University of Mississippi Students Partner with Nonprofit to Create National Event

National film screenings, local events drive bridging of political divides

In an ambitious new collaboration, students from the University of Mississippi have teamed up with the nonprofit organization Listen First Project to initiate the seventh annual National Week of Conversation. This widespread event is designed to provide citizens with the resources necessary to navigate and mend the widening gap in our increasingly polarized society through engaged civil discussion.

The National Week of Conversation is an annual campaign that aims to inspire and provide opportunities for citizens to bridge the sharp differences between contradicting views. This year, in a joint venture with the National Governors Association, the event also aligns with the #DisagreeBetter campaign.

The Fear of Disagreement

“Conversations that involve disagreement can be scary,” expressed Graham Bodie, a UM professor of media and communication. He elaborated that many of us avoid such dialogue, but with a healthy amount of humility and curiosity, we might find that ‘the other’, who we frequently demonize, is simply another human being just like us.

For the first time in its history, the National Week of Conversation will feature the Better Together Film Festival, where attendees will have the opportunity to watch films that delve into divisive issues. Hundreds of libraries, museums, community centres, and colleges – including Ole Miss – will be hosting these screenings.

A Polarized Nation

With the political landscape of the nation becoming increasingly decisive, statistics from the Pew Research Center reveal that over 65% of Americans feel fatigued when contemplating politics, and a mere 4% believe that the U.S. government is functioning well. Worryingly, the most common words employed to describe the government today are ‘divisive’ and ‘corrupt’. It is evident that what America desperately needs is to remember how to converse and engage effectively with one another, event organizers have emphasized.

Youth’s Efforts Towards Bridging Divides

Graduate students in Professor Bodie’s IMC 559: Advanced IMC Campaigns class have played a crucial role in shaping this far-reaching event. The students were tasked with the creation of web design, marketing, videos, and developing the overall structure for the week’s events. The young students worked harmoniously with the Listen First Coalition, a consortium of over 500 non-profit organizations nationwide, to organize this year’s events.

The Better Together Film Festival

“The Better Together Film Festival provides a free, easy, and entertaining way for communities to gather across lines of difference, enjoy high-quality films and explore what connects us during a year when so many are trying to divide us,” observed Pearce Godwin, the CEO of the Listen First Project. Some of the films to be included in the festival are “Black, White, and the Greys”, “Dialogue Lab: America”, “List(e)n”, “Public Enemies, Private Friends”, “Purple: America, We Need to Talk”, and “Undivide Us”.

The organizers have also collaborated with public broadcasting stations to air ‘Divided We Fall: Listening with Curiosity’ on April 14, 2024, on the PBS World Channel. Mississippi Public Broadcasting is set to air the documentary on MPB Classroom TV at 11:30 pm on April 17, 2024.