Dickinson to Host Lecture on Building Bridges During Difficult Times

Free public event outlines science-based strategies

Juliana Tafur, director of the Greater Good Science Center (GGSC) Bridging Differences initiative, will visit Dickinson to discuss evidence-based methodologies for building trust in an era of polarization. This interactive session, “Bridging Differences in Difficult Times: A Science-Based Approach,” will take place on Wednesday, March 19, at 7 p.m. in the Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, 360 W. Louther St. The event is free and open to the public.

Tafur will share practical strategies for strengthening social cohesion across complex cultural and political divides. These strategies aim to help communities move beyond distrust and polarization and toward a more united future.

Tafur is an Emmy-nominated senior producer, an award-winning filmmaker and the inaugural director of the GGSC’s Bridging Differences program at the University of California, Berkeley. Her experiences as a Colombian American have shaped her work to foster a sense of belonging and help build bridges across political, cultural, racial and religious divides.

In 2021-22, Tafur expanded her research as an Obama Foundation Scholar at Columbia University, and in December 2021, she gave a TEDx Talk, “Listening Courageously Can Bridge What Divides Us.” Tafur has additionally facilitated workshops and programs at more than 30 organizations and higher-education institutions. She is now also spearheading an initiative to alleviate polarization in communities across Colorado.

This program is sponsored by the and is part of the Dialogues Across Differences project, which is funded by a grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations. For more information, explore the Clarke Forum's website or email clarkeforum@dickinson.edu.

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Published March 7, 2025

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