BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.2.3.1//EN TZID:America/New_York X-WR-TIMEZONE:America/New_York BEGIN:VEVENT UID:1-6983@gcc.mass.edu DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260410T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260410T140000 DTSTAMP:20260309T145537Z URL:https://www.gcc.mass.edu/events/bridging-generations-a-civic-engagemen t-conference/ SUMMARY:Bridging Generations: A Civic Engagement Conference DESCRIPTION:[lead]An intergenerational conference bringing students\, commu nity members and local leaders together for a half-day event exploring how the defining moments of our times—from Woodstock to TikTok—have shape d our worldviews and civic life.[/lead]\n\nThrough a panel discussion in t he morning\, guided lunch conversations and interactive workshops on dialo gue around difference\, religion and politics\, empathy and media literacy \, participants will practice the skills of listening\, curiosity and resp ectful engagement. Together\, we’ll explore how rural communities can st rengthen connection and civic trust across generations.\n\nFree for studen ts\, $10 suggested donation for community members. Join for the day or any part of it. RSVP requested!\n\n[su_accordion][su_spoiler title="Conferenc e Schedule" open="yes" style="default" anchor="" class=""]\n\n 10-10:30 a .m. • Registration\n 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. • Panel Discussion\n 12-1 p. m. • Lunch\n 1-2 p.m. • Workshops\n\n[/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title= "Panel and Workshop Descriptions" open="no" style="default" anchor="" clas s=""]\n\nFrom Woodstock to TikTok: How History Shapes Our Worldviews: An Intergenerational Panel Discussion\n\nHow have the defining moments of ou r times\, from the moon landing to social media movements\, shaped how we see the world and our place in it? Join students\, community members and l ocal leaders from diverse generations to explore the political and cultura l turning points that formed our worldviews and consider how curiosity\, l istening\, and shared purpose can help us build a stronger\, more connecte d county.\n\nYes\, We Should Talk About Religion and Politics: Tools for B rave\, Respectful Conversations in a Divided Time\nLinda McCarthy and Judy Raper\n\nMany of us were taught to avoid conversations about religion and politics\, but avoiding them hasn’t brought us closer together. In a ti me of deep polarization\, the challenge isn’t what we believe\, but how we talk about what matters most.\n\nThis interactive\, one-hour workshop f ocuses on practical strategies for engaging in respectful\, curious conver sations across difference. Drawing on ideas from I Never Thought of It Tha t Way and other civic dialogue practices\, participants will reflect on ho w generational experiences shape beliefs and values\, and practice tools f or listening\, asking better questions\, and staying connected even when a greement isn’t possible.\n\nDr. McCarthy has a doctoral degree in Social Justice Education\, and has taught at GCC since 2004. Dr. McCarthy teache s a range of sociology courses including Social Inequality\, and her clas ses emphasize the connections between contemporary social issues and core sociological concepts\, encouraging students to think critically about the world around them. Dr. Raper has worked at GCC for over 18 years\, and c urrently serves as the Associate Dean for Community Engagement.  She has nearly 40 years of experience in higher education\, primarily working in s tudent affairs. She wrote her dissertation on the importance of engaging c ollege students in conversations about religion and spirituality.\n\nMedia Literacy: Strategies for Finding Solid Information Online\nClaire Lodbell \n\nIn this workshop\, we'll discuss our news consumption\, including how filter bubbles and confirmation bias influence the news we see and believe . We'll discuss strategies for identifying AI slop and practice a strategy for evaluating information sources and verifying or debunking claims that we come across.\n\nClaire Lobdell has worked at GCC for 9 years as a ref erence and instruction librarian and archivist. Some of her research inter ests include digital privacy\, teaching with primary sources\, and oral hi story. Prior to GCC\, she worked at Amherst College\, The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum\, and Bunker Hill Community College\, amo ng others. In 2017\, she published South Windsor\, an installment in the Images of America book series. She has an MSLIS from Simmons College and a BA in history from Cornell University.\n\nBuilding Empathy for Real-World Change\nMeckenzie Sarage and Leilani Aires\n\nEmpathy isn’t just someth ing you’re born with—it’s something you can build.\n\nIn this intera ctive workshop\, participants will explore empathy as a skill rather than a fixed trait. Drawing on research from Jamil Zaki and his book The War for Kindness\, we’ll examine how empathy can be strengthened through in tentional practice.\n\nThrough guided activities and small-group conversat ions\, participants will practice empathy-centered dialogue and consider h ow empathy can serve as a tool for social change\, community engagement\, and political conversations. Together\, we’ll explore realistic ways to apply these ideas in everyday life—on campus\, online\, and in our commu nities.\n\nMeckenzie Sarage was born and raised in Franklin County. She gr aduated from Boston University in 2025 with a BA in International Relation s and Holocaust\, Genocide and Human Rights Studies. She now works as an a djunct faculty member at Northfield Mount Hermon.\n\nLeilani Aires is a se cond-year student at GCC studying the social sciences. She graduated from Northfield Mount Hermon in 2024 and will transfer to a 4-year university a fter this semester\, where she plans to study international relations. She currently serves as the Student Senate President and is the founder and p resident of GCC’s Latine Student Association.\n\n[/su_spoiler] [/su_acco rdion]\n\n[gravityform id="97" title="false" description="false"] ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.gcc.mass.edu/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/ files/2026/02/bridging-generations.jpg CATEGORIES:Community Engagement,Featured - Public,Featured - Students,Free food,Social Sciences LOCATION:Dining Commons\, One College Drive \, Greenfield\, Massachusetts\, 01301\, United States GEO:42.5977054;-72.62682219999999 X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=One College Drive \, Greenf ield\, Massachusetts\, 01301\, United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=100;X-TITLE=Di ning Commons:geo:42.5977054,-72.62682219999999 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York X-LIC-LOCATION:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20260308T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR