Beginning in 2016, the Zeidler Center has facilitated listening circles in key Milwaukee neighborhoods, bringing hundreds of police officers into dialogue with thousands resident youth and adults. The goal of these circles is to build trust and relationships between police and residents resulting in stronger and safer communities. 

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In 2017, The Zeidler Center served five communities, Amani, Clarke Square, Harambee, Metcalfe Park, and Sherman Park. In 2018, we plan to double the number of communities we are serving.

The Zeidler Center is hosting a series to discuss how to move beyond Polarization debates about Politics, faith, culture, and race, and eventually create bridges and invite trust between divided communities.

Partnering with the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce, this series explore the various intersections between sexuality and topics such as race, class, mental health, and Faith.

"Bee the Change" is a leadership program empowering homeless men and women to be "Beevangelists" certified in beekeeping, environmental education, and dialogue facilitation.

A partnership with Ex Fabula, events in this series combine powerful storytelling by Ex Fabula fellows with humanizing dialogue led by Zeidler facilitators on topics covering racism segregation, privilege and oppression.

The Zeidler Center for Public Discussion, in partnership with the Greater Milwaukee Synod, invites applications from Greater Milwaukee congregations who seek support with any of the following:

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• Civil discussion of challenging social topics (political polarization, race relations, LGBTQ issues, etc.)

• Improved communication regarding issues that have led to internal divisions or tension between members

• Support in facing significant transitions (i.e. change in leadership, growth or decline of membership, questions about sustainability, etc.)

With this international partnership, the Zeidler Center and the Forgiveness Project (UK) are exploring the concept of forgiveness, its many forms and meanings, the steps taken, the approaches adopted... Forgiveness Project Storytellers will share their personal experiences around the concept, and Zeidler Center facilitators will then enable participants to reflect on these stories in small listening circles.

We host both private trainings and a monthly public facilitator training for the general public.  The Zeidler Center has trained over 250 facilitators.

The Zeidler Center, MKE<->LAX and Greater Together lead an initiative called "Designing Equity" to bring awareness to Milwaukee’s racial and economic inequality through public media campaigns, public art, creative placemaking, and facilitated public discussions.

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This project has been generously funded by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation.

Throughout 2016 and 2017, we have partnered with OAAA to facilitate community dialogues focused on defining this new county office and sharing the concerns of Milwaukee's African American communities.

Throughout 2015 and 2016, we've hosted hundreds of community members in be-monthly public conversations on a variety of issues including Immigration, Segregation, Supporting Prisoner Re-entry, Violence Prevention, Downtown Redevelopment & the Bucks Aren, and Whiteness & Privilege.

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