How to Have Conversations That Actually Work Even on Hot-Button Issues - Becca Kearl
Becca Kearl had just moved to a new town when she decided to organize a public conversation about one of the most controversial topics: sex education. No formal training. No guarantees. Just a desire to understand her community better.
What started as an ambitious idea turned into a surprising and powerful night of connection between people with deeply different beliefs. In this episode of Uncomfy, host Julie Rose talks with Becca about how that first event sparked her career in community dialogue, what makes conversations go well (or fall apart), and why your story is always more powerful than your opinion.
Becca is now the executive director of Living Room Conversations, which provides free resources to help people host meaningful discussions across divides. Learn more at https://www.livingroomconversations.org.
Got an Uncomfy story to share? We'd love to hear from you: uncomfy@byu.edu.
Episode transcript - https://uncomfypodcastbyu.blogspot.com/2025/06/how-to-have-conversations-that-actually.html
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
00:40 Meet Becca Kearl: The Power of Community Conversations
01:05 The First Big Conversation: Tackling Sex Education
03:25 Creating a Safe Space for Dialogue
07:25 The Impact of Personal Stories
09:48 Living Room Conversations: Tools and Framework
15:54 Encouragement and Resources for Starting Your Own Conversations
16:41 Conclusion and Next Steps
What started as an ambitious idea turned into a surprising and powerful night of connection between people with deeply different beliefs. In this episode of Uncomfy, host Julie Rose talks with Becca about how that first event sparked her career in community dialogue, what makes conversations go well (or fall apart), and why your story is always more powerful than your opinion.
Becca is now the executive director of Living Room Conversations, which provides free resources to help people host meaningful discussions across divides. Learn more at https://www.livingroomconversations.org.
Got an Uncomfy story to share? We'd love to hear from you: uncomfy@byu.edu.
Episode transcript - https://uncomfypodcastbyu.blogspot.com/2025/06/how-to-have-conversations-that-actually.html
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
00:40 Meet Becca Kearl: The Power of Community Conversations
01:05 The First Big Conversation: Tackling Sex Education
03:25 Creating a Safe Space for Dialogue
07:25 The Impact of Personal Stories
09:48 Living Room Conversations: Tools and Framework
15:54 Encouragement and Resources for Starting Your Own Conversations
16:41 Conclusion and Next Steps
Activity