Dinner & Dialogue event to facilitate discussion on food policy
By Brooke Appe
An Interactivity discussion. Photo courtesy of Interactivity Foundation.
Oftentimes, the most passionate and stimulating conversations take place right at the dinner table. Whether coming from of a group of stubborn relatives on Thanksgiving or a spirited group of citizens bent on changing public policy, discussion is the best way to bring about new perspectives and ideas. In line with the latter, the Interactivity Foundation and Wisconsin Union Mini Courses collaborated to produce a two-part “Dinner & Dialogue: What might be for Dinner?” event to explore food policy.
Melissa Simonson, a local representative for the Interactivity Foundation and the discussion facilitator for the event, describes the foundation as a “civic engagement organization; a nonpartisan, nonprofit group committed to revitalizing democracy by engaging citizens in the exploration of public policies.” Examples of policies could be energy, education or democratic nation-building.
Interactivity stimulates conversation for a wide range of topics having to do with public policy. It functions in a three tiered system:
- The first tier is “sanctuary,” which means a safe space the foundation creates for people to come together and explore. There’s a panel of experts who engage citizens to come together and consider how to implement specific policies.
- The second tier is “public participation,” which are dialogues that facilitators like Melissa carry forward to discuss possibilities and alternatives.
- The third tier is “education,” where Interactivity has a summer institute to invite professors who wish to learn facilitation methods and a centered approach on dialogue instead of a lecture-style they may be used to.
“We are not selling a particular idea, we’re aiming for a dialogue and getting people talking deliberately. We want people to feel impassioned to do something,” said Melissa.
As for this particular event, the topic of food policy is host to a slew of growing concerns not only in the United States, but the world. With new challenges brought by climate change, a growing population, and new health concerns, food policy is an ever-evolving point of discussion. That is why Melissa decided that it would be smart to see what other discussants could bring to the table.
Local representative for the Interactivity Foundation, Melissa Simonson.
“We start off with a question that invites people to share stories and think about tradition in families related to food and a story that you can tell connected with tradition. It’s a great way to create connections,” said Melissa. “I move into wanting to know hopes and dreams for state of food for future, looking at possibilities for food policies, what needs to be considered, how can we make food policy better, and the challenges we face.”
Even those who are not completely knowledgeable about the topic are encouraged to attend. Guidebooks created by a panel of experts on the topic are given out at the beginning of the session so participants have the hard facts at their disposal. From these facts, they can infer their own opinion and participate in discussion about existing and prospective policies. Furthermore, Interactivity acts as a “practice round” for citizens who wish to make a difference but need an extra boost in getting out there to share their views.
“What’s fun about the process is that the guidebooks give participants insight and they discover they know way more than they thought,” said Melissa. “We often liken it to someone who is playing a sport. They wouldn’t go play the game without having practiced, so we create a practice round.”
The Dinner and Dialogue is a two-session event, creating a level of intimacy among participants. A total of 32 participants are divided among four smaller tables, each with a facilitator. Small group discussions allow participants to get to know each other and participate actively.
“What’s really great is that when people are done with the experience, they thought they would have spent two evenings connecting, learning about self and about the topic. They find that they don’t necessarily change their minds or beliefs, but they gain more clarity to understand why they believe what they believe.”
In cooperation with the Wisconsin Union’s goal to create a diverse community of well-informed citizens, Interactivity provides a vehicle through which they can actively engage in the decisions that change the way people live.
The Dinner & Dialogue event will take place at Union South both Monday 3/4 and Monday 3/11 from 6 to 9pm. It is free for all Union members and a complementary dinner will be served. Click here to register.
