April 3, 2018
Powerful Dialogue Engagement Symposium Focuses on Addressing Polarization
Throughout the day of April 12, in the K-State Student Union, the Center for Engagement and Community Development will be holding its annual Engagement Symposium. This year’s theme, “Powerful Dialogue,” is focused on issues of community polarization and modes of engagement employing dialogue and deliberation.
Building local capacity for collaboration is the goal presented by keynote speaker Martín Carcasson of Colorado State University’s Center for Public Deliberation. His talk, “From Wicked People to Wicked Problems,” will launch the day’s events, which include interactive workshops and discussion panels on how K-State engages with community partners in problem-solving across community division. Among the presentations will be reports from recent Kansas deliberative forums on Extension’s role in community health, a Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension presentation using “Quilt-Barn” as a participatory performance structure to elicit community visioning, and reflections on one community’s engagement with blue-green algae blooms in their local reservoir.
Over lunch, a workshop on depolarization using the Intercultural Development Continuum will be offered by Aliah Mestrovich Seay, 4-H youth development specialist; and a report on race dialogues among Kansas City area high-schoolers will be presented from Johnson County Public Library.
Social media uses and challenges will be addressed by Extension specialists and K-State Librarians, and “Tools for the Thirsty Change Agent” will detail methods such as ice breakers, photolanguage, photovoice, human games and charrettes.
Area Extension professionals are encouraged to attend any or all sessions, which are free of charge. Registration for seating at the keynote event, and noon workshop are strongly encouraged due to limited seating.