Join us in john powell's hometown of Detroit, Michigan to celebrate the launch of his new book, The Power of Bridging. We will gather on the Wayne State University campus for an evening of celebration and inspiration. Meet john as he reads from his latest book and sits down for a conversation during a fireside chat. Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and be a part of a powerful conversation.
This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. The event will take place on Tuesday, December 3rd at 7:00pm EST. It will be hosted in the Law School Partrich Auditorium of the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights, located at 471 West Palmer Avenue in Detroit. This event is presented in collaboration with the InterFaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit and the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights.
About the author:
john a. powell (who spells his name in lowercase in the belief that we should be "part of the universe, not over it, as capitals signify") is an internationally recognized expert in the areas of civil rights, civil liberties, structural racism, housing, poverty, and democracy. He is the Director of the Othering & Belonging Institute at the University of California, Berkeley, a research institute that brings together scholars, community advocates, communicators, and policymakers to identify and eliminate the barriers to an inclusive, just, and sustainable society and to create transformative change toward a more equitable world.
About the book:
A research-backed guide for building bridges across difference in any area of our lives, from esteemed civil rights scholar john a. powell, edited and developed with the Othering & Belonging Institute's Rachelle Galloway-Popotas.
We don't want to live in a society in turmoil. In the US, 93 percent of people want to reduce divisiveness, and 86 percent believe it's possible to disagree in a healthy way. Yet with increasing political and social fragmentation, many of us don't know how to move past our differences. Civil rights scholar john a. powell presents an actionable path through "bridging" that helps us communicate, coexist, and imagine a new story for our shared future where we all belong.
With inimitable warmth and vision, powell offers a framework for building cohesion and solidarity between disparate beliefs and groups. He defines key concepts such as "othering," which primes us to see people as a threat; "breaking," which excludes people or sees them as threatening our belonging; and finally "bridging," which fosters acceptance both of those we might have othered and even aspects of ourselves. He shares personal reflections as well as practices to help you begin bridging wherever you are—in your community, friendships, family, workplace, and even those with whom you might never have imagined you could find common ground. He calls upon us not just to engage with bridging but to become bridgers.
About the sponsors:
The InterFaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit brings people of diverse religious, racial and ethnic backgrounds together to work toward a harmonious community based on our highest and best values. Our volunteer board and committee members represent a wide range of backgrounds. Their diverse experiences and beliefs help us in our mission of achieving a community of justice, peace and belonging for everyone. Our programs are open to all in the region.
Located in Detroit and embedded within Wayne State University's Law School, the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights addresses the civil rights needs of southeast Michigan and beyond. The Keith Center's mission is to promote the educational, economic and political power of underrepresented communities in urban settings.
