Newsletter Archive

We are pleased to let you know about a collaboration between Shift’s Transforming Racism project and Living Room Conversations! The focus will be on building trust across racial and cultural differences as well as offering

  Instead of Raging Over ‘Maus,’ Support Local People Who Are Fighting the Ban Did you see this short piece on the banning of Maus in Tennessee? It’s worth a quick read. The author is

My name is Annie Caplan and I am the new Libraries Partner for Living Room Conversations. Whether you are a seasoned Living Room Conversations host, an organizer or participant, or simply on our email list,

Last week we hosted our first Living Room Conversation  of the year: Mental Health & Belonging. If you watched it and are craving more, consider joining our Patreon community to get bonus content from this conversation. We had a

We are pleased to share that The Reunited States will have its nationwide PBS Broadcast premieres beginning on January 6th! The film will have over 870 screenings on local PBS stations across the country, reaching over 200 million people!

In the media this week… Living Room Conversations is excited to share two shows this week that highlight the impact of Living Room Conversations! The Atlas Network The Atlas Network brings us in on their

Thank you for your support this fall! Continuing to be a part of our community means a lot to us. Our Fall Appeal was a big success! Our community raised a total $16,545. With the help of

Joan Blades & The Optimist Daily Update Listen to the podcast here on Apple Podcasts! The Optimist Daily is a reader-funded daily publication that brings you solutions-focused, good news from around the world to sip

We want to take a moment to thank and congratulate Sushila Mertens for hosting 100 Living Room Conversations! Since 2017, Sushila has regularly hosted conversations in cafes, her living room, schools, libraries, and by video

Let’s make a congratulatory toast to the first cohort of participants in the Living Room Conversations Host Certification Program! This wonderful and talented group spent their summer learning the ins-and-outs of hosting and organizing Living Room Conversations

Universal Basic Income Our newest guide, Universal Basic Income, was created in collaboration with our partner, Common Ground Committee, a citizen-led nonprofit focused on finding common ground and reducing polarization for a stronger nation. Watch a short

Forgiveness & the Jewish New Year One of my favorite parts of the Jewish New Year is the invitation to be introspective; where did I hit the mark, where did I miss?  Rosh Hashanah is

By Sophia He Through my past experiences participating at Living Room Conversations, I was able to learn about the perspectives of people who differ from me in terms of race, gender, age, and so many

AUGUST We are in the last month of summer! We love to hear how organizations are using, adapting, and growing their own Living Room Conversations. Recently, Piedmont Community Church has been hosting Living Room Conversations.

Do you want to create a stronger sense of belonging in your Faith Community? Our new Faith Partner, Jane Grossman, is busy working with Faith Communities across the country who are hosting Living Room Conversations. Our

  “I became a monthly donor to Living Room Conversations because efforts like this –– conversations that impact people’s lives in very positive, personal ways –– are often overlooked in favor of splashy, public work.

This week is National Week of Conversation and to get you geared up, we thought we’d drop a couple of helpful tips. 1. Absorb not just observe. Quite naturally, when someone is speaking, we’re thinking about what to

JUNE Photo from our own Leah Spitzer So far this year we have had 6,939 downloads of our conversation guides – and that’s only the downloads! Just imagine the impact that these open and understanding conversations

  From our Healing Guide: Have you been part of a healthy, healing community? What was that like? Respond via Facebook!   The Christian Science Monitor In 2016, Living Room Conversations collaborated with The Christian Science Monitor

Hello again, We are so glad to see you enjoying our weekly newsletter. This week, we wanted to share some story spotlights and shed some light on how our Living Room Conversations Youth Council handles conflict

When was the last time you talked politics with someone on the other side? Many people want to understand different perspectives, but don’t feel like they know someone with differing views that they can ask.

