Learn how to have difficult conversations about immigration without arguing

In these times of political polarization, any discussion of immigration issues can very quickly turn into an argument — so people often just avoid the topic altogether.

Long Island Jobs with Justice and various church congregations, labor unions and other organizations are working together to tackle this difficult problem.

They are hosting a seminar in Riverhead on Saturday, May 5 on “How to Have Difficult Conversations about Immigration.” The seminar will provide people with the tools and resources they need to be able to hold difficult conversations on this difficult subject.

Participants will be led through exercises aimed at helping people understand immigration issues and problems.

“It’s community building,” said L.I. Jobs with Justice community outreach coordinator Richard Koubek said.

“We’re living in a time of unprecedented polarization,” Koubek said. “People don’t know how to talk to each other any more about difficult topics. We want to provide a vehicle for people to have a civil conversation.”

The training draws from common experiences and common values, Koubek said, using a tool developed by Fairfield University after it conducted focus group research in two communities on Long Island.

“Their research study basically concluded people wanted to talk about immigration. They wanted to talk about it from a faith perspective. They wanted to talk about it from their own experiences,” Koubek said.

“We look at other immigrant stories: How did your family get here? Where are they from? What were their reasons for immigrating? It’s fascinating how, when you listen to the Irish story, the Italian story, the Jewish story, or the Salvadoran story, they’re all the same,” Koubek said.

Participants will examine, through their own experiences, what it means to be part of a group and what it means and what it feels like to be an outsider.

People see their interconnections, he said.

“It’s apolitical,” Koubek said. “It doesn’t get into any policy issues.”

The last exercise gets people to look at the difference between charity and justice, he said.

“Faith groups love to do charity. They love to feed people when they’re hungry — without getting into why people are hungry, or looking at the systemic problems that create hunger.”

The program is meant to build consensus, Koubek said.

He will lead one group for Catholics and the Rev. Mary Trato, the economic justice coordinator for the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island, will lead a second, interfaith and secular group.

Each participant in this seminar will receive a Fairfield University toolkit that has over a dozen exercises for conversations on immigration using shared values and experiences to find common ground.

The seminar is free and open to the community, though registration is required. It will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 5 at St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church in Riverhead and end at 12:30 p.m. A complimentary breakfast will be served.

Register here.