Hi from Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas

Hi from Bowie, MD (DC area)

hi from my bunker in western mass

Greetings from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and James Madison University . . .

Snohomish, WA

Hi from Essex CT!

Hi from Paris

Hello from London, UK

Hello from Rome, Italy

Greetings from Reston, Virginia!

Hello from Chicago!

Hello from San Rafael — great to see so many familiar faces!

Hi from Boston, everyone!

Hello from Italy

Hi from Cambridge, MA! :)

Temecula California

Hi from BC Canada

Also sending greetings from Boston (Somerville!) MA

Hello from Atlantic Canada

Welcome from Hartford, CT.

Hello from New Jersey—# 2 in the nation in CORVID-19 cases. We’re waving from home!

Hello! I’m from Cambridge, MA too!

Hello, from Pittsburgh

Hello from Rhode Island!

Good morning all from Isolating in San Jose. Sorry, breakfast time.

Hi! I'm in Stillwater Minnesota, USA

Greetings from Sacramento, CA. I’m working for a pubic radio newsroom so monitoring a few other channels or now and, thus, not on video. Will aim to get visual when possible

Hello Everyone From Seattle, Wa.

Hi from Austin, ya'll. The media says we have tests, but we don't.

Hi from Haddonfield NJ & Zeist Netherlands

How do you connect to the World Cafe??

would it be possible for you to share the link to your slides here in the chat?

World Cafe is a beloved ‘cousin’ - we worked together on LTA Lets Talk America in 2003…. CC is more intimate and heart based… you’ll see!

How do yo vote?

Tamar - Unblock your popup blocker and you'll be able to vote.

How?

I think you can only vote for a short window of time. Once she takes down the poll you can't vote anymore

Will we be receiving the powerpoint?

what is the difference between CC and World Café?

I like those cards. Cam they be purchased?

Thanks for letting me back in Courtney - the network here is a tad overwhelmed

I’ve seen events where someone just would not put down the talking stone.

WAIT why am I talking

great question Lori Baugh Littlejohns. CCs are for people who may not know one another and have separate lives to engage in meaningful personally enriching conversation about what’s important. world cafe is usually a formed group that want to harvest the wisdom of the whole group for the group to move forward more wisely.

hmmm … personally enriching conversations

Wendy asked if the cards can be purchased. Yes! I have some left in stock and so does Courtney. You can email me at sandyheierbacher@gmail.com or Courtney at courtney@ncdd.org to arrange something. We usually just charge shipping if you just need a few, and a little fee for larger orders.

http://ncdd.org/rc/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/ConvCafeHostManual.pdf

Thanks Jack!

How do the RJ practitioners in this group discern between CC and a ‘dialogue circle’ that draws on circle process principles?

http://www.ala.org/tools/librariestransform/libraries-transforming-communities/conversation-caf%C3%A9

I think many similarities…variations of a lot of beautiful processes Rob

Thanks Sandy!

I can't see everyone . Just me and the speaker

Hi everyone! It’s John from Hoboken. So glad to be here with this wonderful group! :-)

Open‐mindedness: listen to and respect all points of view.Acceptance: suspend judgment as best you can.Curiosity: seek to understand rather than persuade.Discovery: question assumptions, look for new insights.Sincerity: speak from your heart and personal experience.Brevity: go for honesty and depth but don’t go on and on.

tamar in upper right corner of your screen there is a toggle from speaker view to gallery view.

Don't have this. I did with another group

Good question. to me, it seems like it borrows from circle processes but not with same intent. Less grounded in a known community. I am curious about racial justice principles within this

Can’t toggle during screen share, so only gallery view strip for now.

Thanks, Miriam - that is my discernment, too.

RJ talking circles are less "controlled" and don't often have the open third round as described here. Also key groundings in values, etc. Also no particular limit of number of people. I sometimes distinguish within RJ practice between a "restorative justice Circle", a "talking circle" and a "dialogue circle" - core principles are what hold the practice together with integrity. However, overall CC seems very similar.

Great question about underlying justice principles. Do you see the standard guidelines we are reviewing as incorporating those?

RJ?

Restorative justice - apologies.

Thought it might have been that but appreciate the clarity.

Are these wonderful guidelines available in Spanish?

OVER-TALKERS ANONYMOUS: AKA ON AND ON AND ON AND ON ANON

I agree

Hi Susan - we do have materials in a couple of languages - I'll try to grab links during the Cafe

I agree.

