# data[].attributes.body
made people feel comfortable to share their experiences, used ice-breakers to make us feel unified

# data[].attributes.body
The facilitators didn't make it clear what we were getting into. It was the first meeting and none of us knew what to expect, they jumped right in with a really heavy and (for some) triggering topic. It's not that what we talked about was bad, but that people weren't mentally prepared for that discussion.

# data[].attributes.body
they didn't seem interested in even wanting to start a discussion. it was more of them just wanting to get through some slides and were indifferent towards participant responses

# data[].attributes.headline
The facilitator didn't do enough to push the conversation and make it a valuable learning and listening experience.

# data[].attributes.subject
The facilitator didn't do enough to push the conversation and make it a valuable learning and listening experience.

# data[].attributes.body
Allowed people with more general conviction to dominate the discussion. Allowed invalidating language to be treated as objective fact.

# data[].attributes.body
i have experienced many peers/facilitators who speak over/interrupt the people in the discussion, which is really frustrating. what's worse is when the discussion is about a specific group of people (ex. the experiences of poc) and white people will say something like "i understand i'm not a poc BUT..." and then talk for even longer than any person of color in the room.

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Only talking to the people they already knew, making people feel nervous and not seen, getting super confrontational (attacking the person rather than their ideas) when participants made mistakes

# data[].attributes.body
Would specifically call out students based on their appearance. If there was a question on racial identity, they would spotlight students with darker skin color and call on them - even if they did not want to answer

# data[].attributes.body
When conversations are very surface level and there are more important things that should be discussed. Also when facilitators refuse to call out ignorance.

# data[].attributes.body
They brought expectations for the conversation and would overbear the natural course the discussion was taking.

# data[].attributes.body
they were pretty informal and kept nervously laughing which kind of showed how they had no idea what they were doing and I wasn't sure if the rest of us were doing something wrong or not

# data[].attributes.body
Not pushing for further thoughts and ideas from participants who weren't speaking a lot.

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only keeping the conversation between a few people and not hearing out other voices. 

# data[].attributes.subject
only keeping the conversation between a few people and not hearing out other voices. 

# data[].attributes.body
had really low expectations for the discussion, so I didn't bother or feel comfortable sharing my own experiences

# data[].attributes.body
When I was super anxiously self aware (ego nagging my attention) rather than being present and non judgement of myself and others—no space for me to listen to others

# data[].attributes.headline
I was too afraid of offending someone with a response or making someone else uncomfortable. I was trying to hard to appeal to the room instead of saying what I really felt or meant.

# data[].attributes.subject
I was too afraid of offending someone with a response or making someone else uncomfortable. I was trying to hard to appeal to the room instead of saying what I really felt or meant.

# data[].attributes.body
being overly focused on if what i was saying was "right" or "wrong." i think it's easy in tough conversations to agree with others and kind of follow the flow of the conversation, but i think it is also, if not more, productive to introduce opposing ideas to gain some perspective and allow for reflection.

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sometimes i take comments personally and get very heated about them, which ends up in me not listening to what they have to say and then neither of us can do any growing. i'm trying to stop myself from immediately invalidating peoples' perspectives when they're ones that are different to mine so i can hear them out fully before making a judgement

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Setting high expectations and hoping that there would be a smooth structure to an "ungraded" conversation.

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judging others or coming into the experience with pre conceived notions about others

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assumptions

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facilitator not really facilitating, not intervening when someone says something inappropriate

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freshman year I was so nervous to speak/say the wrong thing that I was practically silent the entire time and ended up not learning anything

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More concerned about what I should say next rather than listening and digesting what was said before me.

# data[].attributes.body
Bad expectations for the conversation. I went in expecting not to get anything out of it and. I brought an unwillingness to participate or engage in the activities.

# data[].attributes.body
being too caught up with thinking about what I wanted to say instead of really listening to what was being said

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wasn't aware of how my emotional responses would influence the discussion

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Too scared to share my own opinion. I didn't want my peers to judge me if my perspective was something they didn't agree with

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talking too much; thus, perhaps making it intimidating for others to interject and take the conversation down another path

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I was distracted. I didn't give enough of my attention to the discussion. Even when I wasn't actively doing something else, I already had one foot out the door in my mind.

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Again talking about the RISE group, often times there would be so much to talk about and accomplish in one meeting, so the facilitator had to guide the conversation to stay on topic, and bring it to a close when we were short on time.

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Speaking in an understanding and warm tone. I sometimes forget how much tone of voice matters as it sets the mood of the converstation

# data[].attributes.body
I went into the conversations with an open mind and a willingness to learn. In addition, when my ideas were challenged, I opened my mind to the other ideas.

