This collection of unique postcard images are an impactful tool for vision setting, helping participants resolve conflict or establish group norms, or as a dialogue prompt in restorative justice circles. Postcards inspire creative writing and can be used as journaling prompts for self-reflection. The Pick-a- Postcard Kit is a compelling and engaging tool for practicing the use of metaphor and figurative language.

People often find it easier to express themselves through a picture or symbol rather than through verbal means. Because participants can talk about the object or image rather than about themselves directly, they sometimes express thoughts that would otherwise be left unsaid. The thoughts, ideas and connections inspired by the imagery lead to broader and deeper reflection sessions than when using dialogue alone.

Jen Stanchfield of Experiential tools created this teaching, group facilitation and reflection tool in 2002 after a facilitator in one of her conference workshops shared that they were looking for a “pocket sized” de-briefing or reflection tool that would be easy to carry into the field. The set includes 30 high-quality figural charms in a sturdy decorative tin, with carrying bag, plus suggestions for use.

This conversation was facilitated at the WISE 2020 conference.

We have been socialized to avoid using always and never when describing others' behavior, but Thiagi challenges us to break the rules and do just that.

This reflective activity will ask participants to imagine another point of view and reflect on empathy. 

This activity is based on Jamil Zaki’s concept of the empathy gym, which he discusses on the podcasts Hidden Brain and Clear + Vivid. In those episodes, Zaki describes how he developed empathic skills as a child of divorced parents with two very different sets of values and priorities. He also discusses the positive and negative aspects of empathy in addition to providing some techniques that anyone could use to increase their level of empathy. This activity adapts one of those techniques, which he calls “Disagree Better,” and provides participants with tools for better understanding and empathizing with individuals who they may disagree with.

This activity focuses on teaching participants how to develop self-care guides that are inclusive of individuals from a variety of backgrounds. 

Using Purdue University President Mitch Daniel's 2018 commencement speech and NPR's "Should We Have Empathy for Those We Hate," this activity explains tribalism and empathy.

This discussion starter challenges participants to reflect upon how we (often unknowingly) put new people into categories. These categories can determine how we form relationships. 

Participants in this activity will describe the cultural and emotional meaning of a song with a person of another culture. 

During this activity, participants, define empathy, consider how perspectives toward empathy changed, examine the difference between empathy and tribalism, and learn what the "dark side of empathy" means. 

Rejection sensitivity, a term that originates in the field of psychology, is when a person expects and reacts intensely to rejection because of past traumatic experiences. This activity aims to examine rejection sensitivity that stems from past experiences related to identity (for example, discrimination based on gender, race, sexuality, etc.). Participants will be asked to think about their own identities and how they might experience or contribute to sensitivity to rejection, for themselves and/or others.

This activity enables participants to define empathy, recognize how we develop empathy for fictional characters, discuss the relationship between empathy and culture, and articulate how empathy for fictional characters might translate to empathy for real people or situations.

Disagree Better: Empathy Gym is a tool that can be used to facilitate conversation between people across party lines. In this activity based on Jamil Zaki's concept of the empathy gym, participants will have a conversation with someone who has a different view than them. Instead of arguing, they will ask each other how they came to develop that opinion and simply listen to each other's point of view.

In this episode of Clear + Vivid, Alan Alda interviews Christian Picciolini, a former member of a neo-Nazi group who now works to disengage people from extremist hate movements. During the interview, Picciolini describes his process for getting individuals to leave hateful ideologies behind: He first listens to them and engages them on a personal level. Then, when they're ready, he takes them to meet people who they thought they had hated. He says, "I can tell you that every single time I've done that, I've never had a bad experience and everybody's always walked away different."

The power of (1) looking someone in the eye and (2) listening

From the transcript: "You know, this idea of purity and you’re never compromised and you’re always politically woke and all that stuff — you should get over that quickly. The world, the world is messy. There are ambiguities. 00:00:16.440 —> 00:00:22.450 People who do really good stuff have flaws. Like if I tweet or hashtag about how you didn’t do something right or used the word – wrong verb or then I can sit back and feel pretty good about myself because, 'Man, you see how woke I was, I called you out.' I get on TV. Watch my show. Watch 'Grown-ish.' You know, that’s not activism. That’s not bringing about change."

From Matthew: "Both of my grandparents voted for Trump. That doesn't make them any less my grandparents, like I may disagree with them on some political things...We just have to talk to folks like they are people."

From the DDI homepage: "The Division of Diversity and Inclusion is introducing a programmatic theme for 2020: Democracy, Civility, and Freedom of Expression. Throughout the spring semester, students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members are invited to engage in conversations about and consider the importance of each element of the theme. Activities and events will include interactive workshops, inspiring performances, high-impact public speakers, and innovative conversational gatherings."

From their "What We Do" page: "Launched in 2016, Better Angels is a national citizens’ movement to bring liberals and conservatives together at the grassroots level — not to find centrist compromise, but to find one another as citizens. Through workshops, debates, and campus engagement, Better Angels helps Americans understand each other beyond stereotypes, form community alliances, and reduce the vitriol that poisons our civic culture."

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) talk about their participation in the reality TV show - Rival Survival, in which the two of them need to fight to survive on a deserted island.

Powerful conversations over a potluck dinner, centering on the question, "What needs healing here?"

This activity uses an episode of NPR's Morning Edition, as well as Purdue President Mitch Daniels' 2018 commencement speech, to discuss how current events and social media have contributed to tribalism and a decline in empathy.

This episode of Storytalking with Lakshya features George Simons, the creator of "Diversophy." The episode focuses on how stories can be used as vehicles for both good and evil and how religion, culture, history, can be understood as stories. 

Using an episode of the popular podcast Radiolab, this activity asks participants to discuss the process of naturalization and how individualism, collectivism, assimilation, and xenophobia factor into that process. They will also consider the idea of "belonging" to a place and outline their own sense of "belonging."