On Friday, February 23, 2024, the Muskegon Rotary and the Rotary Peace Builders Committee, in collaboration with the Muskegon Area District Library (MADL), hosted a Skills for Bridging the Divide Workshop at the Norton Shores Library. This event, supported by the MADL Norton Shores Library team, including Sarah Rinsema-Sybenga and Holly Pelkey, brought together 28 dedicated individuals eager to strengthen community relationships and foster civil dialogue. Moderated by Braver Angels’ Hilary Young and Jim Distelrath, and organized by Jan Hrydziuszko, the workshop aimed to provide Rotary members and the broader community with practical tools for bridging political divides.
Rotary chose the workshop as a key event to align with the commitment to the Four-Way Test, which emphasizes truth, fairness, goodwill, and mutual benefit. The Muskegon Rotary is dedicated to putting these ethical principles into action, especially in the context of political differences. This workshop provided an invaluable opportunity for members to practice these ideals in real-world scenarios, enhancing their ability to engage in meaningful and respectful political conversations.
Participants, working in pairs, engaged in various exercises designed to improve listening and speaking skills. These activities fostered a lively and interactive environment where individuals from different generations and political backgrounds could come together. The structured exercises encouraged participants to be more intentional in their listening and to communicate their views honestly and effectively. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many noting the immediate applicability of the skills they had learned.
The impact of the workshop was evident in the participants’ reflections. Comments such as “I will be more intentional in listening” and “listen well and speak honestly” highlighted the transformative potential of the event. By the end of the morning, it was clear that the workshop had succeeded in its goal of equipping attendees with the skills necessary to bridge divides and build stronger, more understanding communities.
