A police officer and a longtime progressive sit at a table discussing mutual concerns. A young Muslim mother meets her first transgender man. “Let’s Talk About It” will open our community to these conversations and more Saturday at the Museum of Art and History in Santa Cruz. The event, in its second year, allows us to have conversations with people from marginalized and misunderstood communities and peel back our own layers of identity. With hate crime on the rise nationally and amid incidents of intolerance locally, it’s something we need, writes Tenzin Chogkyi, a longtime Buddhist teacher who works at the Conflict Resolution Center.
More from Tenzin Chogkyi
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
‘You’re the first Muslim I’ve ever spoken to’: How quick talks with a stranger can challenge our stereotypes
Ven. Tenzin Chogkyi thinks the only way we can “move forward as a nation and as human beings” is to talk to each other and find “the threads of common humanity that unite us.” She gives suggestions and — in partnership with others — is offering us a chance to talk to strangers and get to know ourselves at the MAH on July 23. She’ll be there, too.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
What does Measure D have in common with your neighbor’s barking dog?
Elections offer an excellent time for reflection, and Tenzin Chogkyi, a Buddhist monastic who teaches courses on compassion, says we all can do better at handling conflict. She works at the Conflict Resolution Center of Santa Cruz County and offers several examples — from a barking dog to Measure D — to showcase how we can reduce animosity in our lives.