Uniting Boston and the Power of Dialogue with Shelton Oakley Hersey

In this week's episode, Jennifer welcomes Shelton Oakley Hersey. Shelton is an accomplished dialogue specialist with a Master's in Intercultural Studies, dedicated to fostering meaningful conversations and reconciliation. With significant experience in interreligious dialogue and community building through her work at Unite Boston, Shelton is committed to addressing the barriers around Christian unity and being an ambassador of repair and reconciliation. Her journey has taken her from South Africa, where she engaged in race and economic relations dialogue, to Boston, where she trains communities on fruitful conversational practices.

Jennifer and Shelton dive deep into the importance of respectful dialogue in today's polarized society. They discuss how structured conversations with ground rules can change the outcome, fostering unity despite disagreements. Shelton sheds light on how fear used to motivate respect, but now, respect needs to be values-driven and taught from the grassroots level. They also explore how parents can instill these values at home, the influence of spirituality, and managing emotions in conversations. This episode is a call to action for individuals to be the change they want to see, starting with everyday conversations.

“Let's put thoughtfulness and work into how to have that conversation better to be able to leave with a sense of fruitfulness and deeper understanding.”

- Shelton Oakley Hersey

Today on Political Contessa:

• Importance of structured conversations and ground rules.
• Shifting from fear-based to values-based respect.
• Dialogue work in interreligious and intercultural contexts.
• Impact of community-level dialogue on broader society.
• Parental roles in teaching respect and ground rules.
• Combatting emotional reactions in difficult conversations.
• Integrating dialogue skills into education.
• Redefining discipline and respect without fear.

Connect with Shelton Oakley Hersey:

• Unite Boston

Awaken Your Inner Political Contessa

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Political Contessa. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media. And if you’ve ever considered running for office – or know a woman who should – head over to politicalcontessa.com to grab my quick guide, Secrets from the Campaign Trail. It will show you five signs to tell you you’re ready to enter the political arena.