Tobacco Free Lancaster County (tobaccofreelancastercounty.com), in collaboration with El Centro de las Americas, hosted a one-day workshop titled “Empower and Connect: Cultural Wisdom for Community Impact” in Lincoln. Facilitated by Standford University Health Equity Ambassadors, Theresa “Tessa” Dansie and Emily Dansie, wife and daughter of the late Dr. Roberto Dansie, the workshop featured three sessions on Cultural Consciousness and Conduct, Cultivating Culture and Community and Trauma-Informed Responses and Mindfulness.
Tessa and Emily engaged over 70 attendees with a mix of presentations, activities, discussions and videos, guiding participants through the Four Pillars of Hope–Consciousness, Conduct, Culture and Community–and introducing the Empathetic Listening Model as a key tool for fostering meaningful community connections.
The workshop emphasized the importance of understanding the culture and personality of community leaders when planning programs. Attendees were encouraged to listen empathetically and tailor their approach to the unique needs of the community.
A key takeaway was the Diamond Rule, which advocates treating others as they wish to be treated, offering a fresh perspective compared to the Golden Rule of “treating others as you would want to be treated.”
This workshop served as a valuable refresher on cultural sensitivity, community engagement and the power of empathy in connecting with and empowering communities.
Funding was provided by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services/Tobacco Free Nebraska Program as a result of the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. For more information about Tobacco Free Lancaster County, go to tobaccofreelancastercounty.com.