# data[].attributes.body
From the beginning, the facilitators made an open and welcoming environment to have a deep discussion. It made me feel more comfortable about opening up to them and the group.

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At my old school I was part of a group called RISE made up of parents, students, alumni, and staff from all different departments. I always felt safe sharing, and trusted the opinions of other people in the room. There was mutual respect.

# data[].attributes.body
The facilitator did not invalidate anyone's opinions, thoughts, or questions. Furthermore, they were receptive to everything that was shared while also subtly adding their input to guide the conversation.

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The facilitator made the space very welcoming and open minded. They encouraged everyone to share, but also allowed people to just listen to others.

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Really active listening always encourages conversation. If a facilitator or participant is able to comment on a specific comment, phrase, or moment from another speaker, it creates a fluid and respectful conversation.

# data[].attributes.body
They did not seem very interested in actually having the difficult conversation and instead put it on the participants to teach the topic. They also ignored the participants that they didn't agree with.

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They made me feel comfortable to share my thoughts and experiences, so that significantly improved the discussion.

# data[].attributes.body
created a safe welcoming environment and providing comments/ questions that really pushed the conversation forward and created thoughtfulness, rather than preplanned questions that seemed to ignore what we were saying.

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not trying to be something they weren't––we're all teens and students. jokes to ease the mood. making sure everyone felt seen. embracing where the conversation naturally goes.

# data[].attributes.body
the facilitators encouraged everyone to speak, saying things like "if anyone hasn't talked yet, feel free to answer this question!" and the teacher leading the discussion made sure not to interrupt so we could let the conversation flow freely

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Allowing many different people to speak and leaving room for participants to think about what was said

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impartial, but wasn't afraid to step in when deemed necessary

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Positive attitude, and upbeat, but appropriate demeanor. Trying to push the conversation down a productive road.

# data[].attributes.body
The facilitators helped foster dialogue that was not a reflection of their opinions but a collective conversation to better everyone. I appreciated being heard and using speech as a thought process to help me understand what was being discussed. If a topic was particularly related to one of my identifiers then having that space to talk was also a very positive experience.

# data[].attributes.headline
The facilitator did an excellent job of being unbiased and not focusing on just one person. Opening the room to all voices especially those who may not want to speak.

# data[].attributes.subject
The facilitator did an excellent job of being unbiased and not focusing on just one person. Opening the room to all voices especially those who may not want to speak.

# data[].attributes.body
- Set norms at the beginning of the class
- Went with the energy of the room
- Made sure that people heard quieter voices in the room

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Ensured that no one person dominated the conversation, everyone was respected, and did their best to keep us on topic.

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offered support for victims of personal attacks, called out intolerant language, corrected untrue facts, but did not antagonize others

# data[].attributes.body
I kept an open mind. We all come to conversations with preconceived ideas and biases, but it is important to remember that an open mind allows you to break down these preconceived notions and learn more about the people around you and the conversation topic.

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they were somewhat educated on the topic-- had a clear understanding of the subject matter and a genuine passion for the conversation they were facilitating. Also, really willing to lean into that uncomfortable place

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openness about their own ignorance or non qualifications about the subject

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They were willing to answer/ask questions completely honestly

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be enthusiastic/engaged about the topic

be knowledgable and bring their own opinions to the conversation

validate the words of others and carry the conversation naturally

# data[].attributes.body
They let the conversation flow naturally rather than sticking to a script or plan. Also, they asked guiding questions when needed, but did not overbear the authentic conversation.

# data[].attributes.body
the facilitator was willing to share their own vulnerabilities, including preconceptions etc. when the facilitator does not elevate themselves, it makes them more relatable

# data[].attributes.body
in women's studies, when we talked about how being queer/POC affected our experiences with womanhood and feminism, i shared some of my personal experiences which some people hadn't thought about before and it led to really good discussions

# data[].attributes.body
the facilitator was willing to listen and acknowledge that they are not always right. being open-minded was very important

# data[].attributes.body
they were kind and gave us time to think and process instead of getting impatient with silence as well as being serious but not too serious

# data[].attributes.headline
continued to build on topics of interest and encourage more conversation, instead of simply following their list of questions. 

# data[].attributes.subject
continued to build on topics of interest and encourage more conversation, instead of simply following their list of questions. 

# data[].attributes.body
Shared their honest experience and perspective, which was eye-opening.

# data[].attributes.body
being flexible. allowing the conversation to flow naturally while also gently directing the conversation so that it remains productive.

# data[].attributes.body
being open to stepping aside + making room for others

zero tolerance for willful ignorance, but being open to sharing and receiving different perspectives and opinions

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Entering a new experience with a more neutral mood and bring ready to learn from others

# data[].attributes.body
I brought an open mind and a willingness to listen. I didn't really feel the need to be dominant in the conversation as it was such a large group, but my engagement kept the energy up and made it a positive experience.

