(Learning Webinar) NAC Encore - What Can I Do About the Deepening Political Divide?

A reprise of one of the more popular sessions at the 2021 IAP2 North American Conference.

Political division in America has not been this deep since the Reformation following the Civil War. What can we do? We live in a world where there is no shortage of divisive and intractable issues facing society. We are divided by polarized politics that hamper our ability to find common ground on the way forward. This polarization creates an uncivil atmosphere where it seems that we can no longer have open and frank conversations. We just head to our respective corners. Most of these contentious issues that divide our society are critical to our futures. What can we do as neutral facilitators to effectively move people toward healing? The speaker sets the stage and deepens participants understanding of why the divide is deepening. Participants and speaker will learn from each other in a small group breakout about best practices.

Speaker: Sheila Shockey

Sheila  has provided community engagement, planning, and management consulting services to local governments since 1989. Sheila uses data-rich tools to show interconnection between technologies, society, economics, and government so stakeholders can comprehend big, complex transformations and make better decisions for a more resilient world. She is a member of the International Association for Public Participation and has a background in city management, planning, and economics. She has lived and worked in rural, suburban, and urban America. She brings together these three perspectives to compare, contrast, and talk about the path forward for all three.