THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON

March 13, 1998

Dear Friend:

Our nation was founded on the principle that we are all created equal. We haven't alwayslived up to that ideal, but it has guided our way for more than two centuries. As we enter the 21stcentury, we know that one of the greatest challenges we still face is learning howwe can come together as One America.

Over the coming decades, our country's ethnic and racial diversity will continue to expanddramatically. Will those differences divide us, or will they be our greatest strength? The answerdepends upon what we are willing to do together. While we confront our differences in honestdialogue, we must also talk about the common dreams and the values we share. We must fightdiscrimination in our communities and in our hearts. And we must close the opportunitygaps that deprive too many Americans of the chance to realize their full potential.

I hope that you find the information contained in this kit helpful for conducting dialoguesin your neighborhoods, your schools, and your places of worship. Your views and ideas are veryimportant to me, and I urge you to help me continue the national dialogue on race by taking aleadership role in your community. Together, we can build a stronger America for the 21stcentury.

Thank you for helping us to meet this most important challenge.

Sincerely,

Bill Clinton [unofficial signature]

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Foreword

The President has asked Americans to join in open and honest discussions about race. Peoplefrom all across America have responded to the President’s call and are talking about race morethan ever. While these discussions may not be easy, they are necessary if we are to better under-stand each other, live together, and build united communities.

The attached One America Dialogue Guide will help you conduct a discussion on race. Whetheryou are a school teacher, police officer, student, businessperson, elected official, community leader,PTA member, or a concerned citizen, this guide is designed for you.

This manual was developed through a collaborative process led by the President’s Initiative onRace and the Community Relations Service, U.S. Department of Justice, which consulted withnational organizations that specialize in race dialogues. The result is a manual which represents aconsolidation of thinking and practice from around the country on community dialogues on race.

We cannot underestimate the power of dialogues. When people can explore perspectives andideas, they discover how much they share in common and learn to appreciate their differences.Dialogue is an opportunity for growth and change. Dialogue can help open our minds. Dialoguecan help each of us listen better. And dialogue can bring us closer together.

Thank you for your interest in conducting a community dialogue. We hope you find our guideuseful and instructive.

Sincerely,

Judith A. Winston, Executive Director Rose M. Ochi, DirectorPresident’s Initiative on Race Community Relations Service

U.S. Department of Justice

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Contents

1. Characteristics of Community Dialogues on Race ............................................... 1

2. Getting Started-Steps in Organizing a Dialogue .................................................. 3

3. Conducting an Effective Community Dialogue on Race .................................. 11

4. The Role of the Dialogue Leader .......................................................................... 15

Appendices

A. Additional Resources1.A Sample Small Group Dialogue ..................................................................... 232.The Dif ference Between Debate and Dialogue .............................................. 253.Examples of Racial Reconciliation fr om Across the Nation ......................... 274.Quotes on Race Relations .................................................................................. 29

B. Additional Questions for the Four Phases of Dialogue ..................................... 31

C. Directory of Resource Organizations ................................................................... 35

1

What do we mean by dialogue?

A dialogue is a forum that draws participantsfrom as many parts of the community as pos-sible to exchange information face-to-face,share personal stories and experiences, hon-estly express perspectives, clarify viewpoints,and develop solutions to community concerns.

Unlike debate, dialogue emphasizes listeningto deepen understanding (see Appendix A,“The Difference Between Debate and and Dia-logue”). Dialogue invites discovery. It devel-ops common values and allows participants toexpress their own interests. It expects that par-ticipants will grow in understanding and maydecide to act together with common goals. Indialogue, participants can question and re-evaluate their assumptions. Through this pro-cess, people are learning to work together toimprove race relations.

What makes for successful interracialdialogue?

The nature of the dialogue process can moti-vate people to work towards change (see Ap-pendix A, “Examples of Race Reconciliationfrom Across the Nation”). Effective dialoguesdo the following:

• Move towards solutions rather than con-tinue to express or analyze the problem. An

emphasis on personal responsibility movesthe discussion away from finger-pointingor naming enemies and towards construc-tive common action.

• Reach beyond the usual boundaries. Whenfully developed, dialogues can involve theentire community, offering opportunitiesfor new, unexpected partnerships. Newpartnerships can develop when partici-pants listen carefully and respectfully toeach other. A search for solutions focuseson the common good as participants areencouraged to broaden their horizons andbuild relationships outside their comfortzones.

• Unite divided communities through a re-spectful, informed sharing of local racialhistory and its consequences for differentpeople in today’s society. The experienceof “walking through history” together canlead to healing.

• Aim for a change of heart, not just a changeof mind. Dialogues go beyond sharing andunderstanding to transforming partici-pants. While the process begins with theindividual, it eventually involves groupsand institutions. Ultimately, dialogues canaffect how policies are made.

1. Characteristics of CommunityDialogues on Race

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Some possibilities—

■■ To improve our neighborhood by build-ing bridges across racial lines.

■■ To build new relationships.■■ To bring people together who do not typi-

cally talk to one another.■■ To bring our kids together to reduce the

chance of violence.■■ To influence attitudes of local law enforce-

ment.■■ To better understand other cultures.■■ To open up new economic possibilities.■■ To create bonds between organizations

that do not usually work together.■■ To work on a community project together,

such as building a playground.■■ To build partnerships across jurisdictional

lines.

Think about who should be included.

Who should be in the dialogue?Some possibilities—

■■ My neighbors.■■ Members of my and other religious com-

munities.■■ The school community-parents, teachers,

administrators, and students.■■ Police and community members.■■ Business owners.■■ Elected officials and community leaders.

Think about what format to use.

What type of discussion should we have?Some possibilities—

■■ A few small groups meeting once or twice.■■ A large public meeting with panelists and

questions from the audience.

Below are some basic questions and possibleanswers to help you think about organizing adialogue on race. They are meant to be a start-ing place. Answering these questions willhelp you better understand the purpose andpotential of your effort. You may wish to usethe worksheet following these lists to sketcha profile of your own community. More de-tailed steps follow these “brainstorming”questions.

Think about your community.

What’s going on in our community that a dialogueon race could address?Some possibilities—

■■ There are people of different racial groupsin my neighborhood that I would like toknow better.

■■ There is a race-related issue in my com-munity that people need to talk about.

■■ People of different races live and work onopposite sides of town.

■■ There are young people from diverse ra-cial and ethnic groups who could benefitfrom sharing their experiences.

■■ I would like to get the community to cometogether to tackle a common problem.

■■ The time is ripe for change-people areready to do something positive.

■■ The “face” of the community is changing,and people need to acknowledge and un-derstand the changes in a more construc-tive light.

Think about your goals.

If there were a dialogue on race here, what wouldbe its goals?

F O R T H E O R G A N I Z E R …

2. Getting Started—Steps inOrganizing a Dialogue

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■■ A series of small groups from across thecommunity meeting for six weeks ormore, concluding with a large meeting.

■■ A year-long commitment among a groupof key community leaders to study, reflecton, and discuss race relations.

■■ School projects aimed at understandingcultural differences, concluding with amulticultural potluck dinner.

■■ Study groups meeting from racially di-verse congregations, concluding with ajoint worship service.

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Worksheet to Create Your OwnCommunity Profile

1. What’s going on in our community that a dialogue on race would address?

2. If there were a dialogue on race here, what would be its goals?

3. Who should be in the dialogue?

4. What format should we use?

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Now make some choices.

