Listening Courageously Can Bridge What Divides Us

NOTE FROM TED: This talk contains a discussion of abortion. TEDx events are independently organized by volunteers. The guidelines we give TEDx organizers are described in more detail here: http://storage.ted.com/tedx/manuals/tedx_content_guidelines.pdf How can we transform judgment to understanding? In a talk perfectly suited for our polarized times, Juliana Tafur invites us to listen courageously to create understanding across differences. As the director of "List(e)n", an award-winning documentary inviting Americans in disagreement to connect on a human level, she encourages us to connect with people's stories, to understand their lived experiences. She poignantly lays out some of the lessons from her filmmaking journey with the documentary that transformed her life - and her perceptions, from judgement to understanding. She weaves in her identity as a Colombian-American woman, emboldening us to combat the "us vs. them" mentality that doesn't serve us, but hurts us. As the creator of a movement to promote empathy and heart-centered dialogue, she lays out the conditions necessary for courageous listening. A powerful talk, inspiring us to go past the surface, to see people - not as issues or labels - but as multidimensional beings.