Conversation is how we think together as humans. We’re hungry to chew on this transitional space, to not just walk back into our lives as if nothing has changed. Here in the northern hemisphere, the

As an Asian American woman, the shootings in Atlanta have broken my heart, filled me with sadness, anger, and fear. I’ve felt these things before, but this time my grief feels less invisible and more

One year later. The anniversary of the week a global pandemic shut our nation down is an important time to reflect and take stock. For some of us, signs of spring are arriving. Efforts to

Three parts of the country. Many different stories. One common thread. Meet Brett, Diane, and Hillary. Each one of them saw a need and stepped into to meet it.  Along the way, they discovered hope,

On January 7, 2021 Irshad Molla’s high school history teacher Mr. Drew Sraver woke up unsure and unsettled after watching the events at the U.S. Capitol unfold the day before. At 3:05 pm that same

“I was hesitant to engage with bridge building efforts, not wanting to entertain any perspectives or people that didn’t align with what my vision of liberation was,” remembers Brialle Ringer, Living Room Conversations Race and

The Living Room Conversations management team is delighted to announce that starting February 1st, Justine Lee, the co-creator of Make America Dinner Again, became our full-time executive director!  It was wonderful having her on staff

“Think of every conversational partner you’ve had and reflect on the power differentials. Children to parents, boss to worker, enlisted to officer, police to other citizens, loaner to loanee, teacher to student, minister to congregant,

Let’s be clear: presidents can talk about what they are going to do, but unless they have a strong foundation their talk does not translate into effective action. Grassroots support is necessary for effective action,”

“I am regularly reminded that “civility” as a practice and “unity” as a goal are not universally embraced,” writes Living Room Conversations partner Justine Lee in the USA Today. Justine shares how on the right and

After almost a year of diminished physical connection with each other, the tender fractures between us seem to be calcifying. Personal isolation exacerbated by the pandemic is giving way to pervasive distrust. Just as this

The painful images from last week’s breach on the U.S. Capitol are imprinted on our minds. While many are wringing their hands at our current state of affairs, we are ready to act. We know

2021 is finally here. Well, we can check one more thing off our bucket list: celebrating the New Year in the midst of a global pandemic. Was it weird? Did it dull some of the sparkle you’d

On behalf of all of us at Living Room Conversations, I want to express our deepest gratitude for working alongside us to build a world we believe is possible. In these last few moments of

This holiday season, as we reflect back on a difficult and transformational year, we’re filled with gratefulness for the many new kinds of conversation, the many new people, the many new questions emerging from all

[Editor Note: This week’s feature story comes from Kurtis Kelly of the Estes Valley Public Library] Remember those classic TV commercials from the 1970s for Reese’s Peanut Butter cups? Someone is walking down the street eating chocolate.

Lately we’ve been learning how Living Room Conversations is attracting interest and being used across the globe, in places like the UK, Brazil, and India These countries are experiencing growing social and political rifts, just

At the 2016 Thanksgiving table, hot off that divisive election, I blundered my way through trying to understand those who voted differently.  Horrified to find myself becoming increasingly judgmental and rigid, I vowed to try

While we’re still processing this intense election season, the approaching holidays are suddenly clamoring for our attention. Holidays can be complicated, even without a pandemic. But if 2020 has taught us anything, it’s just how

One of the most soothing images that came out of the election were the exhausted but diligent election staff from both sides with their heads down quietly doing democracy’s work: counting the record number of

Inside every Living Room Conversation is an invitation to better know our own mind and take steps towards inner peace leading to outer peace. When we offer each other the gift of our genuine curiosity,

Do you ever catch yourself staring out the window, imagining a different reality? During this pandemic, I’ve caught myself thinking about what it would be like to parent the way our distant ancestors did, the way many

How are you processing this election season, especially after the Presidential debate? What hopes and fears are arising? The debate, in particular, seemed to raise the already high levels of anxiety across the political spectrum.

Therapist and author Steven Stosny, in an article for Psychology Today, coined the phrase “election stress disorder” or ESD – a kind of takeover of the adult, rational brain by the more emotional toddler brain

A recent headline read “The Choice Between Trump and Biden is Increasingly a Choice Between Good and Evil.” Where can you possibly go from there? Yet, for many Americans, this is, increasingly, the dualistic lens

Rainer Marie Rilke, in his book “Letters to a Young Poet,” writes about the notion of “living the questions.” When we are confronted with questions we can’t answer, we are called to live into the

The search for meaning, rather than the pursuit of personal happiness, maintains researcher Emily Esfahani Smith in The Power of Meaning: Finding Fulfillment in a World Obsessed With Happiness, is the key to living a fulfilling, joyful