You don’t have to be an expert to have an hon-est conversation about race. But as someonewho is considering organizing a dialogue, youdo have several choices ranging from the verysimple to the somewhat complex. At thesimple end, you can gather together a smallgroup of friends, neighbors, or schoolmatesto talk informally about race. This approachcan be a constructive beginning, but will likelynot produce much long-term community orinstitutional change. Another option is to pairexisting community groups for a dialogue onrace. This approach can have a larger effecton the community, depending on the groupsinvolved. You could also create new groupsfrom your community and bring them to-gether for conversations on race aimed atcommunity change. Whatever your ap-

proach, for a lasting impact on the larger com-munity, it is a good idea to think about howyou will sustain the project before you begin.

Dialogue may start at many levels and inmany ways. While the guidance providedbelow can be adapted for the small “ad-hoc”gathering, it is generally intended for a largereffort (see figure below). The resource direc-tory in Appendix C is a good place to locatehelp in organizing a dialogue on race. Youshould now be ready to tackle the followingquestions.

1. Who should be involved?

Form a planning group. If you are organiz-ing an informal dialogue with friends, neigh-bors, or co-workers, for example, then the

3.What do you want to

accomplish?Develop a vision for your

community. Establish short,medium & long-term goals.

1.Who should be involved?

Form a planning group.Look for other groups to

partner with.

7.How well did we do?

Document the project.Have participants evaluate

the dialogue.

8.What’s the next step?

Celebrate!Expand the team.

6.How do I/We conduct the

dialogue?Role of discussion leader.Establishing ground rules.

Asking questions to promotediscussion.

5.What other planning issues

need consideration?Recruiting participants.

Meeting logistics.

4.How many dialogues

should take place and forhow long?

One session. Dialogue series.

2.What’s happening in my

community?Think about community needs.

Eight Steps for Beginning and Sustaining a Race Dialogue

OrganizingA

Dialogue

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planning group may consist of just you andone or two others. However, if you are plan-ning a more ambitious effort, then you willwant to have a planning group of six or eightpeople who represent different backgrounds,professions, and viewpoints. Once you’veassembled the group together, discuss yourapproach. You will need to spend enoughtime together to build a level of trust. Thisgroup will be the nucleus that drives the pro-cess and should “model” the kind of relation-ships and openness that you hope to see inthe overall effort. Meeting in each other’shomes can be a great way to get to know oneanother.

Look for other groups with which to part-ner. Having good partners is important forlong-term success. Look for people who arealready working to improve race relations andwho have experiences to share. Good part-ners may be able to provide useful informa-tion and organizational resources. You willgreatly increase your outreach to the commu-nity as well. Groups from different racial, eth-nic, or religious communities can make goodpartners and offer networking possibilities.Such groups may include religious leaders,law enforcement, small business owners,elected officials, and various nonprofit orga-nizations.

2. What’s Happening in MyCommunity?

Think about the needs of your community.Take an inventory. What problems do yousee in the community that are related to raceand ethnicity? What are the critical issues? Ifthings are really going to change, who needsto be part of the dialogue? Who are the indi-viduals or groups not talking to each other?What role do language barriers play in groupsnot talking to each other? Are there peoplewho should be allies, who may be doing simi-lar work, but who are competing rather thanworking together? What are some of the con-sequences of racial divisions?

3. What do you want toaccomplish?

Develop a vision for your community. Whatis special about your community? What dothe different neighborhoods or groups offerthat is unique? Are there particular issues thatneed to be heard? Remember, difficultiesfaced honestly can become assets. And themost unlikely people may hold the key to far-reaching success.

Establish short-, medium-, and long-termgoals. Racial reconciliation may not happenovernight, but it is important to set some at-tainable goals that the group can work to-wards together. Look for “hinge issues”around which coalitions may form-education,housing, public transportation, and safety, forexample. Where possible, create task forcesto study specific needs and to work on con-crete action plans. This approach will keepkey business and civic leaders at the table.

4. How many dialogues shouldtake place and for how long?

Again, the answer to this question dependson what you want to accomplish. Dialoguescan go from one session of two hours to a se-ries of sessions lasting indefinitely. For ex-ample, if your goal is simply to get people youknow to come together and have a conversa-tion about race, you may only want to do onesession, perhaps in your home following asocial event or community function. At theother end of the spectrum, if your goal is tocreate institutional change in your commu-nity, you may want to launch a series of dia-logues involving broad community represen-tation. Such an effort will require partneringwith other groups in the community and seek-ing out support services.

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establishing ground rules; promoting discus-sion through thoughtful questions, visualmedia, or other materials; and periodicallysummarizing and evaluating the dialogue(see Section 3, “Conducting an Effective Com-munity Dialogue on Race”).

7. How well did we do?

Document and evaluate the project. Keep arecord of the individuals and groups who takepart in the dialogues and of how well the dis-cussions go. Include such things as numberof participants, group composition (multira-cial, youth, church, community, etc.), maintopics discussed, how productive the discus-sions were, how they might have been im-proved, and other thoughts. This will allowyou to see how attitudes and perceptions havechanged and whether changes need to bemade in the dialogue format. Emphasize thatwhat participants share during the dialoguewill not be attributed to them in any officialrecord or document.

Have participants evaluate the dialogue.Depending on their goals, each group willevaluate the dialogue, whether a single ses-sion or a series, after it is over. Evaluationscan be written and/or expressed verbally. Youmay wish to distribute a short evaluation formto elicit participant feedback and to measurethe impact of the dialogue. Such a form mightinclude questions such as the following:

5. What additional planningissues might you consider?

Recruit participants. To ensure the right bal-ance for your group(s), you may need to con-sider the following: First, “Which voices needto be included?” Answering that question willensure the racial, ethnic, and religious diver-sity necessary for successful dialogues. Then,“Who is missing?” That answer will steer youtowards others who need to be involved.Other people to contact are those inuninvolved or unaffiliated groups who, whilea visible part of the community, may be harderto reach through traditional means. Gener-ate interest by doing the following:• ask civic leaders and other influential

members of the community to help rallythe public;

• identify the appropriate media for the au-dience you are trying to reach-considerplacing an announcement in a small localweekly or monthly newspaper, on a com-munity bulletin board, or even on an elec-tronic community bulletin board;

• use bilingual communications;• post an announcement in grocery stores

in the community;• invite yourself to various group meetings

in the community to get the word out; and• approach local chapters of national orga-

nizations.

Consider logistics issues. These may include:• where to have the dialogue;• whether any funds need to be raised; and• mailing lists-often obtainable from other

groups.

6. How do I/we conduct thedialogue?

The critical components include welcomingparticipants and having them introduce them-selves; setting out the dialogue’s purpose;

• Why did you join the group?• What were your expectations?• Were you comfortable participating in the

discussion?• Did the dialogue give you new insights

about how to improve race relations?• Was the dialogue climate positive and re-

spectful?• Did you find the dialogue to be a valu-

able experience overall?• How might it have been improved?

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• Would you like to participate in a futuresession?

• Did the experience motivate you to act dif-ferently?

• What additional comments do you have?

8. What’s the next step?

Hold an annual public event to celebrateachievements, evaluate effectiveness, and in-vite new participants.

