Cultivating Conversation at Yale

Yale LGBTQ Center
Be Open, Be Curious

Cultivating Conversation at Yale

Yale University’s Cultivating Conversation initiative invites students, faculty, and staff to strengthen our capacity for dialogue across difference — a cornerstone of both academic inquiry and community life.

Rooted in Yale’s commitment to free expression and mutual respect, Cultivating Conversation creates opportunities for members of the university community to observe, build, and practice the skills of constructive dialogue. The initiative encourages us to listen deeply, speak thoughtfully, and engage curiously — even, and especially, when we disagree.

folks joining cultivating conversations

A University-Wide Effort

Cultivating Conversation connects efforts across Yale’s schools and centers to promote thoughtful engagement and active listening. Through events, workshops, and fellowships, the program helps participants learn to:

  • Observe meaningful dialogue across perspectives
  • Develop concrete tools for engaging in complex or challenging discussions
  • Practice empathy, humility, and curiosity as habits of intellectual and civic life

As Yale marks the 50th anniversary of the Woodward Report, this initiative renews our shared commitment to academic freedom and the open exchange of ideas — essential to discovery, scholarship, and community.

Learning Together

Students and community members across Yale have shared reflections on what cultivating conversation means in practice:

  • “Education is about exposure to ideas we disagree with.” – Esha Bolar
  • “Growth happens outside our comfort zones.” – Mira Dubler-Furman
  • “We each carry responsibility for free expression.” – Cara Joyce
  • “Engagement takes courage — disagreement can be an act of faith.” – Kyle Thomas Ramos
  • “We grow when we listen, even when we’re vulnerable.” – Lihao Yan

These voices remind us that dialogue is not about persuasion, but about understanding.

How to Engage

All members of the Yale community are encouraged to participate in upcoming Cultivating Conversation programs and events. Opportunities include:

  • Attending workshops and dialogues across campus
  • Observing structured conversations that model active listening and empathy
  • Joining student advisory groups or fellowship cohorts
  • Integrating the initiative’s dialogic practices into classrooms, organizations, and daily interactions

Building Skills for Dialogue, Understanding, and Community

Through the Cultivating Conversation initiative, members of the Yale community are invited to engage constructively with differing viewpoints.

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Continuing the Conversation

The Yale LGBTQ Center proudly joins this collective effort to nurture a university culture rooted in free inquiry, understanding, and belonging. We encourage everyone in our community to explore the initiative, participate in upcoming events, and continue fostering conversations that help us learn from one another.

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