housekeeping items at the start of your conversation.
- Assure participants that what matters is their personal perspectives, not how much they know about a subject.
- Read aloud the topic introductory paragraph from the conversation guide.
- Take turns reading the conversation agreements aloud until they have all been read.
- Begin your conversation with round 1 and continue through all three rounds.
- Be attentive to all participants getting a chance to speak each round; this may involve “calling on” participants and/or noticing if participants raise their hands.
- At the end of the conversation, please share the feedback form link with participants and ask them to fill it out – so we can continue to improve Living Room Conversations.
Partner with Us
Become one of our partners!
Join organizations and communities across the United States in bringing Living Room Conversations to your town.