Also that great graphic I just shared was created by Sandy Heierbacher: http://www.conversationcafe.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/CCs-Online.pdf

How do we include people who are in phones in agreeing?

Good question

Hi Kim - we could have them un-mute to verbally agree, if they cannot raise their hand on video or virtually

the example responses Susan gave to redirect common challenges related to certain norms were really helpful. is there a collection of such responses anywhere that could be shared?

“Host: begin each round; everyone should be on mute during the two rounds - you indicate who should unmute when it is their turn as you go around the circle so everyone speaks once. During the Open Conversation, help ‘direct traffic:’ each speaker can designate who goes next after they speak - and they can watch for participants who raise their physical hand. When you receive the message to begin the Closing Round, ask everyone to mute again. Pause to reflect. Then indicate who should unmute to share, one by by one.”

How do you handle the talking object online?

Using the mute button . When you’re unmute - you have the talking object

I believe that the ‘mute’ button is the object - that we release the object when we mute ourselves.

If someone joins late, can they still join a breakout room?

What if we are in a breakout room and lose our connection? Can we get back in?

I will need to leave in 20 minutes. Can I still join a conversation?

Will the recording end?

How long will we be in the breakout rooms, total?

Srividya, the technology does allow you to add people late.

Round 1: Share your thoughts and feelings about the Pandemic…Round 2: How could CCs be of supportOpen Conversation: What’s next? How do we move forward? What’s your role?

I like to use “after the hour” to avoid confusion.

Finding common ground quickly

tenderness and support right there

My takeaway -- value of same-time gatherings overcoming the costs of getting people together-- even in a virtual environment

Challenges of tech for making this work for everyone on multiple platforms is a bit awkward.

We were from all the\\\\\

Wow! I’m so grateful for this time to connect and be together. Thank you to the leaders of this group for doing this.

We did go deeply and we shared the hosting responsibility

When people are on different "modes" (e.g., only chat, versus via voice) is sometimes difficult to jump from the different modes

Willingness to take a risk and try this new connection. Learning moment. . . caused by the virus.

lovely to hear people's similar experiences

We were from all three coasts and DC. Good stuff!

We had a great conversation in group 11. Talked about our commonalities in worries on connecting, working, and supporting one another. We thought of ways to utilize CC and other means of connecting with Ben Franklin Circles, Common Ground, Living Room Conversations - all by bringing individuals virtually together over sharing a drink, meal, etc. WE need to be our own advocates in brining community together.

Features/layout on these online technologies vary depending on devices participants are using— have to work together to navigate

amazing to meet people from all over and learn their stories. Wonderful to share experiences and resources.

Value of togetherness and our collective humanity

learned new perspectives and tips to better ourselves!

Taking responsibility to help CALM

I see lots of ways to use this format / design. Thank you!

Feel connected to the people I just met. Heartwarming and valuable.!

acknowledge our feelings

To Richard, Christine and Kim - I was listening eve though wasn't able to speak (856-795-8485) - feel free to call me in future

I love the small group conversations, creates a more intimate experience ...

Group 14 wants to reconnect in a month's time.

Look at what I have that I could give away to help those who have less to stay connected and move forward. E.g., by giving my spare electronics to schools.

learning and sharing and agreeing that we have to experiment and learn and accept imperfection

Can you send out instructions for ZOOMING like this with large groups and facilitating for us new users to host?

take responsibility and take care of others

Extremely authentic. Everyone wanting to help, share, exchange, and connect. Moving forward and growing! Advancing

Will this be a weekly event? I hope so!

Feeling really grateful to you all for doing this session!

Is there a calendar for Conversation Cafes around the country where I could have my students sign up and join to participate?

We feel that this may be the way of the future, but more training needed.

Thank you for hosting and moderating, Courtney and Susan! Thank you all for participating in such a generous spirit!

It worked well to get each of us connected and I came away with a sense of hopefulness of our better selves that we might carry forward beyond the time of pandemic.

Need playfulness as we develop more and more online stuff and need/want to connect with each other = overwhelm unless we have a “let to and have fun” attitude

Nice way to share information and methods for managing connections...

My membership was just made worthwhile! I'm a new member.

People being real and vulnerable is beautiful

G'day! Victor!

How does Zoom divide into groups? Is it random, order of joining, whatever?

can we get some of the technical aspects of Zoom?

A facilitator does it

Rollie, you can assign people or do it randomly

You guys did a GREAT job! Thank you for sharing this with us.

Rollie Cole - you can have zoom divide people up randomly or you can assign people.

One of the major TV show ought to feature you talking about this!

Can you assign people tp the break outs?

The attachments to the invitation are excellent

Worked out great. Would love to hear about assigning folks to breakout groups.

Rollie, you can do either randomly assignment of participants to breakouts or assign them

Was this just a Zoom Pro subscrriptions?

I think our group was struck by the opportunity to turn from a horror of the pandemic to a recommitment to what brings life to community. The deep listening was powerful.

just wonderful! I felt really connected with my small group!

Courtney and Susan — BIG thank you.

Hi Wendy

Many thanks for the opportunity to do this...

Thank you! This was a helpful and peaceful interlude to the day and week.

Thank you so much about the opportunity to participate today.

WE need to remember those who do not have connectivity ity

really grateful for this. thank you!!

As a host, I couldn’t see how to mute each person.

I love the idea of random assignment; helps with the diversity. We need to have a common language (English in this case) -- but have no need to be in the same place.

How do you support hosts in virtual rooms who don't have any facilitation experience?

It wasn’t an issue but would be good to know

Zoom is offering free webinars to tran on the tech. Go to zoom.us and check it out.

Thank you so much. Will look forward to the learning. Do you feel there is an upper limit to the number of participants? Or does Zoom define an upper limit?

Optimism is difficult in these times. May I offer you inspiring thoughts and an optimism community. May I offer Free membership Centre for Optimism centreforoptimism.com send me an email victorperton@gmail.com

Given the vital role of conversation in a democracy, why doesn’t mainstream media feature conversations activists like YOU? No invites from Rachel Maddow?

we talked about using it for neighborhood discussions and information

I recommend playing with the "virtual background" feature; it takes away lots of the distraction of seeing "real places" behind you.

Agree with Rollie Cole - about diversity

yay, yay using this as a positive transformation!

Pam depending on your subscription- you can go up to 500

Hand Raised

I used to run statewide video conferences; the advice most needed is to get adequate light on your face.

I asked a question about the diversity of conversation cafes. Are they fairly homogenous in race and class background?

Only about 2/3's of us have what professionals would consider adequate lighting of the speaker's face.

I was struck by how much difficult young adults are having with confinement and communicating with each other in general. They more than anyone lack dialogue skills. Is there a way to train more young adults to use these kinds of simple communication methodologies + how might you reach them in the first place?

I have been on similar calls that were time bounded. Sometimes helpful to leave the conversation open for folks that want to stick around after “time is up”. They can stay in the larger group or go back into breakouts.!

I recommend having another person to serve as a technical assistant to help with the back-end logistics with such a big group, to manage break-outs, chat box, questions, hand raises, etc. Someone who isn’t facilitating/hosting and can focus on those things.

Are there best practices for using the chat during a virtual conversation like this?

Thanks to all and host. I have to leave but appreciate you setting this up and the opportunity to connect. Small groups function is really nice!

I read the materials -- they were great! (But you could add my point about getting light on your face <grin>).

Agree Meg, 2 people works will for managing process

Here are the additional materials we've created for you: http://www.conversationcafe.org/for-hosts/resources-cafes-online/

agreed about lightinh

I see that Zoom is offering discounts for K-12 teachers. Anyone aware of anything to help higher education teacher finish the semester?

lighting

www.ncdd.org/rc

thank you so much, I need to get dinner on. I would like to participate in future ccs

Dear Courtney, thank you so much!

4 people in a breakout was perfect because we could all be on the same screen in gallery mode. does gallery mode allow more on one screen and maximum how many?

Do we have questions we could use for the general public centered around the pandemic?

As the Zoom host can you visit the breakouts one by one to check on how they're doing?

Hi Amy - there is a question doc on that link I just sent on the Conversation Café site

How can awareness of real dialogue, such as we practiced here, be expanded to the larger society via our education system and media?

8 people in a group leads to social loafing and not enough connection time in my experience.

I have to hop off in a minute, but people should join the Conversation Cafe facebook group and the National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation’s facebook group to stay updated on future zoom calls, trainings, and new Conversation Cafe resources!

Yes, that’s correct, ZOOM is HIPPA compliant

That’s why therapists use it

thanks sandy

Telehealth is a tool therapists (and some mediators) are using for confidentiality as well

Can we use pseudonyms?

https://compliancy-group.com/is-zoom-hipaa-compliant/

Thank you for a great session. Bye,

Correct!

Yesterday, our water corporation board took a photo of the Board meeting via Zoom to show the team we were working in the same environment.

