20th Annual Bissell Grogan Symposium


Brimmer's 20th Annual Bissell Grogan Humanities Symposium, Building Community and Civil Discourse, will take place on January 21st. The symposium will engage in building community and civil discourse by exploring topics such as Team Building, Media Literacy, Life Skills, Diplomacy, Public Speaking, Rhetoric, Free Speech and more. As the Brimmer community navigates the complex times we live in, engagement and discourse are more important than ever as we imagine the future of our world.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

Jason Craige Harris
Jason Craige Harris, a Pollyanna speaker, works in a variety of contexts, with a range of age groups, and across sectors to promote cultures of dignity, belonging, and repair. He brings together insights from diverse fields as a healer, strategist, crisis manager, conflict mediator, dialogue expert, and leadership coach. He is a thought leader on issues related to tribalism, othering, and belonging. He regularly advises leaders and everyday people on how to create environments where everyone can thrive—and what to do when things go awry.

WORKSHOP PRESENTERS:
Rodney López
May I Have This Dance, Please?
Social dance, which includes ballroom and other kinds of partner dancing, is a fun and powerful way to create connection while also moving to great music. Dance has always been an essential for both artistic expression and building community. Join this workshop with Rodney Eric López from the film, Mad Hot Ballroom, to learn some cool Latin dance moves while building thoughtful connections with your classmates and teachers. 
 
Willeen Capehart
Beyond the Game: Building Connections & Community Through Civil Discourse
This engaging and interactive workshop leverages the universal language of sports to teach students how to build stronger connections and foster a sense of community. Participants will explore civil discourse—the respectful exchange of ideas and perspectives—and learn how the principles of teamwork, communication, and respect can resolve conflicts and inspire collaboration. Through role-playing, group activities, and reflective discussions, students will develop skills that extend beyond sports, helping them create inclusive and supportive communities in every area of their lives.
 
Elizabeth Carroll
Navigating Crucial Conversations
In this interactive workshop with Facing History & Ourselves, we will consider what community means to us, and how engaging in crucial conversations can strengthen community. The session will build on concepts from our guide, Fostering Civil Discourse: Difficult Classroom Conversations in a Diverse Democracy, inviting students to experience and practice strategies that support respectful conversations and perspective taking around potentially challenging or polarizing topics.
 
Mallory Rohrig
Talk It Out: How Respectful Conversations Build Stronger Communities
Discover how respectful dialogue brings people together to solve problems and create positive change in the Fenway neighborhood. This workshop highlights real examples from the Fenway Community Center, such as hosting forums to address neighborhood concerns, advocating for community needs, and collaborating with local organizations to build trust and unity. Students will learn how open conversations can strengthen connections and inspire action in their community! 
 
Cindy Rivka Marshall
Story Telling, Story Listening
Exchanging stories of our lived experiences builds community and has the potential to create social change, but a thoughtful approach is needed. Students will learn about the important role of the story listener and how to facilitate connections across differences. 
 
Ben Kaufman
Civil Discourse in Town Meeting—A Model for Local Government
Ben Kaufman is the elected Town Clerk of Brookline, Massachusetts. In his role, his responsibilities include the administration of Brookline's elections, oversight of local licenses, and maintenance of Brookline's records. Kaufman also holds the role of Secretary of Town Meeting. In this workshop, Students will participate in a mock town meeting, taking on community roles while attempting to resolve a local issue.Students will participate in a mock town meeting, taking on community roles while attempting to resolve a local issue.
 
Jessica Christian & Rachel Wolf Heyman
Building Community Through Windows and Mirrors
SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) is an organization that trains participants to advocate for equitable communities by engaging in conversations and activities that help build understanding across differences. In this session, Ms. Wolf and Ms. Christian, both SEED-trained facilitators, will explain the concept of “Windows and Mirrors” using recent photographs taken by your peers in AP Photography. Photos used were part of an assignment to take pictures of spaces on Brimmer’s campus that bring them comfort. By engaging in Windows and Mirrors exercises, participants will learn from different perspectives how their peers experience comfort and belonging at school. The intended learning outcome is a broader understanding of what it means to be a valued community member at Brimmer.
 
Kent Lenci
Want to build a better community? Reach across the political divide!
This workshop falls the day after the presidential inauguration, a moment that is likely to drive many of us to the safety of those we agree with politically. Let’s resist that urge. Instead, join this workshop to understand more about how politically divided this country has become and how you can fix that problem. Whether you’re into politics or not, this workshop is for you. Expect to learn a few things, listen carefully to your peers, and see yourself as a catalyst to address big challenges by reaching across lines of disagreement.
 
Ken Levine and Co
Freedom of Speech and of the Press in the age of Social Media
This will be a moderated conversation about the Freedom of speech and freedom of the press with Attorney Howard Cooper and Judge Janet Sanders. Howard M. Cooper brings nearly four decades of experience litigating complex civil and criminal disputes as well as significant civil rights and First Amendment cases for clients across New England and around the country.  His record of success in obtaining favorable results in the courtroom and in alternative dispute resolution forums has earned him the reputation as a “go to” attorney for high-stakes, high-profile matters. A tireless advocate for his clients, he prides himself on providing hands-on attention to every matter and on being relentlessly responsive and thoroughly prepared. Judge Sanders’ ability to address the most difficult legal issues while at the same time making the parties and their counsel feel heard and understood made her a highly respected jurist. Judge Sanders was touted by lawyers who have appeared before her as the “gold standard,” for her understanding of the practical realities of litigation and ability to find reasonable, common-sense solutions. Judge Sanders has received numerous awards and honors as a lawyer.
 
Lise Olney and Facilitator Colleagues
Using Dialogue to Promote Civil Discourse in Wellesley
Founded and led by community volunteers, the Wellesley Civil Discourse Initiative brings people together for structured conversations to help them talk to each other, even when they disagree. In this workshop, students will learn about the small-group dialogue method used and then experience a short dialogue to get a taste for how it works.

Brimmer and May School

69 Middlesex Road
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
617-566-7462
As an inclusive private school community, Brimmer welcomes students who will increase the diversity of our school. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, or any other characteristic protected from discrimination under state or federal law, in the administration of our educational policies, admissions practices, financial aid decisions, and athletic and other school-administered programs.