The Ashland Sunrise Project (ASP) announces “Building Post-Election Common Ground,” the fourth presentation in its speaker series. This event will take place on November 12, 2024, from 6:30 – 8:00 pm at Carpenter Hall, 44 S. Pioneer, Ashland.

“Building Post-Election Common Ground” is a conversation between Mike and Emily Green co-founders of Common Ground Conversations on Race (CGC), , Taylor Stewart, founder of the Oregon Remembrance Project, and host Tara Houston, Community and Engagement Manager, Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF).

The post-election narrative in this nation, regardless of who wins, will be of key importance. Political messaging and media play a significant role in the influence of perspectives nationwide.

In this talk, Mike & Emily Green will introduce paradigm-shifting new knowledge and understanding of racial dynamics in American society today through an informed lens of historical context.

Are there issues that can build a common ground of understanding? Yes! But note the nuance. Developing an understanding among people who disagree doesn’t mean they will find agreement. Our focus is to establish a common ground of knowledge and understanding, not necessarily agreement.

“Developing an understanding among people who disagree doesn’t mean they will find agreement.” Mike Green

The evening’s conversation will highlight how we can build a common ground of understanding.

Mike Green is a nationally known cultural economist, author, speaker, and radio host. Emily Green has a background in social work, specializing in wraparound services for families in distress. Mike and Emily are married co-founders of Common Ground Conversations on Race in America (CGC), which provides a trademarked “Conversations Journey” process that has a four-year record of success with institutional and organizational clients, such as: municipalities, police departments, K-12 school districts and higher education, county library systems, community organizations and evangelical churches.

ASP is a truth and reconciliation coalition addressing our community’s history as a Sundown Town. Reconciliation includes remembrance: understanding the harm that was caused; repair: putting an end to harm as it continues today; and redemption: creating good from a story of harm.

Ashland Sunrise Project, a part of Oregon Remembrance Project (ORP), aims to help former sundown towns develop new identities as “sunrise communities,” the opposite of a sundown town. Sunrise communities are places in which everyone can feel safe, respected, and can call home.

Ashland Sunrise Project is an Ashland Together Initiative in partnership with the Oregon Remembrance Project. We thank the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for venue support of this event. This program was made possible in part by a grant from Oregon Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this event, do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities