THORNTON, Colo., June 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In an era of deep
political and societal divides across the country, what does public
discourse look like when "winning" is taken off the table? Grounded
on the premise that American civic life doesn't need fewer
arguments, but better ones, the Better Arguments Project is
a national initiative focused on encouraging Americans to engage
each other in more constructive dialogue. The program seeks to
strengthen communities by helping bridge ideological differences,
providing tools that help people listen and learn from others in
their community.
On June 13, at Anythink Wright
Farms in Thornton, Colorado, from
8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the Better
Arguments Project is piloting "Better Arguments: Tech Boom
Tension in Denver." The program
will include remarks by local and national leaders, including
Colorado Governor Jared Polis; facilitated conversations and
interactive training, and invitations to participate in follow-up
sessions. The project represents a partnership between the Aspen
Institute Citizenship and American Identity Program, Facing History
and Ourselves, Allstate and local partner Anythink Libraries.
Participants will have the opportunity to constructively engage
in contentious topics, including economic growth, technological
advancement, inequity, gentrification and housing displacement, as
they relate to metro Denver's booming tech industry. As full
participants in the discussion, attendees are invited to formulate
ideas for action in their communities, with up to three specific
ideas receiving up to $1,000 per idea
in seed funding.
"As a resident of Denver for the past 10 years and local small
business owner for four years, I've watched the city's growth
and development change over time," said Danielle Lammon, a Denver Allstate agency owner and local community
leader. "At Allstate, we believe local communities have the power
to engage more constructively about the ideas that divide us.
Businesses should do more to strengthen local communities and
we want to create a positive impact in Denver by seeking out solutions to divisive
issues."
Speakers:
- Sam Bailey, Vice President of
Economic Development, Metro Denver Economic Development
Corporation
- Roger Brooks, President &
CEO, Facing History and Ourselves
- Dr. Lisa Calderón, Professor, Regis
University
- Tamara Chuang, Journalist, The
Colorado Sun
- Danielle Lammon, Denver Small
Business (Agency) Owner, Allstate
- Eric Liu, Executive Director of
the Citizenship & American Identity Program at the Aspen
Institute
- Gov. Jared Polis, Governor of
Colorado
- Pam Sandlian-Smith, Director,
Anythink Libraries
"Profound divides with deep historical roots exist across the
country," said Eric Liu, executive
director of the Citizenship & American Identity Program at
Aspen Institute. "Instead of papering over these differences, we
need to understand their origins, grow smarter about engaging them,
learn to ask better questions, and get better at arguing with one
another about them. That is the spirit of our work in the Denver
region, which like many areas is confronting rapid changes and
concerns that don't offer simple solutions."
"In Facing History classrooms, students learn that democracy,
among the most fragile of human enterprises, is always a work in
progress, and can only remain vital through the active, thoughtful,
and responsible participation of its citizens," said Roger Brooks, president & CEO of Facing
History and Ourselves. "By coming together to engage across
differences in a Better Argument, Denverites are making an
important investment in the health of our democracy."
As a community hub and host to "Better Arguments: Tech Boom
Tensions," Anythink Wright Farms hosts and facilitates experiences
that connect people, organizations and agencies with ideas and each
other.
"People are looking to the library as a safe space to discuss
issues that are important to them," says Anythink Director of
Innovations and Brand Strategy Stacie
Ledden. "We're honored to host Better Arguments: Tech Boom
Tensions at Anythink and to work together with the Aspen Institute,
Facing History and Ourselves and Allstate to help facilitate better
arguments. This gathering convenes an influential group of speakers
and participants to address a topic that is impacting lives across
the Denver metro region, including those who live and work right
here in Adams County."
"Better Arguments: Tech Boom Tensions" is the second pilot event
to put the principles behind the Better Arguments Project into
action. The first took place in March
2019 in Detroit, Michigan,
in partnership with Urban Consulate. It focused on tensions between
longtime Detroiters and newcomers to the city.
The Aspen Institute
The Aspen Institute is an
educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster
leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan
venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute is based in
Washington, DC; Aspen, Colorado; and on the Wye River on
Maryland's Eastern Shore. It also
has offices in New York City and
an international network of partners. For more information, visit
www.aspeninstitute.org.
The Aspen Institute Citizenship and American Identity Program
(CAI)
CAI focuses on the challenge of sustaining strong
citizenship in America and coherent national identity in an age of
demographic flux and rising income inequality. The program
encompasses a range of cross-partisan activity, from workshops and
public forums to leadership summits and seminar-style
discussions.
AnythinkTM
Anythink is a new style of
library – a place of unlimited imagination, where play inspires
creativity and lifelong learning. Anythink serves the residents of
Adams County, Colo., with seven
libraries and a bookmobile. With a focus on innovation, Anythink's
award-winning approach to library service is recognized by industry
leaders and organizations across the globe. For more information,
visit anythinklibraries.org.
Facing History and Ourselves
Facing History is a
global educational organization that reaches millions of students
worldwide every year. Using the lessons of history – and
history in the making – Facing History equips teachers to provide
students with the skills to think critically and wrestle with
difficult issues. Teachers work closely with students to make
personal connections between the past and their present. Our
rigorous curriculum sparks their desire to look beyond themselves
and participate in the broader world. Facing History is creating
future generations of engaged, informed, and responsible
decision-makers who when raced with injustice, misinformation, and
bigotry, will stand up for justice, truth, and equality. Facing
History transforms required lessons in history into inspired
lessons in humanity, empowering youth who will change the world for
the better.
The Allstate Corporation
The Allstate Corporation
(NYSE: ALL) protects people from life's uncertainties with
more than 113 million proprietary policies. Allstate offers a broad
array of protection products through multiple brands and diverse
distribution channels, including auto, home, life and other
insurance offered through its Allstate, Esurance, Encompass,
SquareTrade and Answer Financial brands. Allstate is widely known
from the slogan "You're in Good Hands with Allstate."
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