April 9, 2025
Difficult Subjects/Civil Conversations: A Workshop on Structured Dialogue 
Join us for this Democracy & Dialogues workshop to learn about how to plan, host and facilitate a structured dialogue.

April 4, 2025
Dialogue in the Classroom for Instructors: Strategies for Building Engagement and Empathy
In collaboration with Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.
Join us for this Democracy & Dialogues workshop on ways to incorporate structured dialogic modalities into the classroom.

March 1, 2025
Encounters: From Jubilee to Juneteenth
Join us for an Encounters Dialogue, a follow-up to the Pennington Lecture, which honors the legacy of Rev. Dr. James W. C. Pennington, a pioneering leader in the fight for racial equality and education.

February 27, 2025
Encounters: Political Activism in 1860…and 2025
Co-hosted by Connecticut Museum of Culture and History.
Join us at the Connecticut Museum for an interactive event exploring the story of the Wide Awakes, a 19th-century youth-driven political movement, and reflecting on free speech, democracy, and civic engagement in our communities today.

February 19, 2025
Encounters: Freedom, Facts, and Filters - A Dialogue on Misinformation
Organized by the Democracy & Dialogues Initiative Student Fellows.
Join us for a thought-provoking dialogue on the impact of social media on information sharing, the challenges of misinformation, and the responsibilities of platforms, the government, and the public

February 15, 2025
Encounters: 100% Democracy - The Case for Universal Voting
Co-sponsored by Connecticut’s Old State House.
Join us for an engaging discussion on universal voting and its potential impact on democracy in the United States.

February 14, 2025
Dialogue in the Classroom: Strategies for Building Engagement and Empathy
In collaboration with Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.
Join us for this Democracy & Dialogues workshop on ways to incorporate structured dialogic modalities into the classroom.

January 15 – 16, 2025
UConn Dialogic Classroom
Run by Essential Partners in cooperation with the Common Curriculum Committee (CCC+) and the Center for Excellence Teaching & Learning (CETL).
This workshop offers practical tools to faculty to help foster an open, conversational classroom culture, enhance student engagement, and prepare UConn students for dialogue competency in general education.

November 20, 2024
American Dreams? An Encounters Dialogue
Co-sponsored by the Connecticut Collaborative on Poverty, Criminal Justice, and Race.
Join us for a structured dialogue on the complex topic of immigration in America, covering its historical background, economic impact, and the personal stories of immigrants who contribute to the nation’s fabric.

November 19, 2024
Difficult Subjects/Civil Conversations: A Workshop on Structured Dialogue
Join us for this Democracy & Dialogues workshop to learn about how to plan, host and facilitate a structured dialogue.

November 4, 2024
Dialogue in the Classroom: Strategies for Building Engagement and Empathy
In collaboration with Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.
Join us for this Democracy & Dialogues workshop on ways to incorporate structured dialogic modalities into the classroom.

October 19, 2024
Encounters: The Changing Landscape Of Policing- A Community Dialogue
Co-hosted by The Social Work & Law Enforcement (SWLE) and the CT Collaborative.
Participate in a dialogue addressing policing in 21st-century America, examining its historical context and current state through small-group discussions and Q&A with experts.

October 17, 2024
Difficult Subjects/Civil Conversations: A Workshop on Structured Dialogue
Join us for this Democracy & Dialogues workshop to learn about how to plan, host and facilitate a structured dialogue.

October 16, 2024
Encounters – Destigmatizing Intimate Partner Violence
In partnership with The Alyssiah Wiley Program.
Join us in addressing the prevalent issue of domestic violence in Connecticut by raising awareness, fostering education, and promoting engagement to create social change.

October 9, 2024
A More Perfect Union: A Dialogue on Voting and Voter Participation
In collaboration with the University of Connecticut’s Undergraduate Student Government, Community Outreach, the Office of Outreach and Engagement and co-created by members of the Human Rights and Action Learning community.
Join the Democracy and Dialogues Initiative along with USG, Community Outreach, and the Office of Outreach and Engagement for a student-led dialogue on voting and voter participation.

October 1, 2024
A Methods Training Workshop: Community-Based Participatory Research
Co-sponsored by Research Program on Economic & Social Rights, and Engineering for Human Rights Initiative.
Dr. Tina Kempin Reuter leads an interactive workshop on methods and best practices in community-engaged research, using examples from her human rights research.

September 26, 2024
Finding Common Ground: A Nonpartisan Conversation with Former Members of Congress
In partnership with Hartford Votes - Hartford Vota Coalition and the League of Women Voters.
Connecticut’s Old State House is hosting an engaging discussion with former U.S. Representatives Loretta Sanchez and Fred Upton on bridging political divides in today’s election year.

