Community Cultivators: Using Connection and Civility to Reduce Polarizing Political Discourse
American Stage Theater
June 9th, 2025
6:00-8:30 pm
$5 Donation in Advance
$10 at the Door
Join us for a community conversation on applying civility as a form of activism. We will explore how to shift our community norms of “us vs. them " and embrace ideological diversity as a method for continued dialogue and movement toward opportunity. This conversation provides diverse insights on how to make that shift and maintain a human perspective.
Panelists and Participants will focus on how to:
Approaching political and ideological conversations without damage to you or your relationships
Moving beyond the ideological tug of war with people who think differently on any political issue
Mitigating dehumanization during discussions in our personal lives and public spaces
How to reach beyond stalemates of opinion, perspective, and preferences to find connectivity and opportunity
This conversation goes well beyond the scope of partisan perspectives, focusing on what unites us instead of dividing us.
OUR GUIDES
MODERATOR:
COUNCILMAN COREY GIVENS JR.
As a public servant and family advocate, Givens Jr. has applied his unique experience working with various government entities and nonprofit organizations. commitment to public service spans a noteworthy career tackling a variety of issues, from financial literacy to child welfare. In addition to serving on Pinellas County Schools Independent Citizens Referendum Oversight Committee (ICROC)
PANELISTS
FORMER FLORIDA REP. JENNIFER WEBB,
JW CONSULTANTS
Jennifer Webb, former Florida State Legislator and CEO of JW Consultants, specializes in bringing people together to solve complex problems to improve our communities. Whether reducing the number of opioid overdoses, preparing for sea level rise in our coastal cities, or reducing partisan animosity through dialogue and increased trust in our democratic intuitions, Jennifer works with clients to shift culture, funding streams, and policy to create lasting change and communities that are more peaceful, healthier, and sustainable. Jennifer lives in Gulfport with her spouse, Cynthia Wurner, and their rescued pets – Bailey and Poppy.
JOE HAMILTON, HEAD OF NETWORK, CITYVERSE
Joe is a civically minded entrepreneur focused on capacity building for our community. His two major projects are launching Cityverse and an Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence. Joe is also involved in numerous civic and commercial endeavors throughout the community, including St. Pete Catalyst, and the St. Pete Group.
DARRYL PAULSON, EMERITUS PROFESSOR OF GOVERNMENT, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
With a specialty in Florida and Southern Politics and political elections, Professor Paulson has been interviewed over 7,000 times by the print and broadcast media, including every major newspaper and news magazine in the nation, as well as numerous international publications. He has worked hard to advocate and support civil and voting rights throughout the Southeast.
Our Community Nomination Panelist
Kimberly G Jackson
Disability Advocacy and Law
Kimberly is a native of Crete, Illinois, with degrees from Spelman College (B.A. Political Science), Stetson University College of Law (J.D.), and Johns Hopkins SAIS (MIPP). After practicing trial law in St. Petersburg, her daughter's Asperger's diagnosis sparked her passion for nonprofit advocacy. She transitioned to higher education at St. Petersburg College, teaching government and international relations while leading Model UN scholars and serving as Political Science Chair before becoming Executive Director of the Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions. With nearly 30 years of community service, Kimberly currently chairs the YMCA-St. Petersburg board and serves on numerous civic organizations.
