Summary Notes: Are you ready to take the plunge?

And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.
Anais Nin

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One of the things that captured my attention in this conversation was that risk is contradictory. There seems to be a line between the things that we are frightened of doing and the risks that embody what it means for us to be intuitive and natural, adventurous, true to our principles or authoring our own lives. A distinction that on first glance is not easy to decipher.

What is it that makes riding roller coasters a thrill that is joyfully pursued during summer vacations by our guest speaker, Michele, yet keeps her off of her apartment balcony because it is too high? Isn't height part of the attraction to riding roller coasters?

The stories shared of life altering moments were varied and spanned several decades and continents. They mirrored the contradiction where actions we took in our lives that were life changing somehow did not seem to fit with the places and times we felt fear or out of our comfort zone. For many of us, it was true that in the moment of living we did not take the actions with risk taking in mind. More often than not it was because that moment was true for us. It was simply the right thing to do. It was upon personal reflection or having the moment named by someone else that the identity of self as risk taker was considered. Our guest shared that for her being politically active and being engaged in protest was intuitive and natural and that many of the things people named as examples of her being a risk taker were merely times when she was living her life in a way that fit best.

It was iteresting that for many this shifts dramatically in the workplace or other such institutional settings. Somehow the reality of someone else monitoring and evaluating our actions and we become more self conscious and aware that the actions we take, or dream of taking, are risky rather than adventurous. In many instances of risk taking in the work place, people had developed personal strategies for how to best package and deliver the risk taking we were inviting others to join us in.

Maybe a life worth living needs to embrace 100 words for the word risk to fully capture the complex lives we each live and the way we approach doing that authentically.

Maybe a institution becomes more authentic when its ability to be a risk taker and create a safe environment for adventurous creative thoughts and actions outweighs its need to cautiously measure its success.

The Human Right to Dialogue

In a true dialogue, both sides are willing to change. We have to appreciate that truth can be received from outside of – not only within – our own group… We have to believe that by engaging in dialogue with another person, we have the possibility of making a change within ourselves, that we can become deeper.
Thich Nhat Hanh

The launch of the 29th modern Olympic Games in Beijing on
August 8th has me pondering the glaring dialogic contrasts between two ancient cultures, the Chinese and the Greeks.

The practice of dialogue stems from the Greeks, specifically Greek philosophers Socrates and Plato. Their novel concept of dialogic exposition was practiced through a series of answers and questions between individuals. This practice later evolved into the art of debate. The simple purpose of dialogue was to ascertain truth. Socrates advocated for dialogical practices that stressed the importance of reciprocal and reflective questions and conversation that supported new questions and ways of viewing and knowing the world.

China, while welcoming the world to celebrate the Olympic tradition, does not abide by the Platonic practice of dialogue as synonymous with truth. Modern China has and continues to suppress dialogue on critical issues such as Chinese human, political, environmental, and religious rights. Two glaring examples that spring to mind include the Falun Gong movement and Tibet. Anti-Chinese thoughts, dialogues and actions regarding the aforementioned examples by Chinese citizens and occassionally international protesters have resulted not only in censorship of Internet access but meaningless violence. The Chinese approach to dialogue is congruous not with truth but suppression and censorship.

As I continue to watch and marvel at the sheer strength and spirit of all Olympic participants I remain vexed by the undermining of the Greek dialogic spirit.

NEXT CONVERSATION: August 21st from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. at Ralph Thornton Centre - Are you ready to take the plunge?

The next community conversation is "Are you ready to take the plunge into community engagement?"

Some people take risks like bungee jumping. Some of us simply think about getting up off our couch and going for a coffee. What risks are you willing to take to be more engaged in your community?

Guest speaker: Michele Lupa is a single mother, feminist and community leader. In her role as executive director of EYET, she takes risks that match the courage she shows in her personal life.

Moderator: Shokofeh Dilmaghani is passionate about work that engaging with the system to address issues of building healthier communities and increasing access for newcomers – in particular Iranian youth.

We invite you to come and check out a conversation cafe. There is no reason to register for the event unless you simply want to let us know you are coming. We hope to have a full house.

If you require care for a child while you attend this event, please be sure to connect with Deborah at deborahko@familyservicetoronto.com or by phone at 416-595-9230 ext. 322.

See you at Ralph Thornton Centre.

Summary notes: Who needs to be ready for inclusion to happen?

There is a quality even meaner than outright ugliness or disorder, and this meaner quality is the dishonest mask of pretended order, achieved by ignoring or suppressing the real order that is struggling to exist and to be served. Jane Jacobs

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Something that stood out for me in this conversation was a comment made by one person that communities don't want to be engaged, consulted or included. They just want to get things done. This began a lively discussion about a movement toward "Let's just do it."

Our guest speaker, Sandra, shared a story about an event that occurred in a downtown Toronto community. Within this community, there was a barrage of hold ups that were occurring – all against food delivery people. These robberies were happening at particular buildings. The community was of course concerned and the service providers sprang into action. After meetings and following of processes, metal signs were ordered giving community the number for police and encouraging them to report all crimes. After paying for a city employee to put them up there was no change in the occurrence of robberies.

Within that same building there was a drop-in space for youth. They got fed up with the whole polite response. They knew that within the community people knew the police number and they knew the individuals that were committing the robberies. That was not the issue. The truth was people were afraid. The young women decided they were not waiting for any one else to make a change in their community. They knew they had to take matters into their hands. And their actions were successful.

What did they do?

They made a simple sign that said something like, "We know who you little @$$*(#^$ are. Knock it off or we are telling the police."

The community had the capacity and knowledge of how to best deal with the issue. In some ways, they just needed people to get out of their way and let them do it.

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The first of our Conversation cafés was held at the 519 Church St. Community Centre on July 29th. Guest speaker was Sandra Costain, community worker and activist and the discussion was moderated by Tammy Décarie, health promoter.

Welcome

In a true dialogue, both sides are willing to
change. We have to appreciate that truth can be received from outside of – not only within – our own group… We have to believe that by engaging in dialogue with another person, we have the possibility of making a change within ourselves, that we can become
deeper. Thich Nhat Hanh

Welcome to our conversation blog!

Our goal is to promote a space where dialogue and public conversation encourage learning, social activism and community. We envision a space where conversations can:
· Initiate both critical questions and critical listening
· Support a counter-hegemonic culture and provide an opportunity for learning, action, change and praxis both individually and communally.
· Inspire the age old practice of rational (and maybe sometimes not so rational) debate
· Reduce the influence of modern technology and media so that we do not blindly consume what is offered by the mainstream but rather use critical thought and individual choice to direct our lives.

In the spirit of learning, we will post a weekly blurb about various dialogue and conversational practices and their impact on social change and activism in their communities. We encourage you to share your ideas on these posts. It is with the exchange of thoughts and opinions that exciting learning can take place.

Deborah and I were both inspired to pursue the possibilities of public conversation by the conversational program at Concordia University, University of the Streets Café. The University of the Street Café holds regular conversations in cafés in Montreal exploring topics that range from sexuality to the environment to immigration and arts and culture to name but a few. Deborah and I seek to launch a similar monthly conversational café program in October in conjunction with the Toronto Community Development Institute. We hope that you will join us live to converse and explore some critical questions. Details will follow in September!

We invite you to share your public conversations with us. If you are hosting a conversation or know of one that is taking place, please let us know. We will happily post the details of other public conversations that are happening in the city.

We will also host online conversations using the chat feature available on blogspot. Please check in with us again so you can learn how to do this and find out when those online conversations will begin.