Expand the team. As the dialogues develop,include representatives of all major areas(politics, different faiths, education, business,media, etc.). With them, you may want to cre-ate a statement about your community, its his-tory, the challenges it faces today, and yourcollective vision for the future.

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The racial dialogue has four phases.

The dialogue design presented here containsfour phases that have proven useful in mov-ing participants through a natural process-from sharing individual experiences to gain-ing a deeper understanding of those experi-ences to committing to collective action.Whether meeting for one dialogue session ora series of sessions, participants move throughall four phases, exploring and building onshared experiences. The first phase sets thetone and explores the question Who Are We?through the sharing of personal stories. Thesecond phase helps participants understandWhere Are We? through a deeper explorationof personal and shared racial history in thecommunity. During the third phase, partici-pants develop a vision for the community, inresponse to the question Where Do We WantTo Be? In the fourth phase, participants an-swer the question, What Will We Do As In-dividuals and With Others To Make A Dif-ference? Often, they discover shared interestsand start working together on specificprojects.

F O R T H E O R G A N I Z E R A N D T H E D I A L O G U E L E A D E R …

3. Conducting an EffectiveCommunity Dialogue on Race

Phase I: Who Are We?

This phase sets the tone and context for thedialogue, which begins with the sharing ofpersonal stories and experiences. In additionto serving an ice-breaking function, this kindof personal sharing helps to level the playingfield among participants and improve theirunderstanding by hearing each others’ expe-riences.

Welcome, Introduction and Overview(Suggested time—15 minutes)

It’s not always easy to talk about race relations. Acommitment to the dialogue process—open,thoughtful, focused—will help us make progress.Your presence here shows you want to help im-prove race relations in this community, and justbeing here is an important step.

• Explain the purpose of the dialogue andthe several phases involved.

• Discuss, clarify, and set ground rules (seepage 15).

• Ask people to briefly introduce them-selves.

• Give an overview of the session.• Describe your role as dialogue leader (see

page 15).

Starting the Dialogue

Often the most difficult part of talking aboutrace is getting started. People may feel un-comfortable at first and hesitant about ex-pressing their personal beliefs. To get peopletalking, it may help to relate personal storiesor anecdotes, or to bring up a race-related in-cident that has occurred within the commu-nity.You are ready to begin the dialogue.

Note: Throughout this section, a sample scriptfor the dialogue leader is noted in italics. A one-page overview of a sample small group dialogueis offered in Appendix A. Many dialogue leaderswill want to read through the suggested questionsin this section, then develop questions tailored tothe needs of their particular groups. If your groupis composed of people who are experienced dis-cussing complex racial issues with each other, thequotes in Appendix A may be useful to quicklyarticulate a range of perspectives about race andto stimulate discussion. A set of additional ques-tions for each of the four dialogue phases can befound in Appendix B.

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Let’s begin by looking at the first question: WhoAre We? By listening to one another’s personalstories, we can gain insights into our own beliefsand those of others, and come to new understand-ings of the issues we face. By sharing our per-sonal experiences, we can learn more about eachother as individuals and about how we have beeninfluenced by our racial and/or ethnic origins. Wecan also shed light on our different perceptions andunderstandings of race relations.

❖ Begin with questions that allow people totalk about their own lives and what is im-portant to them. Don’t focus on race atfirst. Give people a chance just to get toknow each other as individuals and tofind out what they have in common. Ex-amples of questions to use include-• How long have you lived in this com-

munity?• Where did you live before moving

here?• What are some of your personal inter-

ests?• What things in life are most important

to you?

❖ Evaluate the meeting. Ask such questionsas—• How did you feel about this meeting?• Is there anything you would like to

change?

❖ Bring the meeting to an end and defuseany tensions. You might say, Thank youfor coming. Any final thoughts? Next week,we will…

Transition to Phase II: In preparation for thenext meeting, think about the following ques-tions: When it comes to race, what problemsare we facing? What are the most serious chal-lenges facing our community, and what are thecommunity’s greatest strengths for dealingwith those challenges?

Phase II: Where Are We?

This phase explores questions that highlightour different experiences and different per-ceptions about the kinds of problems our so-ciety is facing with regard to race. This phaseis about people expressing their different un-derstandings about race, then exploring theunderlying conditions producing them. Itcenters on the idea that it makes sense to talkabout what we are facing before we talk aboutsolutions. By the end of this phase, partici-pants should have identified the themes, is-sues, and problems in their community.

Note to dialogue leader: For groups of 15people or fewer, keep everyone together.Groups of more than 15 people should be sepa-rated into smaller groups (3 to 5 people) for afew minutes, then brought back together.

❖ Explore how race affects us on a day-to-day basis. Examples of questions to useinclude—• What is your racial, ethnic and/or cul-

tural background?• Did you grow up mostly around

people similar to you?• What are some of your earliest memo-

ries of coming in contact with peopledifferent from you?

❖ Summarize the session at meeting’s end.

Let’s turn now to our second question: WhereAre We? The purpose of this section is to look atour current experiences of race and ethnicity andto discuss the state of race relations in our com-munity. Since this is the part where we really getdown to business as far as identifying the under-lying causes of any racial issues in our commu-nity, the discussion may get a little heated at times.It is okay to feel uncomfortable, as that is part ofthe difficult process of making change.

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❖ Begin with questions that get people totalk about their current experiences withrace relations. Examples include—• How much and what type of contact

do you have with people of other racesor groups?

• Is it easier or harder than it was a fewyears ago to make friends of otherraces? Why is that so?

Note to dialogue leader: Be prepared for thelevel of the conversation to intensify duringthis phase. Remember to reassure participantsthat it is okay to feel agitated or uncomfort-able, reminding them of the ground rules whennecessary (see Section 4, “The Role of the Dia-logue Leader,” for more tips).

❖ Focus the dialogue on the state of race re-lations in the community. Questions tohelp get started include—• How would you describe the overall

state of race relations in our commu-nity?

• What are some of the underlying con-ditions affecting race relations in ourcommunity?

• In what ways do we agree and/or dis-agree about the nature of our racialproblems, what caused them, andhow serious they are?

❖ Summarize the session, evaluate it, andbring the meeting to an end.

Transition to Phase III: In preparation for thenext session, think about the following ques-tions: What can we do to make progress in ourcommunity? When it comes to strategies toimprove race relations and to eliminate rac-ism, what sorts of proposals do you knowabout? Try to identify a broad range of possi-bilities. What are the pros and cons of the vari-ous approaches? When it comes to race, whatdirection should our public policies take?What goals and values should shape our poli-cies?

Phase III: Where Do We WantTo Go?

The goal of this phase is to move away fromthe “me” and get people to think and talkabout possible directions for change. In thissegment, participants begin to build their col-lective vision. They first identify what wouldbe a part of that vision and then “brainstorm”about how they could all help to build it (sug-gest “we” statements be used). By the end ofthis session, participants should have identi-fied accomplishments, barriers to overcome,and opportunities for further action.

Let’s turn our attention to the question, WhereDo We Want To Go? We share a common desireto improve race relations so let’s talk about whatwe mean by that and explore specific things wemight do to achieve that goal.

❖ Have participants talk about their visionof what they would like to see in the com-munity. You could ask questions such as-• How would you answer the question

of where we want to go in race rela-tions?

• If we had excellent race relations, whatkinds of things would we see in thecommunity? Hear in the community?Feel?

