Gretchen Rydin, Littleton City Council member at large, and Krista Kafer, a local television and radio personality, hosted a documentary film screening and workshop recently at Bemis Public Library concerning the film “The Abortion Talks,” a film which displays what can happen when rhetoric changes from toxic to deadly, and how leaders in the abortion debate — all women, three from each side — agreed to begin communicating.
After the 90-minute film, Kafer conducted a Q&A about the film and how it relates to the current political atmosphere; one attendee mentioned another controversial topic — gun control, after which the audience of approximately 45 people formed groups of three to practice active listening communication techniques for successful, civil, and productive conversations. Each group member played the role of speaker, listener, and observer for their chosen topic. The two-hour session was lively and loud, and though there were polar differences in opinions regarding the controversial topics, the workshop concluded amicably. The armed Littleton police officer in her akimbo stance as we exited may have contributed to the super amicable audience. I was impressed with the workshop, the hosts, and the camaraderie of my fellow attendees
Mike Valdes-Bleau
Centennial