A community discussion this week in Monticello will examine how everyday language can either contribute to division or help build understanding across differences.
The event, titled “How Do We Contribute to or Counter a Culture of Hate With Our Language,” is being organized by the Sullivan Allies Leading Together (SALT) Committee for Equity and Justice and the E.B. Crawford Public Library. The conversation will take place Thursday, May 14, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Co- organizer Judy Balaban said the topic was chosen to encourage people to reflect on their own role in shaping community culture.
“We all play a part in what’s going on in the way the world is right now,” Balaban said. “We have the power to speak in a way that helps to bring people together, as we have the power to create division and hate.”
Balaban said language can influence how people see one another, often in subtle ways through stereotypes and assumptions.
“Stereotyping is so common and we just don’t recognize that,” she said. “Whether it’s a good stereotype or a bad stereotype, it takes away our individuality and our ability to understand that we are all different.”
The monthly community conversations, which organizers have hosted for nearly three years, are designed to create space for open dialogue on difficult issues while maintaining respectful discussion.
Balaban said organizers begin each session with group agreements focused on listening, pausing before responding and addressing harm when it occurs. One practice used during discussions is “ouch and oops,” a way for participants to acknowledge when a comment has caused hurt and to open a conversation about differing perspectives.
“One of the main goals of the conversation is to bring community together,” Balaban said. “It’s so important at this moment in time to bring community together.”