❖ Help participants to build their future vi-sion. Ask questions like-• What are the main changes that need

to happen to increase understandingand cooperative action across raciallines?

• What are some of the helping/hinder-ing forces in our community?

Note to dialogue leader: The heart of the ses-sion is generating a range of viewpoints onhow our society and community might ad-dress and make progress on race relations. Asyou sift through the views, remember to givea fair hearing to the ideas that come up.

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❖ Turn the dialogue to the question of whatindividuals can do towards improvingrace relations. Ask questions like-• What things have you seen that give

you hope for improved race relations?• What are some steps we could take to

improve race relations in ourneighborhood?In our workplace? Inour organizations? In our schools? Inour community?

❖ Explore the roles that the community’s in-stitutions and government play in help-ing race relations. How could they do abetter job?

❖ Summarize the session, evaluate it, andbring the meeting to an end.

Transition to Phase IV: I hope that you allhave begun to have a vision of what this com-munity could look like if the positive changeswe’ve discussed were to actually take place.When we come back together next session, wewill be talking about what we can do as indi-viduals and with others to really make a dif-ference. For the next session, think about thesequestions: What kinds of concrete steps canyou take in your everyday life-by yourself andwith others-to improve race relations in thecommunity? What do you think is mostneeded in this community?

While the racial issues we are facing in our com-munities sometimes seem overwhelming, it is pos-sible to make a difference. By participating in thisdialogue, you have already crossed the racial di-vide looking for better understanding and strate-gies that work. The purpose of this session is todraw out ideas for steps we can take-as individu-als, in groups, and as a whole community-to facethe challenge of race-related issues.

❖ Try to get participants to move fromwords to actions. Ask questions like—• What is each of us personally willing

to do to make a difference?• How can you connect with others who

share your concerns?• Should we continue and expand this

dialogue, get more people involved?How could we do that?

• Are there other issues and concernsthat we should address using dia-logues?

• What will we do to ensure follow-up?

❖ Brainstorm action ideas with participants,recording their responses on a flip chart.Share any follow-up plans.

❖ Summarize the session, evaluate it, andbring the meeting to an end.

❖ Pass out an evaluation form (see Section2, page 9, for possible questions).

Phase IV: What Will We Do,As Individuals and With Others,To Make a Difference?

The purpose of this session is to begin a pro-ductive conversation on specific actions thatindividuals will take, by themselves or withothers, to make a difference in their commu-nities. This session presents a range of con-crete actions for change.

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The dialogue leader’s role is an important onethat requires especially good listening skillsand knowledge of when not to talk. The dia-logue leader must also help set and followground rules for participation in the dialogue.Establishing rules helps to create a safe envi-ronment for openness and sharing. The dia-logue leader’s basic responsibility is to thegroup as a whole, while also considering eachperson’s individuality and level of comfort.

Leading a dialogue is an intensive activity re-quiring a high level of alertness and aware-ness. That is why dialogues are often con-ducted by two or more leaders. It may beparticularly valuable to have co-leaders whoare of a different race or ethnic backgroundand gender. Co-leadership can help to bal-ance the dialogue and “model” the type ofcollaboration you hope to encourage.

Discussion leaders are critical to making thedialogue work.

While the leader of a dialogue does not needto be an “expert” or even the most knowledge-able person in the group on the topic beingdiscussed, he or she should be the best pre-pared for the discussion. It is up to the dia-logue leader to keep the group moving for-ward, using phrases that enhance conversa-tions and encourage discussion. This meansunderstanding the goals of the dialogue,thinking ahead of time about the directionsin which the discussion might go, and pre-paring questions to help the group tackle theirsubject. The dialogue leader guides the pro-cess to ensure that it stays on track and avoidsobstacles that could derail it. While the dis-cussion leader guides the dialogue, he or sheis also impartial in it, that is, not favoring one

person or point of view and not adding per-sonal opinion. The dialogue leader lets theparticipants dictate the flow of the discussion.Solid preparation will enable you to give yourfull attention to how the participants are re-lating to each other and to what they are say-ing.

The dialogue leader plays several roles.

At the start of the session, remind everyonethat the purpose is to have an open, honest,and cooperative dialogue, and that your roleas leader is to remain neutral, keep the dis-cussion focused, and follow the ground rules.Before the discussion begins, help the partici-pants establish ground rules and ensure thatall participants are willing to follow them.Ground rules must emphasize respect, listen-ing, honesty, and the importance of sharingtime equitably. Stress the importance of re-specting different opinions and perspectives.You might post the following sample groundrules on a flip chart, or give one sampleground rule and ask the group to come up

4. The Role of the Dialogue LeaderF O R T H E D I A L O G U E L E A D E R …

Suggested Basic Ground Rules forDialogues

Some basic ground rules for dialogues mightinclude the following:

• We will respect confidentiality.• We will share time equitably to ensure the

participation of all.• We will listen carefully and not interrupt.• We will keep an open mind and be open to

learning.• We will not be disrespectful of the speaker

even when we do not respect the views.

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with more. You could then ask, “Are thereany questions about these ground rules? Canwe all agree to them before we continue?

The following tips describe what a good dia-logue leader should strive to do:

• Set a relaxed and open tone. Welcome ev-eryone and create a friendly and relaxedatmosphere. Well-placed humor is usu-ally appreciated.

• Stay neutral. This may be the most im-portant point to remember as the leaderof a dialogue. You should not share yourpersonal views or try to advance youragenda on the issue. You are there to servethe discussion, not to join it.

• Stress the importance of confidentiality.Make sure participants understand thatwhat they say during the dialogue sessionis to be kept completely confidential.Define for them what confidential means.For instance, it is not all right to speak out-side of the dialogue about what someoneelse said or did. It is all right to share one’sown personal insights about the issue ofrace and racism as a result of the process.

• Encourage openness about language. Dia-logue leaders should encourage partici-pants to offer preferred terms if a biasedor offensive word or phrase should comeup during the dialogue.

• Provide bilingual translation, if neces-sary. Also, ensure that provided materialis translated into the participant’s first lan-guage, or recruit bilingual discussion lead-ers.

but you are monitoring how well the par-ticipants are communicating with eachother-who has spoken, who has not, andwhose points have not yet received a fairhearing. A dialogue leader must con-stantly weigh group needs against the re-quirements of individual members.

• Follow and focus the conversation flow.A dialogue leader who listens carefullywill select topics raised in the initial shar-ing. To help keep the group on the topic,it is helpful to occasionally restate the keyquestion or insight under discussion. Itis important to guide gently, yet persis-tently. You might ask, “How does your pointrelate to the topic?” or state, “That’s an in-teresting point, but let’s return to the centralissue.” Keep careful track of time.

• Do not fear silence. It is all right if peopleare quiet for a while. When decidingwhen to intervene, err on the side of non-intervention. The group will work its wayout of a difficult situation. Sometimesgroup members only need more time tothink through alternatives or to considerwhat has just been said.

• Keep track of who is contributing andwho is not. Always use your “third eye.”You are not only helping to keep the groupfocused on the content of the discussion,

• Accept and summarize expressed opin-ions. “Accepting” shows respect for eachparticipant in the group. It is importantfor the dialogue leader to make it clear thatdialogue discussions involve no right orwrong responses. One way to show ac-ceptance and respect is to briefly summa-rize what is heard and to convey the feel-ing with which it was shared. Reflectingboth the content and the feeling lets theperson know that she or he has beenheard. For example, you might say: “Itsounds like you felt hurt when you wereslighted by someone of a different race.” Oncein a while, ask participants to sum up themost important points that have come out

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in the discussion. This gives the group asense of accomplishment and a point ofreference for more sharing.