# data[].attributes.body
I was willing to question a person of authority and subsequently addressed a very difficult issue, educating the class and preventing misinformation.

# data[].attributes.body
I have contributed to the conversation by not only bringing my own experience, but drawing connections between them and the experiences of others. I think it important to compare and contrast to find the shared and unique experiences we all have.

# data[].attributes.body
Making sure to go into the discussion with an open mind to be prepared for any answers is what made the experience more productive for me.

# data[].attributes.headline
Being vulnerable, sharing my own background so others would feel comfortable sharing their own. Really listen to people about their experience even if I disagree.

# data[].attributes.subject
Being vulnerable, sharing my own background so others would feel comfortable sharing their own. Really listen to people about their experience even if I disagree.

# data[].attributes.body
i think it's really important to bring questions to any good conversation. not necessarily things you want to ask but things you want to see answered.

# data[].attributes.body
being excited about the discussion

# data[].attributes.headline
allowing silence to occur for everyones thoughts to sink in. 

# data[].attributes.subject
allowing silence to occur for everyones thoughts to sink in. 

# data[].attributes.body
I looked up to my facilitators, so being able to learn with and from them was good for me as an underformer

# data[].attributes.body
took lots of time to introduce the topic and what we'll be doing, not just skimming over it

# data[].attributes.body
Confronting my biases and understanding where those biases are coming from. Through my self-realization I was able to then have productive conversations about how to move past those biases.

# data[].attributes.body
I treated a conversation too much like an argument and got too focused on be the person who was "right"

# data[].attributes.body
Listening to peoples perspectives, even ones I adamantly disagreed with, and asking them questions to completely understand their view before engaging in discourse about where our opinions differed.

# data[].attributes.body
actively listening to other people's comments and taking time to process them during the conversation

# data[].attributes.headline
I sat and listened. Making a point to not talk for a while and just see what you hear changes the way I take on information.

# data[].attributes.subject
I sat and listened. Making a point to not talk for a while and just see what you hear changes the way I take on information.

# data[].attributes.body
realizing that not every person has had the same experience and understanding my own ignorance. Speaking from the I perspective is also listening from the I perspective

# data[].attributes.body
I listened to others while gathering my own thoughts. I wanted to have my thoughts organized before putting in my input.  while also remaining attentive while others are speaking.

# data[].attributes.body
One Women's Studies class, we kept chatting after the graded part of our discussion was over, and everyone was super connected to the energy in the room as we discussed gender identity. I think we also came at the material with generous curiosity, and that's what made it great.

# data[].attributes.body
bringing an open mind and thinking of it as something I got to do instead of something I had to do (aka shifting my mindset)

# data[].attributes.body
I was open minded and understanding of different ideas/ perspectives. The conversation wasn't a debate but rather a space to learn from other's opinions see things in a new light.

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made sure that everyone's voice was heard and had a funny icebreaker question

# data[].attributes.subject
made sure that everyone's voice was heard and had a funny icebreaker question

# data[].attributes.body
Approaching the conversation with an open mind and being vulnerable when speaking.

# data[].attributes.body
I remember the honesty and respect that my facilitator brought into the conversation. They made sure to keep with the flow of the conversation so it didn't seem like it was them actually facilitating the whole thing, instead it felt like a conversation with a group of people.

# data[].attributes.body
allow myself to say what was on my mind and not fear judgment from others, talk when I was uncomfortable so that others were encouraged to talk as well

# data[].attributes.body
questioned what the person I was speaking to was arguing, without invalidating their competence and understanding of the issue

# data[].attributes.body
I put aside all my preconceived notions of the conversation topic and kept an open mind to the others I was tere with.

# data[].attributes.body
honestly just being invested in the conversation and not only bringing my own opinions and thoughts but really listening to what others said and continuing the conversation based on that.

# data[].attributes.body
having an open mind and really listening to what other people were saying

# data[].attributes.body
They were very welcoming and enthusiastic about the topic.

# data[].attributes.body
I listened to others rather than just waiting for my turn to speak.

# data[].attributes.headline
If the facilitators do not work with each other, it often becomes awkward and not as fluid as it could be. 

# data[].attributes.subject
If the facilitators do not work with each other, it often becomes awkward and not as fluid as it could be. 

# data[].attributes.body
Allowing arguments to escalate and allow those with extreme beliefs to rule the conversation making the rest of the group uncomfortable

# data[].attributes.body
Getting visibly angry when the room is silent rather than contributing something insightful to the conversation.

# data[].attributes.headline
After a while, things got kinda boring, and everything went quiet.

# data[].attributes.subject
After a while, things got kinda boring, and everything went quiet.