The Westmont Center for Dialogue and Deliberation (WCDD) will host a conversation on the topic What Should We Do About State Street? and invites Santa Barbara residents to share their ideas for shaping and co-creating the space. The event will be 6:45-8:45 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26.

Individuals who RSVP for the free event will receive information about the location and parking. Email questions to wcdd@westmont.edu.

Deborah Dunn, Westmont professor of communication studies and director of WCDD, said some of the concerns reflected in City Council conversations and local news involve economic viability, personal safety and the overall vibe of State Street.

“There’s been a lot of vitriol, name-calling and blaming,” she said. “The one thing most everyone agrees on is this: The status quo isn’t working.”

Since 2018, WCDD has hosted conversations at small tables to navigate complex issues with the Santa Barbara community by discussing key tensions, shared values and common ground. The events offer a way to solve problems through deep listening, creative thinking and collaborative decision-making.

WCDD’s conversations have covered topics from immigration in the United States to trash disposal in Santa Barbara County. Student moderators have spoken with unhoused people in Santa Barbara about their experiences, and discussed sexuality and faith with local church members and pastors.

“This is different from simply choosing an option on a survey or speaking for a minute in an hours-long City Council meeting,” Dunn said.

“You will have a robust conversation with your neighbors, collaborating with them to identify the tensions and trade-offs of various kinds of actions that could be taken to shape State Street,” she said.