• Anticipate conflict and tend to the groundrules. When conflict arises, explain thatdisagreement over ideas is to be expected.Remind participants that conflict muststay on the issue. Do not allow it to be-come personal. Appeal to the group tohelp resolve the conflict and abide by theground rules. You may have to stop andreference the ground rules several timesthroughout the discussion.

• Close the dialogue. Give participants achance to talk about the most importantthing they gained from the discussion.You may ask them to share any new ideasor thoughts they’ve had as a result of thediscussion. Ask them to think about whatworked and what didn’t. You may wantto encourage the group to design a clos-ing activity for use at each session. Pro-vide some time for the group to evaluatethe process in writing. A brief evaluationallows participants the chance to com-ment on the process and to give feedbackto the dialogue leader. Remember tothank everyone for their participation.

Here’s how to handle some challengingsituations.

The best method for handling challengingsituations is to anticipate them and be pre-pared. Each interracial dialogue is a uniqueexperience, providing new opportunities forthe discussion leader. Even those who havebeen facilitators for many years are often facedwith new problems requiring on-the-spot cre-ative action. There are no certain answers;sometimes groups just do not go well, andother times all participants seem engaged andsatisfied. The following scenarios presentsome possible challenges to the dialogue

leader and offer some guidelines for handlingthem.

THE CHALLENGE

The group is slow to respond to theprocess.

How to Handle It: Check to determinewhether your directions have been under-stood. You may need to restate the purposeof the process and how it should be carriedout. You may also have people who resistparticipating because of “power” issues in thegroup. If so, invite them to participate to thedegree they feel comfortable. Assure themthat the purpose of the process is to share dif-ferent insights, experiences, and personal re-flections on the topic. However the memberschoose to participate is valuable. It is also im-portant to make sure members are physicallycomfortable.

THE CHALLENGE

One or a few members dominatethe dialogue.

How to Handle It: The instructions you giveto participants about respecting time limits arehelpful. Invite participants to be consciousof each person having time to share his or herreflections, ideas, and insights. It may be help-ful to invoke the ground rule “It is importantto share time equitably” when a few individu-als dominate the discussion. Another solu-tion is to tell the group you want to hear fromthose who have not said much. Participantswill look to you to restrain domineering mem-bers. Sometimes, this situation happens whenthose dominating the dialogue feel they havenot been heard. Restating the essence of whatthey’ve expressed can show that you have un-derstood their point of view.

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The

The dialogue leader feels stronglyabout an issue and has troublestaying unbiased.

How to Handle It: The dialogue leader needsto remain on task, which is to guide the pro-cess and to elicit and respect all members’thoughts. If leaders really respect the viewsof others, show interest and curiosity for otherexperiences and viewpoints, it will not be dif-ficult to keep personal ideas from over-influ-encing the dialogue. This is not to say thatthe dialogue leader never shares with themembers in the process. However, you mustguard against moving from a discussionleader into a “teacher/lecturer” mode.

THE CHALLENGE TheA participant walks out of a groupfollowing a heated conflict.

How to Handle It: Sometimes the conversa-tion may become heated. Other times, peoplemay seem to be on the verge of fighting; andsometimes they may even walk out. The bestway to deal with conflict is to confront it di-rectly. Remind participants that they weretold initially to expect conflict but that theyagreed to respond to differences respectfully.The dialogue leader should always stopname-calling, personal attacks, and threats.This is one situation where you should readilyappeal to the group for support. If they ac-cepted the ground rules, they will supportyou.

THE CHALLENGE

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The President’s Initiative on Race (PIR) and the Community Relations Service (CRS), U.S. Depart-ment of Justice, wish to thank the following organizations for their assistance in developing thisdocument: Days of Dialogue, Hope in the Cities, National Conference, National MulticulturalInstitute, Study Circles Resource Center, and the YWCA. These organizations made significantcontributions and lent their considerable expertise to the drafting of this manual. PIR and CRSthank and acknowledge them for their tireless efforts in promoting race dialogues across America.

Acknowledgment

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Appendices

Appendices

A. Additional Resources1.A Sample Small Group Dialogue2.The Dif ference Between Debate and Dialogue3.Examples of Racial Reconciliation fr om Across the Nation4. Quotes on Race Relations

B. Additional Questions for the Four Phases of Dialogue

C. Directory of Resource Organizations

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The following is an overview of a generic small group dialogue. This format is based on a groupof 8 to 15 participants, guided by an impartial leader using discussion materials or questions. Asa rule, adults meet for two hours at a time; young people for an hour to an hour and a half.

1. Introductions, roles, and intentions of the dialogue. The session begins with group membersbriefly introducing themselves after the dialogue leader has welcomed everyone. The dialogueleader explains his or her role as “neutral,” one of guiding the discussion without adding personalopinions. It is important to include an overview of the dialogue effort, the number of meetingsplanned, the organizers, the goals of the program, and any other relevant information.

2. Ground rules. Central to the opening dialogue is establishing ground rules for the group’sbehavior and discussion. Start with a basic list and add any others the group wants to include.Post the ground rules where everyone can see them, and remember that you can add more to thelist as needed. The group should be sure to discuss how to handle conflict and disagreement, aswell as the need for confidentiality.

3. Discussion. Begin by asking participants what attracted them to this dialogue, perhaps asking,“Why are you concerned about issues of race?” or “How have your experiences or concerns influ-enced your opinions about race?” The heart of the discussion follows. Members can answer aseries of questions, use prepared discussion materials with various viewpoints, read newspaperarticles or editorials, look at television clips, or review information on the state of race relations intheir community. Whatever method is selected, it is important to structure the discussion so thatit goes somewhere, is grounded in concrete examples, and offers participants a chance to takeaction on the issues. Dialogue participants may get frustrated if they feel the conversation is tooabstract, too vague, or “going around in circles.”

The dialogue leader will keep track of how the discussion is going. Is it time for a clarifyingquestion or a summary of key points? Are all members fully engaged, or are some people domi-nating? Is the discussion wandering and calling for a change in direction? The participants cansummarize the most important results of their discussion and consider what action they mighttake individually or together.

4. Evaluation and conclusion. In the final minutes, participants can offer their thoughts on theexperience. If meeting again, this is the time to look ahead to the next meeting. If this is the lastdialogue, thank the participants and ask for any final thoughts for staying involved in the effort.Participant evaluations of the dialogue can be expressed verbally and/or in writing. It may alsobe helpful for dialogues to be loosely recorded, if possible. Such documentation could help tomeasure the success of the dialogue and identify any needed improvements.

Appendix A1.A Sample Small Group Dialogue

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Appendix A2.The Difference Between Debate and Dialogue

Debate…

is oppositional: two sides oppose each otherand attempt to prove each other wrong.

has winning as the goal.

lets one side listen to the other side in orderto find flaws and to counter its arguments.

defends assumptions as the truth.

causes critique of the other position.

defends one’s own positions as the best so-lution and excludes other solutions.

creates a closed-minded attitude, a determi-nation to be right.

prompts a search for glaring differences.

involves a countering of the other positionwithout focusing on feelings or relationshipand often belittles or deprecates the otherperson.

