Toward a Beloved Community: Facilitated Group Listening as a Tool for Community Development and Civic Engagement

Community dialogue is critical to the success of community development and civic engagement efforts. Facilitated Group Listening (FGL) can be used to foster empathy and critical consciousness across lines of difference in communities, promoting understanding and action. After the killing of Michael Brown by then-officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri, a community group in the rural southeastern United States used FGL to foster structured community dialogue between African American community members and law enforcement officers. Engaging in FGL contributed to increased communication and improved empathy among participants. Recommendations for future use of FGL are provided.