What If You Don't Have to Change Their Mind

**Talking With Voters Across Differences** How can we stay open when a voter says something that makes our hackles rise? How can we listen without feeling we have to agree? And find “toeholds” that can help a stuck conversation move somewhere new? It’s tempting to jump in with facts, arguments, or the “perfect” response (which doesn’t exist) that will change their mind. But what if our job isn’t to change their mind? What becomes possible when we let go of that burden—and get curious instead? And what if a respectful conversation across our differences can count as success, too? Join Elizabeth Chur, author of *The Joy of Talking Politics with Strangers* and Bay Area Coalition co-founder Susan Bolle for an exploration of how to engage when the stakes are high and the differences are real. Through stories from the field and practical strategies, we’ll explore how patience, awareness, and empathy can help us navigate emotionally charged conversations without getting pulled into a power struggle. We’ll leave time to wrestle with your questions and real-life voter dilemmas—and to try out different approaches together. We knock doors and phone bank because elections matter. But how we meet one another matters, too. At a time of profound division, meeting a fellow citizen with openness and respect can be a quietly radical act—and a way of practicing the democracy we’re working so hard to protect. Go to https://elizabethchur.com/ for *The Joy Of Talking Politics With Strangers*