NCW Libraries conversation to examine divisions in America

WENATCHEE — What we all have in common – and what we don’t – will be the subject of a virtual program at North Central Washington Libraries this month. 

“Can We Get Along? Examining Our Personal Experiences of Connection and Community” will be streamed on Zoom on Nov. 20.  

“(It’s) an hour-and-a-half conversation about how do we come together to connect, especially when we're coming with different experiences in life (and) different opinions,” said Alicia O’Dell, director of adult programs for NCW Libraries. “How do we find ways to build community during divided times?” 

“Can We Get Along” is the third in a series of virtual conversations the library is hosting in partnership with Oregon Humanities. It’s a little different from the usual streamed fare, O’Dell said, in that it’s a conversation among participants rather than a speaker with a set script. 

“A trained facilitator (offers) kind of questions, and the program's really created by the people who attend and join in the conversation,” O’Dell said. 

The name of the conversation comes from the 1992 Los Angeles riots following the acquittal of four police officers in the brutal beating of a motorist, Rodney King, at a traffic stop. King’s plea “Can we all get along” became a rallying cry for peace amid violence and looting. 

“Despite decades of social justice movements, divisions persist in the United States,” NCW Libraries wrote. “How can we connect with each other during these times? What holds us back from connecting with each other? How do our personal experiences contribute to barriers or have the potential to break them down?” 

The facilitator is Chisao Hata, a Portland, Ore.-based artist and educator.  

“She's very interesting,” O’Dell said. “She … has been working as a facilitator with Oregon Humanities for many years. She is third-generation Japanese American, and she brings in her experience of (growing) up in Iowa and then (coming) to Portland. (She talks) about how these different experiences in our life inform how we view things, and how learning about other people's lived experiences can help us better understand that people have different lived experiences.” 

The previous installments in the series focused on immigration and interpersonal conflict, O’Dell said, and afforded participants to learn through other people’s experiences. “Can We Get Along” has the same goal, she said. 

“It's a time to think about something in a new way,” she said. “It's … like you're not going to change anyone's mind, but hopefully you'll have a little bit more understanding from this. The whole hour and a half is a conversation, so people leave feeling like they've had an experience with other people.” 

“Can We Get Along” will be held virtually from 6 to 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. To receive the link, visit www.ncwlibraries.org. 

The date of the event has changed since this story was originally published. It has been amended above.