Anxiety? Anger? Hope? Despondency? …Possibility? Conflicting emotions are swirling through our bodies—and our body politic—as we stare down the calendar towards November 3. 2020 has tested us in most every conceivable way, and we’re ready

  How about some good news to start off your Monday? The New York Times reports, in a new piece about meeting new people from a distance, what our community has long known: The questions that are at the heart

Many of us want to have more effective conversations on race, and struggle to know when it makes sense to talk across racial lines, and when it doesn’t. This week, we’re continuing our conversation with

At Living Room Conversations, we’re known for bringing different perspectives together through conversation. Certain issues, like racial equity, are often more effective when conversations are held within affinity groups, rather than across differences. Both mixed

What does it mean to be a citizen? To engage in civil discourse? To learn from experiences different from your own, and being open to allowing those perspectives to shape your views? For Sophia He,

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” – Ferris Bueller Life has been moving fast here at Living Room Conversations.  As we respond to the

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” – Ferris Bueller Life has been moving fast here at Living Room Conversations.  As we respond to the

Young people are engaging with Living Room Conversations in record number.  We are so moved by their passion and commitment to finding new ways to build our common life together. Today, we’re featuring Peilin Lu,

D. DeAngelis, known as “DD,” was inspired to have a Living Room Conversation with their family as a step towards addressing racial injustice. They didn’t expect to fundamentally shift the culture of their family in

Eric Lui tells a story in Become America about the writer Saul Bellow walking through his Depression-era childhood streets of Chicago. He could hear the same fireside chat by President Roosevelt streaming through every parked car and

Before COVID-19 and the most recent call for police reform in the wake of George Floyd’s death, a group of citizens in Fayetteville, Arkansas brought together a cross section of their community to have Living Room

Doing the heavy lifting of living into the promise of America is going to take all we’ve got. We’re roiling through weeks of massive protests, the beginnings of policy changes, resignations, and raised awareness. Is this

What does it mean to live gratefully? What personal and social qualities support grateful living? How can cultivating understanding, generous listening, and honest sharing support a peaceful, thriving, and more sustainable world? Joan Blades explored

“I’ve known my nieces and nephews since they were born,” writes Marissa Verson Harrison, “and our conversations usually go something like this: Me: What’s up? Max: Nothing. Me: What are you doing this summer? Max:

“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice,” is one of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s most inspiring quotes. But this arc does not bend on its own. It bends because

“’I’m glad I’m not the only Black guy up in here with a mask and gloves on,’ they both say wordlessly. And then they go their separate ways,” wrote Reverend Pedro Silva about the experience of being

So much about this moment is discovering our power in the face of uncertainty. What do we have the ability to influence? How will we respond in the face of heightened anxiety–in our community, in

It’s not often you get to shock Glenn Beck. But that’s exactly what happened when the well-known conservative voice and complicated figure in American media discovered his guest Joan Blades was the Co-Founder of the

Many of us are getting more comfortable with Zoom for our Living Room Conversations. While we’ve been hosting video conversations for years, we are grateful that so many of you have shared how easily you’ve transitioned

While sheltering in place, many of us are spending more time than ever online. The virtual world is our lifeline to connect, work, and check in on loved ones. It even offers an outlet to

The Coronavirus is challenging everyone in our movement to find creative ways to carry on the vital work of revitalizing the fabric of America. At Living Room Conversations, we stand in solidarity with the rich

Passover begins at sundown, and Easter is celebrated on Sunday, making this a holy week for Christians and Jews alike.  This week also marks a notable anniversary. One year ago, the world watched in horror

You know what? I’m really proud of us. I’m proud of how quickly we’ve adapted to thrive in this new environment with no preparation and under enormous stress. In just a few weeks, we’ve completely

Our physical distancing during Coronavirus is an opportunity to reflect on how we can bring renewed vigor to social connection on the other side of this. We will get through it. The costs may be enormous. But

Things are moving fast and changing quickly. A question patiently waits for us in the quiet center of the chaos: How can we best care for each other? We’re beginning to hear from you that

Dear ones, Staring down our vulnerability hurts in the forgotten places. Who knew the dial of these anxious times would suddenly be cranked up to 11? How are you? Really? Our team is comforted by knowing you

“What’s the point if no one changes their mind?” It’s a question that’s been posed to J. Christopher Collins many times over the years he’s spent hosting bridge-building conversations as the founder of Bridging the

There’s an article that surfaces on social media every June just as the kids are about to get out of school. “How to have a 1970’s summer.” It invites parents to give our children the

Are you hungry for creative and peaceful solutions to the challenges facing our country? Do you have ideas about strengthening the social bonds that support a free and flourishing society? Are you interested in learning

Have you ever noticed the phrase at the bottom of every Living Room Conversation Guide: “This is an open source project. Please use, share and modify with attribution to ​LivingRoomConversations.org”? Have you ever wondered exactly

David Patterson writes in the International Business Times that thanks to a note he sent his long time friends he “no longer wakes up dreading emails”. “Since the 1980s,” Dave writes, “seven of my high

Join Living Room Conversations at Yosemite next month! Living Room Conversations is proud to play an instrumental role at the March 20-21, 2020 Yosemite Peace Symposium, and we would love you to join us there! Register here

We are offering an online experience of our powerful three-Conversation Race and Ethnicity series on three Fridays in February—the 14th, 21st and 28th. Times for this 90-minute Conversation are 1:30-3pm ET/10:30am-noon PT. To sign up,

We are always seeking new ways to share our work and build the work of others. We support organizations like Rotary by providing a Living Room Conversation that connects with their core tenets. For example,

How Technology Can Help Reduce Political Polarization “The internet can be used to help reverse political and social divisions instead of pulling Americans farther apart” as shown in  this op-ed by our long-time partner John Gable,

As our work has expanded, we’re looking for better ways to keep you informed. Next week, we are going to try out a newsletter format instead of a letter.  Let us know what you like

This year Living Room Conversations have happened all across our nation, in faith communities, libraries, schools, bookstores, cafes, by video and even in living rooms.  Friendships have been formed and friendships have deepened. Understanding and

Some years bring more change than others. This one brought significant change to my life and church community as you might have seen when you read this weekly email from us this past Spring. On any given

I hope this email finds you well and ready to start winding down for the year. And as you catch a breath, take five minutes to watch one of the most powerful videos we’ve seen yet

Wonderful news! Living Room Conversations is partnering in 2019-20 with The Fetzer Institute to answer core questions about the American public’s participation in dialogues for building empathy and bridging divides in the service of democracy.

It’s here! Today is Giving Tuesday. Here’s how to join us in celebrating generosity and healing divides: Share our Giving Tuesday meme (cut & paste or forward the image below) with a personal note about

Thanksgiving is tomorrow. As a national holiday, it’s one of the most fraught with challenging conversations. Here are some ways to make it more curious, and less furious: Read our Friends and Family Tipsheet for

I’m really present to the power of this work, especially as we approach the holidays. Living Room Conversations has helped me listen more deeply to my family when we disagree, and let’s just say that

During this time of year, the staff at Living Room Conversations often receives requests from people seeking guidance and tips about how to talk with their family and friends about politics. Many people feel anxious

We get a lot of positive feedback about our work. But it’s not every week we read words like this: “18 people in a conference room in stunned amazement of the beauty we were sharing

Our partner the National Institute for Civil Discourse is rolling out a major initiative this coming Sunday, November 3. Here’s an excerpt from the web page describing the initiative: On Sunday, November 3, 2019, exactly one year before

You’ve already met one of our many dedicated volunteers Michael Taggart back in March, when he was featured in an interview about his volunteer experience. We were delighted when Michael submitted  a new Conversation Guide called

Just when you thought our Conversation Guides couldn’t get any better… We are so excited to let you all in on the major changes that have been made to our Conversation Guides. Why change such

We are thankful for the stellar hosting and beautiful writing we’re permitted to share with you this week from Houston’s Harold Rocketto: I recently had the distinct pleasure of hosting two online Guns & Responsibility Living Room

You’ve been hearing about our Race and Ethnicity series–with good reason. It’s become one of our most popular online Conversation offerings. Well, we’re offering it again! You can click here to sign up and for more

I have some treasured friends who support my efforts to have meaningful conversations with people from across the political spectrum. Last month my friend Elisa Batista wrote a story for Medium about how participating in

