Conversation Week

This article is adapted from text written by Susan Partnow, Co-Counder of Conversation Cafe, for the Lets Talk America Project

What will attract people to your conversation?
How can you attract a range of people, including those who think differently from you. Here are some thoughts.

• Make it personal: there is hard-to resist power in extended a direct, personal invitation. When we feel specially sought out, we respond to the connection
• Make it inviting: choose a place, location and time that is appealing and convenient. Will the venue be perceived as neutral and approachable by a range of people? Libraries and community centers are great choices. Cafes can work - although some cafes may be perceived as a comfort zone for one ‘type’ of participant and too out of the norm for others.
• Make it compelling: express the spirit of your inspiration for putting out the call. What question will you explore? Why does this have heart and meaning for you?

A direct personal invitation to someone you know — stating clearly and respectfully that you’re concerned about a particular issue (e.g. political divisions in America) — is a powerful way to open up a dialogue. And it’s probably easier than you think. You can add that you want to better understand why they think the way they do, what shaped their political views, and (this is important) that you’re not out to change their mind.

There are lots of ways to draw people to your conversation. Here are a few suggestions:

• Email your friends.
• Post announcements on local online calendars like Craig’s List (http://craigslist.org), and email listserves and discussion lists
• Post flyers on lampposts and bulletin boards at your neighborhood coffee shop, market, laundromat, library, church, or community center.
• Download and print a sample flyers
• Call your neighbors, family, friends, and co-workers - or just knock on their door and invite them
• Print and deliver some of the fold up invitations
• Send notices to local newspapers and media, especially the little neighborhood papers

How do you attract diversity of views?

We have found that taking extra steps to attract people who don’t share your political views makes for an even richer experience, and goes to the heart of what Conversation Week is about — building respect and understanding. Here are some of the strategies that are working for hosts around the country:

• Find a person with a different perspective to co-host with you. That person can then issue their personal invitation to their networks.
• Do some ‘cold calling’ to organizations and people such as Young Republicans, Women Democrats, precinct captains, state legislators, city council member, Rotary etc. reaching out to those whose views go beyond your usual circles
• Think of people you work with, study with, worship with, who are different from you in other than political ways: often different socio-economic, age and ethnic groups will also bring greater diversity of thinking.
• Go where there is a built-in group of diverse people, such as a college campus, PTA, church or synagogue or Chamber of Commerce
• If your Conversation Cafe doesn’t have the diversity of opinion you want, ask the group, ‘Who isn’t here?’ Brainstorm together how to expand the circle and encourage everyone to commit to bring someone with a different perspective to your next conversation

We are all learning how to refine this Art of Inviting, so please share your learnings and success stories to help us all develop our skills!