Talking to Strangers about Politics: Lessons from Canvassing

Politics used to be something that people could set aside as not suitable for "polite conversation". The urgency of our times has challenged this norm, and now more than ever, you might find yourself feeling the need to say something.  

Do you want to talk to people about politics, but are concerned about how to navigate that kind of conversation--especially with people who you don't know that well? 

John Anderson, of the environmental group 350 SF, will lead a conversation about lessons learned from canvassing during several recent presidential and congressional campaigns in California and Nevada. Canvassing requires that you engage with people who hold a wide variety of opinions and backgrounds, and whose views can be unpredictable. If our goal is to persuade our fellow Americans rather than to dominate them, how might we improve our political conversation skills?