Living Room Conversations is partnering again this year with civic organizations around the world for the global Speak! campaign, this Friday-Saturday. LRC recently teamed up with a dozen community conversation groups here in the United

In honor of the fourth annual International Day of Listening on Thursday, September 19th, 2019, Living Room Conversations is launching a brand new Guide and hosting a video call focused on Listening Courageously that same

This week’s story is about St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Fayetteville, Arkansas, who are using Living Room Conversations in their “Becoming Beloved Community” program. St. Paul’s is offering a series of Living Room Conversations to

The pastor of my church in Boise, Idaho, who is also my brother, confided to our congregation one Sunday morning that he found himself avoiding certain topics from the pulpit because he didn’t want to

We are excited to share this clip with you that was shared on Fox24 News Now from Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. It features two librarians, Brandon Britt and Emilie Hancock who host Living Room Conversations in the

I’m Brialle Ringer, Living Room Conversations’ Communications Partner. I invite you to send us a 60-second (or less) video of yourself answering one of the following questions from our Race & Ethnicity series Conversation Guide.

Here’s a list of our favorite insights from the Communicating with Care Living Room Conversations we have offered online. (Our next one is scheduled for August 26 — click here to sign up!). Thanks go

This week, I want to share a story of how our fabulous volunteer Jessica Shryack led a roomful of people in a Living Room Conversation! And how you can, too. Jessica represented Living Room Conversations

Living Room Conversations has published a Conversation Guide on Gender! Like all our Guides, it emphasizes personal experience over position-taking. We think you’ll find that talking about it in a Living Room Conversation helps you

The title of this week’s email is a quote from a wonderful short video interview by 3-Minute Storyteller with our co-founder Joan Blades:      We hope you’ll love it, and enjoy finding folks to share it with. If

This week, I want to invite you to sign up for our SPECIAL Online Living Room Conversation: Race and Ethnicity Conversation Series July 16, 23, & 30 from 2:00 – 3:30pm ET / 11:00 am

Happy Summer!  We are honored to have an op-ed about Living Room Conversations’ core strategy featured in The Fulcrum, a digital news organization focused on efforts to reverse the dysfunctions plaguing American democracy.  Our short form piece starts

We are conducting a survey among our friends, participants, hosts, and donors to help us learn what you feel and think about Living Room Conversations. Your participation will provide us with the critical feedback we

Living Room Conversations is very proud of our partnerships–and our partners! This week, I want to let you know about a new partnership program: the “Spirit of Change Conversation Series.” The Spirit of Change Conversation Series

We were so excited to see this awesome short video that gets right to the heart of Living Room Conversations, produced by the Charleston County (South Carolina) Public Libraries! Enjoy!   Beth G. Raps, PhD Development Partner

I want you to meet our new Library Network Partner Sushila Mertens. A volunteer, she has assumed responsibility for our national Living Room Conversations for Libraries. She is the perfect person to do so! In

Let me introduce you to Chad Estes, our newest Faith Communities Partner and leader of the new Living Room Conversations program at Vineyard Boise Christian Fellowship you read about here. Chad very quickly noticed something I think

A few weeks ago, Living Room Conversations was lucky enough to be invited to present at The Urgency of Civility conference held in Washington, DC April 30-May 1, 2019.       Our Managing Partner

This week, I want to tell you about some of the most important work we do. It’s in faith communities, and by that I mean Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and more. Reverend Linda Taylor is the

Michael C. Taggart is one of many dedicated Living Room Conversations volunteers. A self-identified “constitutional conservative,”  Michael described in an interview with Contributing Partner Gayle Yamauchi-Gleason how he discovered Living Room Conversations last year, and

About 6 weeks ago, our weekly email gave you the good news of our new three-part Race and Ethnicity Living Room Conversation series. I have never received so much wonderful email from our readers as after we

Last month, our co-founder Joan Blades and conservative partner and friend, AllSides co-founder John Gable talked about “Celebrating political diversity.” at Wisdom 2.0 . We think you’ll enjoy the video at this link! This talk

This week, we profile some profoundly important recent organizing in Provo, Utah on domestic violence and sexual assault. Living Room Conversations are being integrated into this program as a tool in the CourtWatch program. To