Dialogue…

is collaborative: two or more sides work to-gether towards common understanding.

has finding common ground as the goal.

lets one side listen to the other side in order tounderstand.

reveals assumptions for reevaluation.

causes introspection of one’s own position.

opens the possibility of reaching a better solu-tion than any of the original solutions.

creates an open-minded attitude, an opennessto being wrong and an openness to change.

prompts a search for basic agreements.

involves a real concern for the other personand does not seek to alienate or offend.

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Many positive efforts are taking place aroundour country to promote good race relations.Dialogue is one powerful tool to this end.Below are several examples of positive resultsachieved through dialogue and other efforts.

In Lima, Ohio… a mayor concerned about ra-cial tensions in his community brought to-gether area ministers to talk about organizinga dialogue. Two churches agreed to start aunifying process by holding a study circle,with help from the local college in trainingdiscussion leaders. Four years later, more than100 organizations, including 62 religious con-gregations and over 3,000 people, are in-volved. Results range from volunteer efforts,like a multiracial unity choir, to community-wide collaborations on violence preventionand a city-wide plan for hiring people of color.

In Buffalo, New York… a series of highly pub-licized dialogues took place with students andeducators from a wide band of cultural, ra-cial, and ethnic communities. The dialoguesinvolved students from six city schools andsix suburban schools. Over the course of aschool year, representatives from each of the12 schools came together to discuss issues re-lated to race, ethnicity, faith, and culture. Stu-dents now function as peer trainers, taking thelessons learned to their respective peers andrecruiting the next round of participants. Thedialogue and action plan focus on understand-ing and valuing differences within schools,and on identifying and teaching strategies forunderstanding and valuing diversity acrossschool and community boundaries.

In Richmond, Virginia…a citizens group in-spired its political and business leaders to host“an honest conversation on race, reconcilia-

tion and responsibility.” At this event, resi-dents came together to “walk through” theirdifferent racial histories. . . . High school teach-ers and counselors responded to their stu-dents’ request for dialogue and offered theirsupport as discussion leaders. Students frompublic and private schools, the inner city, andaffluent suburbs signed up. These youngpeople-normally separated by race, income,and geography-would meet once a week forsix weeks at different locations in and aroundthe city. . . . A couple invited a diverse groupof friends to a pot-luck dinner at their hometo talk about racial healing. More than 40people showed up. It was so successful thatthe group decided to meet monthly, each timein a different home. They invited the policechief, a county supervisor, a newspaper edi-tor, and other local leaders to take part as in-formal guest speakers.

In Orlando, Florida…a town meeting, tele-cast live by a PBS affiliate, focused on ques-tions of immigration and community-a vola-tile issue causing deep divisions amongpeople there. It was attended by businessleaders and average citizens of all ethnic, gen-der, age, religious, cultural, and politicalgroups in Central Florida. The meetingprompted more than 200 Central Floridiansto participate in concurrent “home dia-logues,” where groups of 5–10 individualsmeet face-to-face on the same day to discussthe challenges of race, culture, and ethnicityin their lives. The number of people wishingto participate in home dialogues has increasedto more than 300.

In Des Moines, Iowa…leaders from variouscommunities and faiths gathered for seriousdiscussion and debate on issues of concern toresidents. Subsequent conversations explored

Appendix A3.Examples of Racial Reconciliation From Across the Nation

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these and other issues, such as the effect ofcorporate downsizing on race relations in DesMoines. Each of the conversations involvedcommunity residents, students, and othercivic leaders. The dialogues prompted spe-cific actions-participants are exploring poten-tial projects on which a coalition of individu-

als and organizations could work. Buildingon the interest and excitement generated bythe dialogue series, ongoing, more clearly fo-cused dialogues identified common ground,common concerns, common values, and re-sulted in a redefinition of community.

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The questions for each of the four phases in the text and Appendix B have been designed to pro-vide guidance for groups of people who do not know each other well and who do not necessarilyhave a great deal of experience talking about racial issues. However, if your group is composed ofpeople who are experienced in discussing complex racial issues with each other, the followingquotes (taken from actual race dialogues) may be useful to quickly articulate a range of perspec-tives about race and to stimulate discussion.

“I’m for equality, but people have to take responsibility for their own lives.You can’t blame everything on racism.”

“It’s not racism at all. It’s just fear of crime. I think people are afraid. I know I am. Does that make me a racist?”

“Native people are an afterthought in the dialogue on race in this country. It’s as if everybody has decided we just don’t matter. Well, we do matter.”

“I don’t see color, I just see the person.”

“Colorblindness is not the answer, it just means you can’t deal with my race so you want to blot it out and say I am exactly like you.”

“When people look at me, they assume I don’t speak English, but my family has lived in Texas for five generations. In fact, I don’t speak Spanish.”

“I’m not entirely comfortable about being here,but if I’m not willing to be here nothing is going to change.”

“We need to realize that people within each race are individualswho don’t necessarily share the same views or interests.”

Appendix A4.Quotes on Race Relations

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Appendix B.Additional Questions for the Four Dialogue Phases

The following questions may be used to guideparticipants through each phase of a dialogue.Whether meeting for one session or a seriesof sessions, participants should progressthrough all four dialogue phases. The ques-tions are organized under each phase accord-ing to how many sessions are planned. Foreach dialogue phase, select the question set(s)to fit your format.

Phase I —Who Are We?

For 1 Session:• What are your first memories of learning

that there was something called race?• Have you ever felt different because of

your race. If so, what was your first ex-perience of feeling different?

• How much contact do you have now withpeople from other races? What type ofcontact is that?

For 2-3 Sessions (consider these):• What was your first exposure to messages

that concern racial stereotypes? Who toldyou about them?

• When did you first discover that somepeople thought about race very differentlythan you?

• What experiences have shaped your feel-ings and attitudes about race andethnicity?

Phase II—Where Are We?

For 1 Session:• What experience have you had in the past

year that made you feel differently aboutrace relations?

• If you had such an experience, what arethe conditions that made that experiencepossible? If you did not have an experi-ence, what makes such experiences rare?What do we make of our answers?

• Is race something you think about daily?• How much contact do you have now with

people from other races? What type ofcontact is that?

• What are the underlying conditions thatinfluence the quality and quantity of ourcontact with people from other races?

For 2-3 Sessions (consider these):• Can you think of a recent experience when

you benefited or suffered from peoplehaving a stereotype about you?

• What are the underlying conditions thatcreate the various ways we answer thatquestion?

• Can you think of a recent time whensomeone’s understanding of race madeyour action or statement have a differentimpact than you intended?

• Can you think of a time when you won-dered whether your behavior towardsothers was affected by a racial stereotype,or by other racial issues?

For 4 or More Sessions (consider these):• How would you describe the overall state

of race relations in our community?• What do you tell young people about the

racial situation in our community?

For 4 or More Sessions (consider these):• What did you believe about race relations

in your community growing up?• What is your family history concerning

race? Did racial issues affect your parentsand grandparents?

• What early experiences have shaped yourfeelings and attitudes about race?

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• Is it important to share our perspective,or let them find out for themselves?

• What are the underlying conditions orbarriers that hinder better race relations?

