Barack Obama and the New Spirit of Empathy A ProgressiveSpirit.com Video Project

	The Center for Building a Culture of Empathy

Jan 24, 2009 - Obama Empathy Meeting
El Cerrito, Ca
http://progressivespirit.com/Empathy

Project Goal:  Create a empathy movement to promote empathy in society.  Make a video about Obama's most important and foundational value of empathy in an effort to promote empathy in the society at large. 

Attendees

Leon Regelson
Deborah Temple
Kathy Heilig
Edwin Rutsch   http://progressivespirit.com
Barbara Chan Developing Legacy Leaders & Organizations http://www.barbarachan.com
   I appreciate what I learned about each of you:
   Kathy's desire to bring empathy into her profession.
   Leon's suggestions for how we can practice empathy by literally sitting side by side with another person and listening/feeling with them.
   Deborah saying we must acknowledge that our past history is not 100% empathetic in order to move on

How to Create an Empathy Movement Group Brainstorming?
We did some brainstorming about how to form an Empathy Movement Group. Following are the brainstorming notes.

An empathy group - what it would be like?

     Have a space for free flowing discussion
     Supporting Obama’s call to fill the empathy gap

     Do empathy experiments with activities

         - In pairs - Let us get to know you better

         - Other art and empathy activities
     Use a Collaborative research model

     Research offline bring back our insights to share with the group

     Use group facilitation methodologies such as

         - The World Café 

         - Open Space Technology

     Use Writing and open with some Opening meditation

     Use everyone’s skills

     Do real world research?

     Action oriented to work on the empathy video

     How about merging with Nonviolent communication groups (NVC) ?  We would like to be more eclectic by incorporating many modalities, including NVC and others, etc. etc.

Why should we even have a group?

   I want to learn about empathy
  We need to start a group to work on empathy to which people interested in the topic can go to.

What is empathy? How to define it? What does it mean ?

     You hear metaphors for empathy,

        - Seeing through others eyes

       - Walking in someone’s shoes

       - Mine is it’s like galaxies merging

     Connecting with other human beings. May not always agree with them.

     See the common humanness in everyone
     It’s an embrace and love

       - love and respect

     It’s an energetic level,
     Example is Obama inviting Rick Warren to speak at inauguration.  Brought Rick into the conversation.

     Empathy is effective for leadership

     Empathy is an embodied experience
     Obama embodies empathy and is banner carrier for it

       Bush created the environment for this awakening. (by making such a mess)

Lack of Empathy

    Need to acknowledge lack of empathy

    Obama says there’s an empathy deficit.
     Was a lack of empathy in the American past, for woman, Indians, African American, etc

     But there was some caring in constitution - equality,

     How to move forward and grow with empathy?

     Experiment with empathy.

     Be in a listening place

     Story of hospital staff not being empathic?

         Young staff are more energetic vr old become disillusioned.

         The Importance of Self Care so that you don’t burn out.

          Stress getting in the way of empathy.

 
What is everyone’s level of commitment in time and energy for the group?

     Edwin – high level – can meet weekly

     Leon – high level – can meet weekly

     Kathy – high level – can meet weekly

     Barbara  - Could meet monthly

     Debora  - Be part of video group
 

     Some want a committed group – to go deeper

    Create a group so all levels of commitment can take part