It’s halfway through one of the biggest weeks of bridge-builders: the National Week of Conversation. What could be easier than signing up for one of our already created, already scheduled, already hosted, online Living Room

You may already be registered for one or more of the wonderful opportunities to engage in the National Week of Conversation that starts this Friday. NWOC is this bold annual campaign when people with diverse

2019 has been full of gratitude and recognition. I will be telling you more about that in the coming months. In this issue of our weekly update, I ask for your support in recognition of what

It’s that time again! The National Week of Conversation (NWOC) starts April 5th! Are you curious about how others see things? Do you believe that civil discourse has become downright uncivil? Are you tired of

No matter how we identify ourselves in relation to faith, we all belong to this Living Room Conversations community and share the unifying purpose of working to bridge the divides between us. Here are a few questions

I have a real treat for you this week. Our new Living Room Conversations on Race and Ethnicity are ready for you! I’m a proud member of the diverse team who developed this new trio

Last August, we showed you how “Listening Changes the Climate,” when climate activists and climate skeptics listen to each other using our Climate Change Conversation Guide. Well, just last month, about 40 new climate activists

What wonderful news we received from the owner of an independent bookstore in Zebulon, Georgia who offers Living Room Conversations! Here is the story of how A Novel Experience came to offer Living Room Conversations

Each week, we assume you already know how awesome Living Room Conversations are and just want to hear more about where they are having an impact. But every so often, we want to check in

Most people who plan to do Living Room Conversations in a big way start small. In fact, that’s exactly what we usually recommend: begin with a 4-7 person conversation in person or by video, see

We are excited to announce the Spring 2019 Pilot of Mismatch! And your (child’s) grade 6-12 classroom is invited to join! AllSides for Schools is our joint project with the news site AllSides.com. Mismatch is a

We are excited this week to share a beautiful reflection contributed by Living Room Conversations organizer, Kathryn Mitchell of Arlington, Texas. When I was a child, my dad was a TV repairman, and he seemed to

Greetings and Happy 2019 to you! A fresh new year has begun. One of our newest supporters wrote us that she’d decided to come closer because we are making a profound difference in the world.

We never know what will emerge in a Living Room Conversation! Refugee Families and Zero Tolerance was the topic for the July Living Room Conversations gathering at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Ft. Worth, Texas,

I was just minding my own business one morning—going through my email, making my to-do list, getting ready for the day—when I saw the draft email announcing our latest Conversation guide. I’m a picky proofer,

A lot of people feel danger and fear in talking to the “other side.” Talking to those who are seemingly unlike us or are a part of an opposing group does feel scary. I first

We have amazing things going on around the country–here are two brilliant new Living Room Conversations–one on Hunger from Texas and the other on Tribalism from Utah. Tribalism This Conversation was created to accompany the

I have some fun for you this week: The 12 Days of Reflection! This is our first-ever major coordinated social media campaign, and it has been such fun to create it for you! Starting today

A few weeks ago, our co-founder Joan Blades wrote you about the elections–and our brand-new “What’s Next U.S.? (Post-Midterms 2018)” Living Room Conversation and Guide. This week, we offer you a short film of Joan

It’s Thanksgiving and I’m thinking of you. Living Room Conversations have completely changed my life and the way I see myself and others. I live in a different world–a world of hope, miraculous connections, and

This email won’t give you recipes or great places to get those last-minute Thanksgiving dinner needs. This email is first-aid for peaceful gatherings of family and friends right after the US mid-term elections! If you

Last week, we asked: What’s Next, US?  We know Living Room Conversations are part of the answer. And Living Room Conversations cohorts may be a growing part of the answer! Here is how they work–written by a member

I don’t know about you but I chose to avert my eyes as election returns came in. It was my way of dealing with the stress—of caring deeply about outcomes and at the same time

Happy Wednesday, Dear Readers! This week, may find you thinking about our nation’s mid-term elections with some anxiety, remembering divides that suddenly seemed so threatening two years ago. What to do? First of all, name

This week, a new treasure for you, a brand-new Living Room Conversation, “Relationships over Politics: Connecting with Friends and Family.” Click on that link to be taken straight to the Conversation! But if you’d like