• In what ways do we agree or disagreeabout the nature of racial problems, whatcaused them, and how serious they are?

• What are the underlying conditions thatmight make us have different approachesto talking to youth about race?

• Which is the bigger problem in people un-derstanding today’s community chal-lenges: people overemphasizing race orunder-emphasizing race?

• Is it a little easier to relate to people fromyour same race than to relate to peoplefrom other races? Why?

• What are the barriers (in you, others, orin society) that sometimes make it diffi-cult to relate to people of other races andcultures?

Phase III—Where Do We WantTo Go?

For 1 Session:• What needs to happen for people to have

more positive experiences with race rela-tions?

• What would have to happen so thatpeople were not made to feel different be-cause of race?

• What would have to happen for peopleto have more frequent and more mean-ingful contact with people from otherraces?

For 2-3 Sessions (consider these):• What would have to happen for our soci-

ety to have fewer racial stereotypes?

• What would have to happen so thatpeople from different backgrounds couldmore easily work through their under-standings of how race affects day-to-daysituations?

• What are we, either independently or withothers, willing to do so that we have moreinteractions that contribute to better racerelations?

For 4 or More Sessions (consider these):• In what specific ways do you wish race

relations were different in our commu-nity? What would have to happen so thatrace relations would improve?

• What would have to happen so that youthhad an informed and optimistic under-standing of race relations?

• What can we agree needs to happen to im-prove race relations, even if we have dif-ferent ways of understanding history?

Phase IV—What Will We Do, AsIndividuals and With Others, ToMake A Difference?

For 1 Session:• What are we, either independently or with

others, willing to do so that we have moreinteractions that contribute to better racerelations?

• What are we, either independently or withothers, willing to do so that people havemore frequent and meaningful contactwith people from other races?

• What are some actions we might encour-age community, business, or governmentorganizations to take?

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For 2-3 Sessions (consider these):• What are we, either independently or with

others, willing to do to reduce the affectof racial stereotypes in our lives and com-munity?

• What are we, either independently or withothers, willing to do to lessen misunder-standings about race?

For 4 or More Sessions (consider these):• What are we, either individually or in

groups, willing to do to improve race re-lations?

• What are we going to do, either indepen-dently or with others, to make it easier forpeople to relate to those in other groups?

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Hope in the Cities1103 Sunset AvenueRichmond, VA 23221Tel: 804/358-1764. Fax: 804/358-1769.E-mail: Hopecities@aol.com

Hope in the Cities is an interracial, multifaithnational network which seeks to encourage aprocess of healing through honest conversa-tions on race, reconciliation, and responsibil-ity. It focuses specifically on the acknowledg-ment and healing of racial history, the sustain-ing of dialogues involving people of all racesand viewpoints, and the acceptance of per-sonal responsibility for the process of change.Hope in the Cities assists communities inbuilding diverse coalitions with people inbusiness, government, media, education, andreligious and community organizations. Re-sources include a video, Healing the Heart ofAmerica, and a dialogue series based on ACall to Community, which has been endorsedby more than 100 national and local leadersas a basis for conversation. A recently pro-duced Community Resource Manual docu-ments process steps and case studies.

National MultiCultural Institute3000 Connecticut Avenue, NWSuite 438Washington, DC 20007Tel: 202/483-0700. Fax: 202/483-5233.E-mail: nmci@nmci.orgWebpage: www.nmci.org

The National MultiCultural Institute (NMCI)is a private, non-profit organization foundedin 1983 to promote understanding and respect

Appendix C.Directory of Resource Organizations

The descriptions below were written by therespective organizations, which are groupedas either “Partnering Organizations”-thosewith whom one might put on a dialogue-or“Educational Resource Organizations”-thoseoffering additional information that may behelpful to organizing and conducting an ef-fective dialogue. The Directory is not in-tended to capture every organization engagedin this type of work, but to serve as a startingpoint for those seeking dialogue and relatedresources.

Partnering Organizations

Anti-Defamation League823 United Nations PlazaNew York, NY 10017Tel: 212/490-2525. Fax: 212/867-0779.Webpage: www.adl.org

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), foundedin 1913, is the world’s leading organizationfighting anti-Semitism through programs andservices that counteract prejudice, bigotry,and all forms of bias-motivated hatred. TheADL Materials Resource Center offers exten-sive materials on prejudice, discrimination,ethnicity, stereotyping, and scapegoating. Italso offers other tools designed to help schoolsand communities teach and learn about di-versity and enhance understanding of differ-ent groups. The ADL Education Division andits A World of Difference Institute offer preju-dice-reduction training for schools, collegesand universities, the workplace, and the com-munity.

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among people of different racial, ethnic, andcultural backgrounds. NMCI provides a fo-rum for discussing the critical issues ofmulticulturalism through biannual confer-ences, diversity training and consulting, spe-cial projects, resource materials, and a multi-lingual mental health referral network. NMCIprovides training and technical assistance onall aspects of organizing and facilitating dia-logue groups.

Study Circles Resource Center697A Pomfret StreetP.O. Box 203Pomfret, CT 06258Tel: 860/928-2616. Fax: 860/928-3713.E-mail: <scrc@neca.com>.

The goal of the Study Circles Resource Cen-ter (SCRC) is to advance deliberative democ-racy and improve the quality of public life inthe United States. SCRC helps communitiesuse study circles—small, democratic, highlyparticipatory discussions—to involve largenumbers of citizens in public dialogue andproblem solving on critical issues such as race,crime, education, youth issues, and Americandiversity. Through dialogue on matters ofpublic concern, citizens gain ownership of is-sues and see themselves as people who caneffect change at the local level. In the area ofrace relations, SCRC works with communityleaders at every stage of creating community-wide study circle programs-helping organiz-ers network between communities, workingto develop strong coalitions within commu-nities, and providing free discussion materi-als and comprehensive technical assistance atno cost. More than 50 communities across thenation are currently involved in planning andimplementing study circle programs on racerelations. SCRC is a project of Topsfield Foun-dation.

Project Victory1322 18th Street, NW #26Washington, DC 20036Tel: 202/822-8700.

Project Victory is an educational organizationthat provides training on dialogue and con-flict resolution for a wide variety of groups.Project Victory has also helped to organizedialogues on race relations in many locationsaround the country and was one of the mainorganizations that helped to create NationalDays of Dialogue on Race Relations, whichtook place in January 1998.

National Conference for Communityand Justice71 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1100New York, NY 10003Tel: 212/206-0006. Fax: 212/255-6177.Contact Person: Scott Marshall, Directorof Program Services

The National Conference for Community andJustice (NCCJ), founded as The National Con-ference of Christians and Jews in 1927, is ahuman relations organization dedicated tofighting bias, bigotry, and racism in America.NCCJ promotes understanding and respectamong all races, religions, and culturesthrough advocacy, conflict resolution, andeducation. NCCJ has 65 regional offices in 35states and the District of Columbia. NCCJworks to accomplish its mission through fourprogram areas: Community, Workplace,Youth and Emerging Leadership, and Inter-faith. Sample NCCJ programs include Com-munity Dialogues-forums taking place at thelocal and regional level that create a space forhonest and open exchange of ideas on criticalissues related to race and ethnicity. These aretargeted at a cross section of leadership andgrassroots community members. Youth resi-dential programs provide a set of experien-

29

tial activities for high school age youth aimedat reducing prejudice and developing leader-ship skills.