September 20, 2024
Dialogue in the Classroom: Strategies for Building Engagement and Empathy
In collaboration with Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.
For this DDI workshop, we’ll focus on how to increase student engagement and foster inclusive learning environments by incorporating dialogic modalities into the classroom. Students can learn to communicate across differences and navigate challenging conversations while engaging more deeply with course content.

September 18, 2024
Difficult Subjects/Civil Conversations: A Workshop on Structured Dialogue
In this Democracy & Dialogues Initiative workshop, you’ll learn how to plan, host, and facilitate a structured dialogue around subjects that too often prove polarizing, divisive, and unproductive.

April 17, 2024 
UConn Strong: A Dialogue on Mental Health & Resilience 
In collaboration with Student Health & Wellness, the Dean of Students Office, and UConn Metanoia. 
Join us for a student-led dialogue addressing the escalating importance of mental health on our university campus.

April 6, 2024 - Postponed 
Encounters: Reclaiming Patriotism 
Co-hosted by Connecticut’s Old State House. 
Join us for an engaging exploration of the multifaceted concept of patriotism! Whether it sparks pride, civic responsibility, skepticism, or even indifference, we’re delving into what patriotism means in today’s diverse world through facilitated dialogues and Q&A sessions with UConn faculty and community partners.

March 2, 2024 
Encounters: Democracy in Black 
Co-hosted by CT State Capital’s Hartford Heritage Project. 
Explore the current state of democracy, address challenges, and consider the role of dialogue and civic participation in rebuilding trust and fostering solidarity in Black communities, drawing inspiration from Dr. Eddie Glaude Jr.’s ‘Democracy in Black.’

February 21, 2024 
Encounters- Helping SHaW Better Help You 
Co-hosted by UConn Student Health & Wellness. 
Join SHaW for a Dine and Dialogue session as we explore the significance of mental health for college students and discuss strategies to enhance student support and access to care.

December 5, 2023 
Transforming Corrections - A Screening and Dialogue  
Co-hosted by Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy and the Connecticut/Baden-Württemberg Human Rights Research Consortium. 
Explore the transformative potential of criminal justice reform in a thought-provoking event featuring the screening of the documentary “Cutline - Transforming Corrections," which follows Connecticut leaders as they explore Norway’s progressive prison system. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion and Q&A with guest scholars, activists, and experts at the forefront of enacting change here in Connecticut. Ask questions and gain powerful insights from those directly involved in reshaping our local criminal justice policies.

December 2, 2023 
Encounters: Artificial Intelligence and Democracy 
Co-hosted by Connecticut’s Old State House. 
Engage in a dialogue about the growing impact of Artificial Intelligence on democracy and governance, including its potential uses in policymaking and elections, during an interactive program exploring these pressing questions.

November 30, 2023 
Encounters: Restorative Justice 
Co-hosted by Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy and the Connecticut Collaborative on Poverty, Criminal Justice, and Race. 
This event offers a unique opportunity to explore the principles and practices of restorative justice, focusing on accountability, empathy, and community building, through the lens of the documentary “Prison Within.”

November 3, 2023 
Unlocking the Art of Moderation 
Gain insights into the role of a moderator as a guide to structured dialogues. Moderators serve as the event’s emcee, ensuring the flow and timing of dialogues while supporting facilitators. Learn to navigate challenging conversations and dialogue management with ease. Dive deeper into the theory and practice of effective moderation and objective question formulation, leading to productive dialogues in the classroom, workplace, and/or the community. Join us now and take your moderating skills to another level!

November 1, 2023 
Navigating Difficult Conversations: A Workshop on Dialogue Facilitation 
Do you avoid difficult but important conversations? Have you wondered how to navigate a conversation that could be polarizing? Are you interested in gaining skills for engaging in meaningful dialogue with people who think differently from you? Join us for an immersive training experience, where you will
• Elevate your facilitation skills to become an invaluable leader in guiding “difficult” discussions;
• Develop expertise in fostering collaboration and mutual understanding through structured dialogue;
• Explore proven methods for maintaining, and engaging in productive conversations.

October 28, 2023 
Encounters: The Changing Landscape of Policing 
21st-century America is increasingly polarized over policing. From yard signs to public protests, from political rhetoric to legislative acts, tension over the role and status of police grips us daily. Are we any closer to an answer? Join us for a dialogue on this most critically important subject in which we will explore the historical development of policing in our democracy and discuss the present-day landscape of law enforcement, community relations, and individual rights. Facilitated, small-group conversations will be followed by a Q&A with guest scholars and activists. You are warmly and respectfully encouraged to come speak from your heart about this subject that lies at the shared heart of the “Land of the Free.”

