Navigating our differences,
through listening

Award-winning film & transformative workshops on the power of empathic listening

memorable moments

🎙️ TEDx Talk

Listening Courageously Can Bridge What Divides Us | Juliana Tafur | TEDxWestshoreWomen

“If the humanity in me fails to recognize the humanity in you, then I fail to recognize the humanity in myself.”

– Juliana Tafur

🎙️ Important mention

President Barack Obama, Stanford University Keynote: “Challenges to Democracy in the Digital Information Realm”, April 2022.

“And the good news is we’ve got a new generation of activists that seem to be ready to keep moving… I’ve had the privilege of meeting young leaders in our Obama Foundation network, like… Juliana Tafur, who’s using documentary film and curated workshops to reduce polarization and help Americans connect across differences. Young people everywhere are recognizing that this is a problem. They’re not just griping about it, they’re doing their part to fix it. And the rest of us need to follow their lead.”

– Former President Barack Obama, April 21, 2022

Reviews

Recent reviews

“Your TEDx talk is brilliant and beautiful, both as a call to action (listening), and a work of performance art. I trembled inside at times, listening to it. You have embodied a truth that I feel is so important: that the road out of our current cultural polarization is to learn and practice genuine curiosity toward those who are different for us, those who believe differently from us, those with whom we have built walls to avoid understanding.”

Doak Bloss, Actor & Social Justice Facilitator

Recent reviews

“Juliana Tafur shows us that it is possible to make humanity better with a skill that EVERYONE can develop: the courage to listen. “Listening courageously” makes us learn and grow. This is powerful! What a wonderful way to make us better. Thank you Juliana!”

Agnes Castera, Writer

Recent reviews

“I just listened to your TED talk and I am in overwhelm, you touched my heart. I leave next week to conduct an onsite training event with a group of managers, hoping to be leaders. I listened to their stories, and some were heart breaking. The divide that disconnects these managers is the lack of understanding and listening. Of course, there has to be a place where they can tell their stories. What divides can also be what connects us.”

Barbara Emmanuel, Business Coach

Recent reviews

“I loved this framework for listening courageously: curious and non-judging listening to understand without ego. A simple formulation, but difficult because of emotions and the conditioning of us against them. Your dad was right that each of us is our own universe, but as long as we are disconnected and separated, othering will always occur.”

David Simas, President, Obama Foundation

as featured on

Hey Listener!

Our mission at Listen Courageously is to solve an evolving social problem, which is: as a society, we have forgotten how to listen. Connecting again on a human level – regardless of our ideological preferences or identities – has never been more important. 

Our immersive workshops are designed to make people more aware of their listening blocks and better able to engage in heart-centered conversations that lead to understanding, despite our differences.

Using our award-winning documentary film “List(e)n”, which invites people with opposing viewpoints to engage in conversation, we’re breaking down our societal silos by guiding people on how to listen to see past judgement, and past stereotypes.

 

Our proven methodology

“List(e)n” – which toured the festival circuit in the U.S. and was awarded four accolades, including a humanitarian award – brings together three sets of individuals across three hot-button issues, to listen to each other and transcend their differences.

Using the documentary as a listening and engagement tool, we invite participants to realize that when we learn about others who might look or think differently from us, and understand their lived experiences – the fear or hatred we might feel, dissolves. 

Amidst the physical separation and disconnect we’re experiencing, our interactive workshops leave participants empowered and with valuable takeaways on how to engage in positive dialogue across differences. 

 

Watch the film’s trailer here

Our programs have already positively impacted thousands of participants leading corporations, organizations and academic institutions in the U.S. and Canada. As a Latinx women-owned enterprise, equity and inclusion are at our core, and we’re committed to increasing people’s experiences of value, belonging and psychological safety.

After going through our workshops, people report an increased willingness and ability to engage in difficult conversations, as seen with these results from a recent experience with faculty and staff at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.

participants

universities, corporations and organizations that have gone through our workshops   

Recent reviews

Recent reviews

“I was fortunate to have been invited to the List(e)n Courageously virtual workshops and it was incredibly impactful.  This should be a “must view and participate” for everyone. If you have the chance, do it!  You will learn a lot about yourself and will likely be moved by the experience.  We might make even the world a little better, too…. one conversation at a time.”

– Kam Amato, Kellogg School of Management

Recent reviews

“Listen Courageously is needed now more than ever. In the session, not only did we learn to listen but also learned how to engage in meaningful conversations with people who might think differently. It was a moving and insightful experience… Emotional intelligence is needed in the workspace and Listen Courageously equips us with such tools. If we are to move forward as a united country, we need to invest in our leadership and listening skills!”

– Rocio Ortega, United Nations Foundation Girl Up

Recent reviews

“The Listen Courageously virtual experience was fabulous! What I loved most is that you can clearly see that listening — the simple act of attending to another person’s words — can make a difference! Clearly, good listening can help us solve some of the world’s toughest problems.”

– Sheila Bentley, International Listening Association 

Recent reviews

“I love the work that you are undertaking to bring a heart-centered approach to discussions of complex issues.  It’s so needed and so important. As it was said in today’s session, it’s personal work but its world changing. This melding of the micro and macro are, I believe, exactly what we need to be doing to help our communities face the challenges we are encountering. With gratitude for your great work and generosity in sharing it”

– Adrienne Crowley, after a workshop for the United Way in Canada 

Recent reviews

“We had the pleasure of watching “Listen” with our Coca-Cola Scholars community and afterwards, Juliana led us through her transformative Listen Courageously workshops. Listen is a film like no other. The stories are brave and authentic. The emotions are raw. It’s hard to walk away from the film and workshop without learning that we need to take the time to listen and seek to understand. We can disagree on issues, but in the end, we will be better and stronger when we put this into practice. Our country needs this lesson now, more than ever. This is the program for such a time as this.”

– Carolyn Norton, Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation

Recent reviews

“Listen Courageously is one of the best workshops that I have participated in. The premise was amazing and the facilitators were really awesome. This workshop went to a heart depth that had me reflecting on my way of being in this world in a way that I had not experienced before. It we could all stop and really listen there would be more wholeness, love and kindness at every turn”

– Susan Lapper, Children and Family Services in Ontario, Canada

Recent reviews

“I appreciated the space for meaningful conversations among educators that we often know need to be had, but too rarely take time to create the moment for this to happen. I especially appreciated the Listen Courageously team making the conversation fit with the very real pressures for educators at this time.”

– Katie Lash, Keep Indiana Learning

Recent reviews

“Through literal tears and laughter, we had vulnerable and transparent discussions about times we experienced biases, on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, and race for the first time and shared how we have been treated as “more than” or “less than” at work and in society. There is no doubt that these aha moments and new skills will help improve both professional and personal relationships. In a time when Covid has limited our ability to feel close to others, this workshop did a fantastic job of breaking down those barriers and making us feel connected.”

– Sylvia Rog, Manulife

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