“I'm hoping that this will be a very civil event. We have experts, so we're not relying on what our neighbors are telling us, what our parents are telling us. So, I'm hoping that people will take the opportunity to listen rather than spend their time airing grievances.”
She’s calling the event “Bridging the Divide.”
Robinson said she’s frustrated by people putting up barriers to listening to each other and learning from each other.
“I think most of us have friends or family members or neighbors that we can no longer communicate with, because of political differences. And so I just felt like it was important for us to have a safe space that we can come together and actually have a productive dialogue.”
Robinson scheduled the event for this Saturday from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly chambers. Confirmed panelists include UAF political science professors Carol Gray, Amy Lovecraft and Chanda Meek.
She invited Mayors Grier Hopkins and David Pruhs to moderate the discussion. But Pruhs is unavailable this weekend.
She has also invited representatives from the major political parties and activist groups.
“I really hope that we have a very diverse group of people show up. When we have a one-sided dialogue, people don't have the opportunity to hear what others are thinking.”
She wants all attendees to feel comfortable expressing polite disagreement. But there will be ground rules to keep discussion respectful.
She says moderators will ask the panelists a list of prepared questions to set the tone, but there will also be an open forum for members of the community to be able to ask questions.
“I really want this to be an event where we have our most conservative community members show up, our most liberal members and you know, our moderate members. I want people to express how they feel and to hear reliable answers.”
The borough’s Juanita Helms Administrative building is on Terminal Street, off Illinois Street in Fairbanks.