October 28, 2023 
Encounters: Amistad - History, Culture, and Living Legacy 
Co-hosted by Discovering Amistad. 
Step aboard the replica of the iconic Amistad in Mystic, CT to take part in a dialogue exploring the enduring legacy of the slave revolt that erupted on the original ship in 1839. Nearly two centuries after that momentous event, the Amistad’s legacy of fighting for racial equity still resonates strongly. Yet, we continue to live in a world plagued by racism and racial injustice. What lessons does the Amistad story have for us as we make sense of our nation’s past? What inspirations does it provide as we work toward a more racially celebratory and equitable present and future? Set against the backdrop of some of the sights and sounds experienced by the brave men and women of the Amistad as they took a stand for freedom, we will explore this famous event in history and its afterlives through small-group conversations and Q&A with guest scholars and activists. Come aboard and add your voice to the dialogue!

October 11, 2023 
Encounters - Possesing Harriet 
Co-hosted by the HartBeat Ensemble. 
Please join us for Encounters - Possessing Harriet, a special dialogue event that features small group discussions, on critical questions about the play, as well as specialist feedback and engagement. This conversation model will dive deeply into the themes of Possessing Harriet through facilitated, small-group dialogues followed by a question and answer-style conversation with our community partners. Readings from the play are provided beforehand to better encourage informed and informal dialogue within conversations that often prove to be polarizing, and thus unproductive. HartBeat Ensemble will collaborate with Dodd Human Rights Impact using their patented Encounters model to provide audiences an opportunity to take a deeper dive into the intersectionality of abolition and suffrage in the 19th century and what it means in today’s battles around reparations and voting rights.

October 11, 2023 
Unlocking the Art of Moderation 
Gain insights into the role of a moderator as a guide to structured dialogues. Moderators serve as the event’s emcee, ensuring the flow and timing of dialogues while supporting facilitators. Learn to navigate challenging conversations and dialogue management with ease. Dive deeper into the theory and practice of effective moderation and objective question formulation, leading to productive dialogues in the classroom, workplace, and/or the community. Join us now and take your moderating skills to another level!

September 29, 2023 
Encounters - Destigmatizing Intimate Partner Violence 
Co-hosted by The Alyssiah Wiley Program at Western Connecticut State University. 
Domestic Violence is a pervading issue across our world. During the fiscal year of 2021, over 38,989 people sought domestic violence services in our state of Connecticut alone. This number is not reflective of all those who endure domestic violence, as violence often goes unreported. We need to shatter the silence. Through education, engagement, and empowerment, this program will shed light on domestic violence and create social change. Join us as we learn, listen, and reflect through small group discussions with facilitators, and engage with experts in domestic violence services about this critical issue.

September 26, 2023 
Navigating Difficult Conversations: A Workshop on Dialogue Facilitation 
Do you avoid difficult but important conversations? Have you wondered how to navigate a conversation that could be polarizing? Are you interested in gaining skills for engaging in meaningful dialogue with people who think differently from you? Join us for an immersive training experience, where you will
• Elevate your facilitation skills to become an invaluable leader in guiding “difficult” discussions;
• Develop expertise in fostering collaboration and mutual understanding through structured dialogue;
• Explore proven methods for maintaining, and engaging in productive conversations.

Spring 2023 Program

Fall 2022 Program

Dialogues for Common Ground: American Identity & Connecticut’s Civic Reconstruction
Democracy is a Connecticut tradition. The “Constitution State” has for centuries been a place of evolving civic life, and has often inspired and informed the national approach to the rights of individuals and the electoral process. The 21st century brings new challenges and opportunities to innovative political engagement: locally, the “Land of Steady Habits” is a racially and ethnically diverse, economically unequal, and politically decentralized state; nationally, our democracy is under pressure from polarization, disinformation, and even violence. How might Connecticut communities harness the state’s long history of political innovation and reconstruct robust civic practices to address our present moment and look to the future?

The “American Identity and Connecticut’s Civic Reconstruction” program brings the conversation back to first principles, to the founding of the American democratic experiment, and aims to foster meaningful and informed discussion around the values that form the basis of our nation. In doing so, it encourages everyone to learn more about our shared history and to value and participate in our democracy.

This past program was funded by Connecticut Humanities through the 'A More Perfect Union' granting program of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Included programs titled Women’s Suffrage, Monuments and Democracy In Historical Perspective, From Suffrage to Election, American Dreams, Radical Women Artists, and Race and Community Dialogue.

Included programs titled Uncovering Black and Indigenous Histories, Public Punishment, Race and Remembrance, Afrocosmologies, Race and Community, Public Punishment Race and Remembrance, The 2020 Census, Moderator Training, and Food Systems and Sustainability.

Included programs titled One Year After Maria, Treaty of Hartford, Surrealism and War, Encounters Conference, La Amistad, Emily Mae Smith and #MeToo, and States of Incarceration.