Battle Creek, MI: A conversation with john powell

Scholar john a. powell comes to Battle Creek for a free, open conversation about belonging — why we divide into "us" and "them," what it costs communities when people feel left out, and how we can bridge differences without losing what makes each of us unique.

john a. powell is Director of the Othering and Belonging Institute (OBI) at UC Berkeley. He'll lead a public discussion on belonging — the idea that healthy communities make room for everyone without flattening differences. Topics include why humans form in-groups and out-groups, the harm that happens when people feel pushed to the edges, and practical ways to build bridges across difference. The event is hosted by three local and national partners: BelongBC, National Equity Project, and the Battle Creek Coalition for Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation.

Use what you hear to start real conversations in your own circles — a neighbor, a coworker, a community group. The ideas powell shares on othering and bridging aren't just academic. They offer a framework you can apply anytime you notice tension or exclusion in your community. You don't have to solve everything at once — belonging often starts with one honest conversation.

No fixed date

Battle Creek, MI

This event is part of a broader national effort around belonging and bridging — topics that show up in Houston and communities everywhere. If you care about neighborhood trust, civic engagement, or reducing division, the ideas here connect directly to that work. Organizations like the National Equity Project offer additional resources for anyone who wants to go further.

Division and disconnection are real — in neighborhoods, workplaces, and across the country. This talk gives you a chance to hear one of the world's leading thinkers on belonging explore what drives those divides and what a more connected community could look like.