Compassionate Connections Conversations
Let’s Start A Conversation!
“Conversation is the vehicle for change. We test our ideas. We hear our own voice in concert with another. And inside those pauses of listening, we approach new territories of thought.”
Our Vision
In 2020, the Compassionate Communities Healthcare Movement launched Compassionate Connections Conversations to provide opportunities for community members to come together informally to strengthen relationships, explore issues that impact the health of our communities and identify opportunities to enhance understanding, collaboration and community well-being.
In alignment with our vision, every time we meet, we each invite people with whom we have relationships to join the conversation. Salient questions serve as starting points for our conversations. We consider current issues that significantly impact the health and well-being of our families, neighbors, co-workers and friends.
At the core of our work is our commitment to welcome diverse voices and strive to identify common ground. Even when the issues are critical or life threatening, and perhaps especially then, we ask each other: “what can we agree upon?” Sometimes, the only thing we can agree upon is that we love fresh coffee - so we start there.
At a time when we are witnessing anger and estrangement among our neighbors, family members and friends simply because we have different opinions, it is our hope that our Compassionate Connections Conversations will provide a useful model for productive dialogue and move people to reconnect with friends, family, neighbors and colleagues - not necessarily to change their opinions, but simply to talk, openly share ideas and hopefully, rekindle affection, thoughtfulness and a sense of community solidarity.
We have been inspired by the creativity, collaboration and hopefulness that has emerged from these conversations. After our Root Down Reach Out event in 2025, we will be scheduling Compassionate Connections Conversations on a quarterly basis to continue the conversation. Please contact us if you would like to participate.