GREENFIELD — A group of about 40 residents, from Generation Z up to Baby Boomers, gathered in Greenfield Community College’s Cohn Family Dining Commons on Friday to explore the differences between the generations and delve into what separates them.
After leading a book club at GCC for “I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times” by Mónica Guzmán, the author’s themes and readers’ conversations stuck with Judy Raper, GCC’s associate dean of community engagement.
“Some amazing conversations sprung up out of it, so we’ve been asking ourselves since that book club, ‘How do we continue that conversation?'” Raper said. “And this conference came to mind for me.”
With a group of facilitators representing a range of ages, Raper organized “Bridging Generations: A Civic Engagement Conference,” a panel and series of workshops to “bring people from different generations to talk about why it is that they believe what they believe.”
“I think that obviously there’s a lot of division in our country right now,” Raper said. “I can’t solve that, but is there something I can do locally to make a difference?”
For Raper, embracing differences and listening to other generations’ perspectives helps build empathy, especially regarding topics, like politics and religion, that are often considered “taboo.”
“If we can understand why people believe what they believe, we can have more productive conversations. … I may never agree with you on something, but if I understand how you got there, I can put myself in your shoes,” Raper explained. “I hope [participants] leave more willing to have fearless, brave conversations.”
Before choosing between three workshops, “Yes, We Should Talk About Religion and Politics: Tools for Brave, Respectful Conversations in a Divided Time,” “Media Literacy: Strategies for Finding Solid Information Online” and “Building Empathy for Real-World Change,” attendees heard from six panelists as they unpacked the experiences behind their different perspectives and similarities regardless of ages.
Attendees at the “Bridging Generations” conference at Greenfield Community College on Friday. Credit: PAUL FRANZ / Staff Photo 
Panelist Meckenzie Sarage speaks at the “Bridging Generations” conference at Greenfield Community College on Friday. Credit: PAUL FRANZ / Staff Photo 
Tiffany Thiri and Aaron Hellman speak at the “Bridging Generations” conference at Greenfield Community College on Friday. Credit: PAUL FRANZ / Staff Photo
When asked about early memories of current events that helped shape their understandings of the world, Meckenzie Sarage, an adjunct faculty member at Northfield Mount Hermon School and member of Gen Z who helped organize the event, mentioned the War on Terror. GCC student Leilani Aires, also a co-organizer of the event, agreed.
“I think it’s common for people to view colonialism as a thing of the past, and given current U.S. involvement in the Middle East, that’s brought to light the ways that it’s not a thing of the past and the way that it’s continuing to affect nations and countries all over the world,” Aires said, mentioning the conflict in Gaza as a pivotal current event that has shaped her understanding of the world.
Greenfield resident and millennial Andrew Huckins described watching the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the television in his dining room as a child.
“I remember this feeling of severity and solemnness with my parents that registered to me on a level, like that child level of feeling something’s happening that’s a big deal for everybody, that my parents are scared of and worried about,” Huckins recalled.
Activist Pixie Holbrook of Conway mentioned her memories of hearing the announcement of John F. Kennedy Jr.’s assassination over the intercom at school before hearing her teachers sobbing in the hallways.
GCC student and Generation X-er Jessica Wales mentioned the post-traumatic stress disorder of Vietnam War veterans and the death toll of the AIDS epidemic.
“It was like watching the whole world explode,” Wales recalled.
Fellow Gen X-er Angela Campbell, GCC’s vice president of institutional mission, culture and climate, described watching police in Philadelphia bomb the home of Black revolutionary organization MOVE in 1985, killing 11 people, including five children.
“In real time, I’m watching people die,” Campbell recounted.
Along with misconceptions about their generations, moderator Tiffany Thiri, an educator and Gill resident, also asked the panelists, “Despite our different ages, what is one civic goal or value that you think every person can agree on regardless of age?”
Aires said “curiosity,” Huckins responded “a shared understanding that with conflict, there are always two sides,” Holbrook said “never [tolerating] war as a solution” and Sarage commented “compassion.”
“The definition of compassion, in my opinion, is when you have empathy, but you act with it,” Sarage said.
Wales stressed the importance of universal kindness that starts with self-love.
“It starts with you. It starts with your self-talk. It starts with waking up every morning and understanding that you’re still alive, that you matter. You need to understand that you are worthy of being loved and cared about, and then you take that one small piece and give it to someone else,” Wales said. “It doesn’t matter what you believe in; it’s a basic human right to be treated like a human being.”
