Since the projects inception, one of the primary aspects of the New Narrative has been about creating community dialogues around challenging topics that are also incredibly important to us. Part of the reason I started the whole program was because I had always felt one of the strangest and most persistent oddities of our world was that the topics most in need of a dialogue were actually the things we talked about the least. Sometimes they’re delicate and uncomfortable topics to talk about, but by not having the discussion it keeps our collective insight in the shadows and creates situations where we’re all operating with incomplete or even nefarious information.
With all that in mind, I’m excited to be launching a new monthly event series from the New Narrative called ReThink. ReThink is going to be focused on facilitated discussions about these very topics that don’t often get openly addressed—everything from sex, money, religion, to community-building, personal identity, and self-worth. The goal is to create an affirming space for discussion so all of us can operate with more knowledge, language, and solidarity as we tackle the difficult aspects of our lives.
For the first event we’re going to call back to the theme of the last major New Narrative event (Love, Sex, and Relationships) and have a discussion on Adult Sex Education.
How do we continue to learn about sex as adults? Is it something we put research into or are we just “winging it”? What mental, social, and emotional roadblocks keep us from seeking the knowledge to not only be better at sex, but also communicate about it more openly and confidently?
ReThink will follow a model similar to a “World Cafe,” with participants rotating around a set of discussion tables with designated facilitators. The facilitators will guide the table through different discussion questions pertaining to the main topic. The hope is that by moving around and sharing ideas, a richer level of conversation and new connections will emerge.
If this sounds interesting to you, we’d love to have you join us! The series will be monthly, with a different theme each month. If you’re interested in being a learning more, being a facilitator, and/or suggesting a future topic, you can read more here.
Thanks!
Nathan