YWCA of the U.S.A.Office of Racial Justice and Human Rights350 Fifth AvenueSuite 301New York, NY 10116Tel: 212/273-7827. Fax: 212/273-7849.

The YWCA of the U.S.A. represents a chapterin women’s history, the history of the civilrights movement, and the history of theUnited States itself. It operates in more than4,000 locations throughout the country in 400associations in all 50 states. Its outreach ex-tends internationally through its membershipin the World YWCA, at work in more than 90countries. For decades, the YWCA has pio-neered efforts to eliminate racism throughprograms and advocacy. The organization’svision of empowering women through theelimination of racism and sexism remains itsdriving force. The Office of Racial Justice andHuman Rights at the YWCA of the U.S.A.provides resources, training, and technical as-sistance to the local community and studentYWCA associations to develop collaborativeprograms and strategies with other organiza-tions to eliminate institutional racism at thelocal level in education, law enforcement,housing, health care, finance, and other insti-tutions. This office also plays a key advocacyrole at the federal level through its nationwideevents such as the “National Day of Commit-ment to Eliminate Racism” and the “YWCAWeek Without Violence.”

Educational ResourceOrganizations

U.S. Department of JusticeCommunity Relations Service600 E Street, NWSuite 2000Washington, DC 20530Tel: 202/305-2935. Fax: 202/305-3009.

The Community Relations Service (CRS), anarm of the U.S. Department of Justice, is a spe-cialized federal conciliation service availableto state and local officials to help resolve andprevent racial and ethnic conflict, violence,and civil disorder. When governors, mayors,police chiefs, and school superintendentsneed help to defuse racial or ethnic crises, theyturn to CRS. For more than 30 years, CRS hasbeen asked to provide its experienced media-tors to help local communities settle destruc-tive conflicts and disturbances relating to race,color, or national origin. CRS relies solely onimpartial mediation practices and establishedconflict resolution procedures to help localleaders resolve problems and restore commu-nity stability. It has no law enforcement au-thority and does not impose solutions, inves-tigate or prosecute cases, or assign blame orfault. CRS mediators are required by law toconduct their activities in confidence, with-out publicity, and are prohibited from disclos-ing confidential information.

Center for Living Democracy289 Fox Farm RoadBrattleboro, VT 05301Tel: 802/254-1234. Fax: 802/254-1227.Webpage: www.livingdemocracy.org

The Center for Living Democracy (CLD) is anonprofit organization that seeks tostrengthen our democracy by encouraging

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Americans to engage in solving society’stoughest problems. A national center throughwhich citizens learn from each other’s trialsand triumphs, CLD reaches millions of Ameri-cans with compelling lessons to make theirengagement effective. CLD gathers andshares materials produced from direct expe-rience in communities across the nation andpresents seminars and workshops for orga-nizations seeking to create more effectivedemocratic cultures. In October 1997, CLDpublished Bridging the Racial Divide: A Re-port on Interracial Dialogue in America, theresults of a year-long survey of interracial dia-logues occurring in more than 30 states. CLDresearchers interviewed more than 60 groupsthat use sustained, community-based dia-logue across the racial divide.

Educators for Social Responsibility23 Garden StreetCambridge, MA 02138Tel: 1-800/370-2515. Fax: 617/ 864-5164.E-mail: esrmain@igc.apc.orgWebpage: www.benjerry.com/esr

Educators for Social Responsibility’s (ESR)primary mission is to help young people de-velop the convictions and skills to shape asafe, sustainable, and just world. ESR is aleading national center for staff development,school improvement, curricular resources,and support for schools, families, and chil-dren. ESR works with adults to advanceteaching social responsibility as a core prac-tice in the schooling and upbringing of chil-dren. ESR is recognized nationally for its lead-ership in conflict resolution, violence preven-tion, intergroup relations, and character edu-cation. The Resolving Conflict Creatively Pro-gram, an initiative of ESR, is one of the larg-

est and longest-running programs in conflictresolution and intergroup relations in thecountry.

Project ChangeTides CenterP.O. Box 29907San Francisco, CA 94129Tel: 415/561-6400.

Project Change is a funding initiative aimedat helping communities reduce racial preju-dice and improve race relations. Workingclosely with community-based coalitions inselected communities, Project Change seeksto develop locally driven strategies to reducethe incidence of racism as well as to dismantlethe institutional structures that sustain its ef-fects. In each community, the project beginswith a planning stage, bringing together a taskforce comprised of local citizens from the pub-lic, private, and nonprofit sectors, reflectiveof the demographics of the community. Then,the project moves into a three-year actionphase, followed by a two-year transitionphase, if warranted.

National Coalition Building Institute1835 K Street, NW Suite 201Washington, DC 20006Tel: 202/296-3610.E-mail: ncbidc@aol.com

This organization engages mostly in doingworkshops on prejudice reduction and train-ing in conflict resolution. It has expanded itsrepertoire by using a system called controver-sial issue process to help reduce differencesby helping combatants “reframe the issue ina way that builds bridges.”

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Teaching Tolerance400 Washington Ave.Montgomery, AL 36104Tel: 334/264-0286. Fax: 334/264-3121.Web site: www.splcenter.org

Teaching Tolerance, a project of the SouthernPoverty Law Center, produces a semi-annualmagazine (free to teachers) and multimediaresource materials (free to schools) to helpeducators address racial narrow-mindedness.Recent titles include Starting Small: TeachingTolerance in Preschool and the Early Gradesand The Shadow of Hate: A History of Intol-erance in America.

The Green Circle Program1300 Spruce StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19107Tel: 215/893-8400. Fax: 215/ 735-9718.

The Green Circle Program, a national organi-zation since 1957, promotes respect, under-standing, and acceptance of ethnic and racialdiversity through an intergroup educationprogram that contributes to communicationskills, self-esteem, and responsibility. Work-shops are based on the premise that recog-nizing and utilizing individual differencesstrengthens the whole. The program workswith all age groups and with anyone inter-ested in building skills for living effectivelywith human differences. Green Circle usesinteractive strategies that are structured forelementary school-aged children and devel-ops education programs, workshops, andconferences for others who wish to addressthe issue of living with human differences.

California Association of HumanRelations Organizations965 Market StreetSuite 540San Francisco, CA 94103Tel: 415/543-9741. Fax: 415/543-9743.

The California Association of Human Rela-tions Organizations (CAHRO), founded in1973, promotes full acceptance of all personsby conducting activities to create a climate ofrespect and inclusion. CAHRO builds andsupports collaboration to reduce communitytension and to build intergroup relations.CAHRO is providing support and technicalassistance to enable communities to build or-ganizational networks to address bigotry andhate violence in California and beyond.

Public Dialogue Consortium1522 Wells DriveAlbuquerque, NM 87112Tel: 505/298-6616.

The Public Dialogue Consortium (PDC) is anonprofit organization whose purpose is tohelp individuals and groups find new andbetter ways of communicating in a complex,dynamic, and diverse society. PDC’s specialinterest is in developing better ways for thepublic to be involved in dialogue with eachother and with government officials aboutpublic issues. For more than two years, PDChas led a public dialogue process about “cul-tural richness” and “community safety” inCupertino, California. In addition, PDC mem-bers have facilitated and taught facilitationskills for public dialogue throughout theUnited States and in other countries.