Thanks all - really useful and I send all of you good health, vision and community

you can have 49 screens at the same time

Need to leave. Everyone keep the faith, stay positive and healthy!

Here’s an article on Zoom and privacy: https://blog.zoom.us/wordpress/2018/05/23/zoom-gdpr-compliance/

Good for instant polls--all fill in info, at tone everyone posts at once.

John Bredin wants to talk

that's why having co hosts can be helpful... one can look at chat

The chat its better than people going to their email

Three hosts: tech, content and chat

Thank you each! I must go, and this was very valuable. Go well conversation warriors <3

i remember you john

the author

We in the Thomas Huebl field always use the chat and we also work with 200+ participants sometimes, so far it alsways worked out smoothly, but yes, part of it is being centered in yourself and giving everyone the space you need

Can you summarize I a few sentences with the link for us to promote through our own networks?

The “Mad Tea” facilitation technique is neat to use here in the chat where the facilitator asks a question like these and people fill in the blank, pause, and all hit “enter” at the same time. Examples:- What first inspired me in this work is…- Something we must learn to live with is…More info from the Liberating Structures community of practice: http://www.liberatingstructures.com/mad-tea/

For poll questions on zoom, can you write them in advance and then post them as needed?

Yes Jeff: you create the poll in advance. You can also create the groups in advance

Right now they don’t limit the time to 45mn

Fantastic

www.ncdd.org/donate

Yes Liz…agreed….fantastic!

Usually the first one or two times you use Zoom, they'll give you unlimited minutes (but don't tell you). I've also heard that during the pandemic, anyone with an .edu email address can get unlimited minutes.

here are the links from chat to this point:

http://ncdd.org/rc/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/ConvCafeHostManual.pdfhttp://www.ala.org/tools/librariestransform/libraries-transforming-communities/conversation-caf%C3%A9http://www.conversationcafe.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/CCs-Online.pdf: http://www.conversationcafe.org/for-hosts/resources-cafes-online/www.ncdd.org/rchttps://compliancy-group.com/is-zoom-hipaa-compliant/https://blog.zoom.us/wordpress/2018/05/23/zoom-gdpr-compliance/http://ncdd.org/rc/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/ConvCafeHostManual.pdfhttp://www.ala.org/tools/librariestransform/libraries-transforming-communities/conversation-caf%C3%A9http://www.conversationcafe.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/CCs-Online.pdf: http://www.conversationcafe.org/for-hosts/resources-cafes-online/www.ncdd.org/rchttps://compliancy-group.com/is-zoom-hipaa-compliant/https://blog.zoom.us/wordpress/2018/05/23/zoom-gdpr-compliance/http://www.liberatingstructures.com/mad-tea/

Thanks - happy to help. Our central activity is asking people what makes you optimistic? Happy to help with cafes asking that question.

2 rounds - no crossover talking - one final short round with reflection

Susan, you have been brilliant!!

I would love to be a part of a group that brings these about right now. Reach out to me directly after the session. I'd like more training so I can honor the process and do this well to best serve people. kim@bluewysteria.com

big thank you, this was great

Thank you so much! This is awesome.

I recall having someone tell me, back in the day of CC in coffee shops, that it was the first time they witnessed healthy communication even in opposing ideas. These conversations serve many needs. <3

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1SlEBXerKSJTlVrh56UuIAwSyqhWln7uFZN_UUsGiy1w/edit

Just go. Thank you to hosts and participants!

thank you all

Yes, I will be part of the team of hosts!

Thank you so much for an insightful gathering. Much appreciated.

thanks so much

Thanks - this has been great - i need to go now to cheer on our medical staff from the balcony - peace from Paris.

www.ncdd.org/donate

Courtney -- I will send you my lighting & background tips.

everyone wash ur hands lol

Thank you!

I’m happy to help

thank you !!

thank you all!

Thank you guys SOOO much!

thank you!

Go team!

Thank you all! Stay healthy!

Bless you everyone. Stay healthy and safe and may your loved ones as well!

thank you - so good to reactivate this now when we really need it.

👍👍👍🖤

You did this really well! More later….

Thanks, I can probably help in a limited way to form groups in my region.

Thank you to everyone. This has been wonderful. Stay healthy.

Feeling of gratitude

Thank you. This has been extraordinary! I look forward to continuing the conversation.! Best of health and safety.

Thanks so much! CY

It went fast!!!

Thank you all.

thanks to you all!

Thank you! Very helpful and illuminating!

Thank you!

Goodbye everyone and be safe!

Courtney is the BOMB!!!