This past Tuesday, the Diversity Educators hosted a “Living Room” conversation pertaining to belonging.
A living room conversation is a safe environment in which students and faculty alike discuss their opinions and ideas based on a common theme. The most important aspect of a living room conversation is that people feel secure and respected.
The dialogue this week was related to fostering a sense of belonging, particularly in diverse spaces. The discussion began with participant introductions, but it went beyond just names and majors. Everyone stated their purpose for being there as well as what experiences they want at the forefront of their lives. Answers ranged from money to authenticity.
In a living room conversation, there is no pressure to answer any questions. One only interjects themself into the conversation whenever they want to share something. The main goal is to create a discussion in which different ideas are encouraged and appreciated. There is no right or wrong answer; a living room conversation is successful if everybody is actively listening and viewing the issue at different angles.
The biggest question that was asked is as follows: What fosters or inhibits belonging?
It was challenging to think about, and multiple facets of it were explored. A particularly interesting discussion opened up about ways people attempt to create that feeling of belonging- some ways of making others feel welcome only leads to alienation.
A specific example of this is when a white person says that they do not “see color.” While the intentions of this statement seem to come from a good place, it feels farce in its attempt to pretend race does not exist, almost as if the person is brushing off some sense of guilt with regard to racism.
This discussion made me reflect on how actions, even if with good motives, can be harmful if lacking proper awareness of the situation.
Belonging is constructed by feeling accepted and listened to as your own authentic self. In a living room conversation, that is the exact thing strived for. I am hopeful that this style of seminar will lead to respectful and thought-provoking ideas shared across various aspects of identity.
“It’s important to find time in our busy schedules to reflect with others about matters of inclusion, belonging, and empathy on campus and in our communities,” said Cally Chisholm, graduate assistant for the Diversity Education Program. “I hope that each participant walked away feeling hopeful and encouraged.”
You can learn more about these discussions by visiting livingroomconversations.org
