Left Forum Draft flyer 2018 3

Tools for Listening When We Disagree
Disagreement is common in movement work as in all aspects of life. It can cement disunity or move us forward to effective strategy and action. It can make us lose our human connection with those we disagree with. In this hands-on workshop we will try out tools for listening more effectively when we disagree. By practicing these tools with fellow organizers we can listen better to those we want to organize. We will practice these tools in the context of care of the environment.

We are part of Sustaining All Life (SAL), an international grass-roots organization dedicated to ending human-caused destruction of the environment and the exploitation and oppression of people that cause these destructive processes. SAL uses the tools of Re-evaluation Counseling to provide sustained mutual support that people use to free themselves from the effects of oppression to arrive at more effective and united strategies.

Maritza Arrastia is a writer, activist, and popular educator and a member of Sustaining All Life, committed to sharing effective tools for listening learned over many years of practicing peer counseling.

Karim Lopez is a film-maker, writer, and co-founder of Truth to Power Films. He is an activist for media justice through his film-making and his political work with May First-People/Link. He is a member of Sustaining All Life and is committed to ending human caused destruction of the environment.

Kathy Martino is a member of Sustaining All Life, has been an anti-war activist, working class organizer, and past participant in leftist organizations. After learning the tools of Re-evaluation Counseling, she believes they can be key in achieving the goals of this Left Forum in building unity and developing a winning strategy on the left.