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conveners and facilitators were purposeful in the design of the dialogue group setting, such that

power relationships also were minimized to the extent possible. The facilitators discouraged power

relationships among attendees in their introductory comments and prior to beginning the dialogue

sessions. The facilitators emphasized, as a way of introducing the characteristics of dialogue, a de-

emphasis on expertness from the perspective of a single person. Rather, attendees of the civic

dialogue learned that a unique quality of civic dialogue is its reliance on input from all participants

and the unique perspectives and life experiences they bring to the discussion. Attendees of the

Albany Community Conversations were urged by the moderator to not attribute or ascribe undue

influence to other participants based on titles, standing in the community, race or gender and that

all attendees regardless of community standing or socio-economic status, are equal. The dialogue

facilitators stressed during the opening minutes of each session that each participant was an expert

about their own life experiences, thereby eliminating the expectation that one person would be

looked upon as the designated expert and that nobody would be in charge to guide the group.

Even with structuring, to intentionally create an atmosphere free of hierarchy and division

based socioeconomic conditions, dialogue group participants made comments that caused tension

and disagreement, in three instances, that seems directly intertwined with conflictual racial

positioning and experience in society. Each instance has been discussed and includes the following

comments of dissent by White males in separate dialogue groups: “nature smiles on the hybrid;

you don’t give up, you just find another way to do it; and kill them with kindness.” Each of these

comments produced noticeable and significant tension within the group and ensuing dialogue.

While there may have been other comments that produced feelings of tension or disagreements,

the three mentioned here was discussed by several participants who were interviewed as part of

this research. Folger et al. (2013) note that conflict “is founded on differences and interference

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