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support. The group, representative of the larger community engaged in relational constructivism

whereby the actions of the collective were enhanced by a process focused on relationships between

members of the group rather than the individuals that make up the group (Uhl-Bien, 2006).

While deliberative dialogue group participants entered as individuals, representing only

themselves, their interactions focused on sharing and relaying personal experiences about race and

racism for the purpose of creating value in the juxtaposition of points a range of perspectives

thereby creating new meanings and understandings through a process of interaction and struggle

(Bakhtin, 1996) in a civic deliberative dialogue group that welcomed rather than discouraged

tension and disagreement.

As a form of relational leadership, the civic deliberative dialogues on race fostered shared

knowledge through socially constructed process between members of the local community, many

meeting each other for the first time to explore the subject of race relations and come to new

understandings through dialogue that allowed for dispelling myths, addressing stereotypes and

reducing racial conflicts.

The actions of those that gathered exhibited a willingness to confront feelings of hurt and

fear, heal some of the wounds of racism, and open up new community building possibilities all

while learning about the real life experiences of racial oppression through a collective approach to

relationship building through face-to-face interaction. It just seems all too simple of a process.

Community Conversations, Civic Engagement and Dignity

Hicks’ (2011) essential elements of dignity are instructive in determining the quality of the

dialogue settings as an environment that honored the dignity of participants in attendance. The

essential elements of dignity included:

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