UW-Superior Hosts ‘Skills for Conversations about Public Policy and Race’ Workshop

SUPERIOR, Wis. — UW-Superior hosted a workshop today in order to help people of differing political views connect.

The workshop, hosted by the school’s Link Center, was an event for students and the local community to help build the skills that it takes to have productive conversations with people of other political beliefs.

The event was a partnership with Braver Angels, a nonpartizan organization whose mission is to help bridge the political divide between community members, a mission which holds importance now more than ever.

“Conversation skills is what we’re always about, so how to listen and then acknowledge before giving your own perspective, and then we will practice that, and there will be examples of public policy that you can take one side or the other and practice listening to someone with opposing views.” said John Wolforth, co-chair of the Northern Minnesota Alliance of Braver Angels on how these events typically evolve.

Events like these are designed to help change minds at the grassroots level, rather than waiting for policies to take the lead.

“Our leaders are not going to lead us into having these better conversations,” said Wolforth. “I think it’s time for us voters and just people who maybe you don’t even want to vote, but you want to be working towards a cleaner, safer Northland, and it’s going to take us working together, and then we can take that to our leaders and say, ‘This is what we want. This is what we want you to do. This is how we want to be interacting with each other.'”

The organization is always looking for volunteers, and you can find more information on their website.