Agenda

[microsite] event schedule

October 18, 2021

Oct

A Poem In Three Parts, Part 1: A Story of Now

The Othering & Belonging Institute commissioned poet Michelle Lee aka "Mush" to write and perform a poem in three parts on bridging and belonging for the 2021 Othering & Belonging Conference. We will be premiering this poem and accompanying visuals—featuring an array of dancers, aerialists, and performers of all kinds—in three digital shorts directed by filmmaker Yoram Savion, with creative direction from conference emcee Sarah Crowell. I: A Story of Now we are in a monumental moment a portal to change as Arundhati Roy calls it a gateway between one world and the next if marked on a map of the...

Oct

Opening Conversation: The Risk & Possibility of Bridging

In this intimate discussion, OBI Director john a. powell and philosopher Judith Butler will engage in a deep exploration of bridging, particularly in the context of our current moment of heightened polarization, deepened mistrust, and "breaking" across identity lines. While the concept of bridging is not new, they argue that bridging across lines of difference is now more urgent than ever- even if we face pushback from our own "side." john and Judith will discuss the opportunities and pitfalls of bridging in moments of crisis, and ultimately make the case for building risky bridges, arguing...

Oct

Keynote Panel - The Risk & Possibility of Bridging

Even short bridges can feel risky in this moment of polarization, political purity, and physical and emotional estrangement. In this panel, we will hear leading activists and culturemakers reflect on john powell and Judith Butler's opening provocation to build risky bridges across lines of difference, even when facing pushback or ostracization from our own "side." Join Akaya Windwood moderating an emergent conversation with leading thinkers and culturemakers to discuss how and why taking risks and building bridges are important and necessary for the success of our social movements.

Oct

The Space Between Us video and Networking

What usually goes left unsaid? What usually goes left unseen? What happens when we abandon our presumptions and invite discomfort? Sarah Crowell and Keith Hennessey are both dancers, teachers, and activists in the Bay Area. They have known each other for nearly 30 years. But they’ve never collaborated or connected deeply, until now. The Space Between Us is a radical experiment in the power of bearing witness, inviting vulnerability, and sharing movement, in a time of social distancing and racial reckoning. This is an experiment in vulnerability. When we invited Sarah Crowell and Keith...

Oct

DJ Dance Party

October 19, 2021

Oct

Sound Healing, Mindfulness and Movement Session

Medicine woman Gina Breedlove will guide us on a sound journey through our body, using the vibrational power of our own voice. We will learn or deepen the practice of using sound and intention for personal sovereignty, agency, and dominion of our thoughts, words, actions, presence. Vibration of Grace™ sound healing supports us in making our body a site for freedom.

Oct

A Poem In Three Parts, Part 2: A Story of We

The Othering & Belonging Institute commissioned poet Michelle Lee aka "Mush" to write and perform a poem in three parts on bridging and belonging for the 2021 Othering & Belonging Conference. We will be premiering this poem and accompanying visuals—featuring an array of dancers, aerialists, and performers of all kinds—in three digital shorts directed by filmmaker Yoram Savion, with creative direction from conference emcee Sarah Crowell. II. A Story of We the story of who we, as people, might be when we dare to belong is the story of a brick that dreams of becoming a waterfall the story of who...

Oct

Panel 2 - On Good Conflict: What If We Called In, Rather Than Called Out?

Outrage and conflict have long offered an easy way to build political power for advocates on both the political right and left. While moral outrage is a critical motivator for change, being kept in a constant high state of tension and conflict by these forces has also served to divide us even further into smaller like-minded groups without the will or skill to courageously cross differences and build power for transformative social change. But although many of us fighting for justice and belonging are willing to express outrage, anger, and "call-outs" online, we often seem unable to engage in...

Oct

Breakout Session 1

CLICK HERE FOR THE BREAKOUT SESSION 1 PAGE

Oct

Panel 3 - Finding Belonging in a Climate of Loneliness, Conspiracy, and Mistrust in Government

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the very real threat that disinformation, entrenched individualism, and low trust in institutions pose in tackling a deadly global crisis. While the arrival of multiple Covid-19 vaccines earlier this year seemed to suggest a hopeful resolution to the crisis, low rates of vaccination—driven in large part by both political leaders' strategic public skepticism and targeted disinformation online—revealed a much deeper problem around lack of faith in government and the enormous reach of conspiracy and fake news more broadly. In this panel, we will explore...

Oct

Breakout Session 2

CLICK HERE FOR BREAKOUT SESSION 2 PAGE

Oct

Bridging in Practice

Throughout O&B 2021 we’ve discussed the urgency of bridging across lines of difference, including across ideological lines, which can sometimes be the most difficult bridge to cross for those of us working towards belonging. In this discussion, OBI Director john a. powell will model bridging across ideological lines in a live bridging conversation with conservative John Wood, Jr., a national leader for Braver Angels , a grassroots, cross-partisan organization dedicated to political depolarization. Wood is a former nominee for congress, former Vice-Chairman of the Republican Party of Los...

Oct

Closing Q&A with john a. powell

In this closing discussion, moderated by Uma Viswanathan of New Pluralists Collaborative, OBI Director john a. powell will answer questions directly from the O&B audience about bridging and belonging in practice. Uma and john will process and reflect on john’s prior conversation with John Wood, Jr., and discuss our collective challenge moving forward, as we seek to build a world where ideological and group-based differences do not serve to divide us into smaller and smaller groups—and ultimately allow us to build a world where all belong.

Oct

A Poem In Three Parts, Part 3: Meet Me There

The Othering & Belonging Institute commissioned poet Michelle Lee aka "Mush" to write and perform a poem in three parts on bridging and belonging for the 2021 Othering & Belonging Conference. We will be premiering this poem and accompanying visuals—featuring an array of dancers, aerialists, and performers of all kinds—in three digital shorts directed by filmmaker Yoram Savion, with creative direction from conference emcee Sarah Crowell. III. Meet Me There we be a story we be a story of love so brave it braids a bridge across currents of shame and silence we be a story of love so brave it...