The Austin Community College (ACC) Service-Learning Program, in collaboration with Interfaith Action of Central Texas (iACT), invites you to The Red Bench Dialogue Event, an on-campus interfaith conversation event on the topic of Belonging. The event will take place at ACC’s Rio Grande Campus (RGC) on Tuesday, October 29.

The Red Bench: Conversations That Matter

Date: Tuesday, October 29, 2024
Time: 6 – 8 p.m.
Location: ACC Rio Grande Campus, Building 3000, Rm 3340
RSVP Required

ACC employees, students, employers, and the community are invited to attend this free in-person event. Dinner will be provided. 

After a light meal at small tables, iACT experts and our Social Psychology student hosts will guide participants to practice listening and speaking in ways that encourage mutual understanding. The conversations are genuinely respectful, safe, and courageous. Individual participants are invited to share their personal experiences and listen with their hearts!

The ACC Office of Belonging and Purpose notes that: “Belonging is the extent to which students feel personally accepted, respected, included, supported and allowed to be their authentic selves by others in the school environment.”  

For the full details, visit the Teaching & Learning Excellence Division’s (TLED’s) Red Bench Dialogue Event website.

About The Red Bench

iACT describes the Red Bench as “an ongoing dialogue program designed to address one of the most pressing needs of our time: improving interfaith understanding and civil discourse in our society. Each conversation is centered on moderated small group discussions that are genuinely respectful and safe. No one has to be an expert. Individual participants are invited to share their personal experiences and listen with their hearts. The format is structured and allows each individual to be heard. Each table is ‘hosted’ by one or two table hosts, which will be our very own ACC Social Psychology students.

Why Should I Participate?

Last year, 100% of respondents felt highly or extremely welcomed at the event, and 100% would recommend it to a friend or colleague.  

Here’s what students said:

  • “I absolutely loved how kind everyone was, even when a conversation took a difficult turn. People still tried their best to give other people their attention and empathy; something I wish we had a lot more of in everyday conversations and interactions.”
  • “The structure, collaborative nature, and encouragement to engage at your own comfort level. Also, the food and string quartet!”
  • “I loved being able to connect with strangers in a way that I would never have done outside of the event.”

For any questions, contact Dr. Linda Cox, Service-Learning Program Coordinator, at [email protected].