One of the goals of the INcommon NEH Humanities and the Legacy of Race and Ethnicity initiative grant is to engage scholars and scholarship, community and community practices “…to spark in-depth conversation, insight and consideration of others’ points of view on the persistent social, economic, cultural and racial issues that divide our communities.” With this in mind, the Deep Dialogue project aims to:
Introduce members of the Bloomington community to the poetic works of four contemporary writers of different races, ethnicities, and cultures.
Model for and engage the community in deep listening about historical and contemporary issues related to race, ethnicity, economics, oppression, marginalization, and healing through these works.
Create a space in which community members can discuss how and where Bloomington is connected to this history and its role in contemporary solutions.
Model for and engage the community in the practices of beholding and witnessing, that is holding respectful space to hear and listen to the stories of others without judgment.
Create a model of contemplative dialogue that is replicable in different Bloomington communities that will allow them to address and better understand issues related to marginalization and oppression.
Create an opportunity for scholars of all levels and community-based practitioners, and social justice activists to discuss the historical contexts of different groups’ experiences and possible solutions to move beyond the histories that bind and separate us.
Inspire community members to have an appreciation of literature and its ability to be a vehicle to better understand history and themselves.