International House Berkeley

International House Times 5 weren't even aware of what you based your evaluation on. Applying the DIVE model means first describing what you are experiencing (being conscious of the interpretations you make based on that experience), then verifying those interpretations and, only then, evaluating the experience. My team wanted to make both the I-House residents and the Berkeley College Republicans more aware of their assumptions about members of the other party and of whether those assumptions were true or not. During this meeting we first taught the participants how to implement the DIVE model. en we discussed assumptions that I-House residents had of Republican viewpoints, after which the Republican students addressed those assumptions. We also did this the other way around. We talked about topics such as immigration, diversity, gun laws, and climate change. We didn't change each other's opinion on these topics—that wasn't the goal of the meeting. e goal was to teach people the skills to become aware of and verify their assumptions about others before jumping to conclusions. Another goal was to increase understanding between the members of the Berkeley College Republicans and I-House residents. Based on the evaluations we got afterwards, we met those goals! e meeting had an important impact on me personally. It's hard to admit, but I viewed Republicans more as a group of people whose ideas differed from my own and less as individuals with their own ideas, personalities, and experiences. What really had an impact on me was hearing how one of the members of the Berkeley College Republicans had been pepper sprayed and another was punched in the face, just because they were standing at a table sponsored by the Berkeley College Republicans or wearing a Trump t-shirt. It made me realize that they were also experiencing negative consequences of their political viewpoint and were targeted just because of what they believed in. is shocked me and made me feel more compassionate towards them. e I-House residents, for the most part, did not seem as experienced in defending their ideas, and at times it was hard for them to be heard. But what struck me was how several members of the Berkeley College Republicans responded to this. When they noticed other members of their group being a bit overwhelming or talking over one of the I-House residents, they would step in and tell the other to give the resident a chance to speak. Republicans are often portrayed in the media as though they don't care about others, and this reminded me that the average Republican is very different from the negative image that is often portrayed in the media. is meeting had a significant impact on the participants' way of thinking about people on the other side of the political spectrum, too. About a month after this meeting, I listened to President Obama's farewell address. His speech was excellent, but the one thing that he said that touched me the most was, "If you're tired of arguing with strangers on the internet, try talking with one of them in real life." e ILI mentors challenged the participants and me to do exactly what President Obama said. I recommend that everyone try this method. We were surprised by what we learned, and if you try it, you will be too. n "...the average Republican is very different from the negative image that is often portrayed in the media." Discussing viewpoints Leadership Retreat The Student Leaders Retreat took place on January 28, bringing together Resident Council members, Resident Assistants (RAs) and Program Assistants (PAs) for a full day of community building and planning. Resident Council is an elected group of residents who work with the Program Office to fund and shape educational, cultural, and social activities and liaise with the administration on behalf of I-House residents. RAs are student live-in staff that help to build and maintain a safe and enjoyable living environment for residents. PAs plan and coordinate signature I-House events and its vibrant cultural programming, and support resident- initiated activities that aim to build community. These vital and visual student leaders of I-House are charged with modeling and embodying I-House's mission. Investment in their development is key because they influence the resident experience through their important leadership roles.

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