Institute to Host Dialogue on Race

Elected officials, religious and community leaders, educators, activists and concerned citizens will participate Friday in a discussion titled Days of Dialogue on Race Relations at the Phillips Graduate Institute in Encino.

The discussion is part of the nationwide event National Days of Dialogue on Race Relations, in which thousands of Americans are expected to discuss matters of race relations and ethnicity in the five days leading up to Martin Luther King Day on Monday.

“It was [King’s] vision that we could talk with each other and learn how to get along with each other,” said Ellen Faulk, a Phillips spokeswoman.

Based on the idea that dialogue heals, Friday’s event will begin with a general discussion.

Afterward, participants will be divided into groups of eight to 10 to consider such topics as listening carefully, maintaining an open mind, engaging in friendly disagreement and striving to understand the views of others, said Faulk, adding that each group will be assisted by a facilitator.

The event will conclude with a general discussion in which participants share their findings.

“Last year, people walked away from the discussions understanding their own selves and how they related to other ethnicities,” Faulk said. “When each of us understands our own issues, that makes us better able to relate to other people in the world.”

Last year, about 80 people participated in the event, she said.

The free event will be held from 7 to 9:45 p.m. at the institute, 5445 Balboa Blvd.

For further information or to make reservations, call (818) 386-5690, Ext. 184.