Date: March 26 from 10:30-11:30 am; lunch immediately follows program after 11:30 am Description: A survey conducted by the PEW Research Center found that half of American adults have stopped talking to someone about difficult, political issues. This prevents the learning of key skills for dialoguing with people who hold different views, values, and beliefs. In this interactive workshop, Dr. Kara Dillard, Executive Director and Democracy Fellows from the Madison Center for Civic Engagement will lead participants through a series of brief facilitated conversations focusing on learning how to ask curious questions, getting out of the conversational panic zone, sharing stories to illustrate personal values, and communicating across difference to build better interpersonal relationships. Instructor: Dr. Kara Dillard from the JMU Madison Center for Civic Engagement Location: JMU Side of the Ice House, Room 107- 127 W. Bruce Street, Harrisonburg, VA Cost: Free Parking: Parking will be available in the JMU Ice House lot (164 W Bruce St, Harrisonburg, VA 22801); JMU Parking Service will not be ticketing this lot during the event. The Water Street Parking Deck is about a block away from the Ice House. There are also visitor spaces in the Ice House Parking Lot that you can access between W Water and W Bruce Streets. There are also accessible parking spaces in that parking lot as well as limited accessible spaces in the roundabout of the Ice House (these are near Pale Fire access from Liberty Street) and behind the Ice House near Drifters Cafe. Building Access: Enter through the main entrance. Accessible Entrance: The main entrance is accessible. Room 107 is on the ground floor. Lunch - Bella Luna at 80 W Water Street, which is 3 blocks from the Ice House. Tell the host that you are with Lunch Together to be seated in the back room where the music will be turned down to facilitate lunchtime conversations. Enjoy wood-fired pizza, salads, and sandwiches in this cozy downtown establishment. http://www.bellalunawoodfired.com/menu