Immigration and Race Dialogue Circles Offered Year-Round in Nashville, TN

Nashville, TN – The Scarritt-Bennett Center, in collaboration with the Tennessee Foreign Language Institute, and the Welcoming Tennessee Initiative (a project of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition) continue its series of Dialogues on Immigration and Race.

The next series will kick off on Tuesday, July 14, 2009, with sessions continuing on Tuesdays, July 21, 28, August 4 & 11, 2009, at the same time. The race summer series of the race Dialogue Circles will take place on Monday, July 13, 20, 27, August 3 & 10, 2009, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm as well. Both dialogue circles will take place at the Scarritt-Bennett Center, 1008 19th Ave South, Nashville, TN 37212.

Diversity In Dialogue participant Jamie Haskins expresses her opinion in a Dialogue Circle.

The purpose of Dialogue Circles is to have honest conversations about sensitive issues in a safe environment where each individual is able to share their feelings, opinions, and thoughts in an open and honest way in an environment free of being attacked, defensive, or critical. Sessions are coordinated by facilitators trained by the Scarritt-Bennett Center.

Dialogue Circles do not have a specific outcome, i.e., a result does not have to be achieved as it is a process driven activity that focuses on allowing the participants to interact and open up.

DID Participant Al Jenkins (left), listens on as participant Libby Patterson (center) shares her opinion; Kim Johnson (right), Director of Educational Enrichment Programs at Scarritt-Bennett Center facilitates the Dialogue Circle.

Participants going through Dialogue Circles have felt the positive impact that this process has had for each of them. Here is some of their feedback:

# From Immigration Dialogue Circles:
- A black female participant said that the group was very enriching in that it gave her the opportunity to interact with people from various cultures in an honest way, and that she now feels more confident when approaching someone she overhears speaking a different language: she woke up to the fact that we are all people.
- A white female participant said that the dialogue discussion group really deepened her understanding of her own individual experience, as it relates to immigration and racism, and how her family and environment have shaped her views and attitude. “What a powerful experience!”, she said.
- A white male participant, who deals with foreign-nationals on a regular basis, shared that Dialogue Circles helped him to personally identify strengths and weaknesses in how he views his co-workers and customers. He learned learnt that he was not as forward thinking as he perceived he was. He is now more more open at work and strives to not make assumptions about others based on their national origin or race.

Diversity In Dialogue facilitators Darren Johnson (center), and Bettie Kirkland (far right, back), facilitate a Dialogue Circle.

# From Race Dialogue Circles:
- A past participant pointed out that as a result of Dialogue Circles he has become more cognizant of how he has been treated as a black man all his life, he is now even more cognizant of how he treats foreign born.
- A young black female past participant mentioned that she has started to actively question in her home and with her family, empty statements that are “thrown around”, such as “All those Mexicans are taking all the jobs”. She now makes questions such as, “How do you know that? How do you know they are all Mexicans”. This makes her feel empowered that she can question her own family on issues that are sensitive to them.
- A white male past participant, who is also a police officer, said that he would happily endorse the program when the next call for participants is put out. He would stress in his communication to his contacts that it is a safe environment where you can share your opinions, even as a white male.

“Dialogue is one of the greatest ways that people can talk about sensitive issues like racism or immigration. It provides an opportunity for every voice and opinion to be heard. In dialogue, people have time to understand the other person's point of view which can lead to changes in one's own opinions. Scarritt-Bennett Center has been providing dialogue groups on racism in the Nashville area for several years and will continue to be a leader in new and emerging issues where dialogue can lead to community and individual change", says Kim Johnson, Director of Educational Enrichment Programs at the Scarritt-Bennett Center.

Although Dialogue Circles at Scarritt-Bennett Center follow the model of the national organization “Everyday Democracy” (ex-Study Circles Resource Center), the local organization has developed a curriculum that is relevant to the Greater Nashville Community, addressing items such as the new explosive growth of immigrants in the area.

A DID participant shares her point of view on racism

Dialogue Circles are open to the community at large. Participants must commit to all 5 sessions for each Dialogue Circle, as these are progressive in nature and build from one to the other. The investment to attend all 5 sessions per dialogue circle is of $25. Deadlines to register are July 6 (race) and July 7 (immigration), 2009.

Dialogue Circles on race and immigration are ongoing every season. The Fall Series will kick off September 21 (immigration) and September 22 (race), 2009. The Winter Series usually starts in late January, and the Spring Series in early April. Dates for 2010 will be confirmed in the late Fall.

Scarritt-Bennett Center is an independent non-profit conference, retreat, and education center devoted to addressing issues of social justice. Other programs offered that promote dialogue and cultural understanding amongst residents of the Greater Nashville area, include the Women’s Cultural Connections – a forum for women of diverse cultures to gather and talk about daily life in the United States; Celebration of Cultures – an annual multi-cultural festival representing the cultures of Nashville.

For more information and to register, please contact Diana Holland, Dialogue Circle Coordinator, at 615-367-3878.