Leading When Conversations Get Hard

Book Cover; Jimmie Lee and James- Two Lives, Two Deaths and the Movement that Changed America

A Special MLK Community Discussion with Adar Cohen on Monday 1/19/26 from 8-10 AM.

Some conversations matter so much that avoiding them comes at a real cost.

This year, in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision for a Beloved Community, we invite you to join us for a thoughtful and timely conversation on how to lead difficult dialogue with courage, care, and purpose.

The discussion will be facilitated by Adar Cohen, an international mediator, author, and practitioner who has spent his career helping people navigate conflict in ways that build understanding rather than deepen divides.

Why this conversation matters

Difficult conversations are everywhere right now. In our workplaces. Our families. Our communities. And too often, they either don’t happen at all or they happen in ways that leave people more fractured than before.

This session will explore:

  • What makes conversations “difficult” and why we tend to avoid them
  • Practical tools for leading dialogue when emotions, power, and history are in the room
  • How courageous conversation is not just conflict management, but community building
  • Why this work is essential to advancing Dr. King’s vision of a Beloved Community rooted in dignity, truth, and shared humanity

This is not a lecture. It’s a space for reflection, learning, and meaningful engagement.

About the book

Copies of Jimmie Lee and James: Two Lives, Two Deaths, and the Movement that Changed America will be available for purchase, and Adar will be signing books following the discussion.

The book powerfully examines the parallel lives and deaths of Jimmie Lee Jackson and James Reeb, and how their stories shaped the civil rights movement and continue to challenge how we understand justice, allyship, and moral responsibility today.

Who should attend

  • Community leaders and organizers
  • Board and nonprofit leaders
  • Educators and students
  • Anyone who wants to engage across difference with more skill and confidence
  • Anyone who believes community is built through honest, human conversation

If you’ve ever thought, “I want to say something, but I don’t know how,” this conversation is for you.

Registration

Registration is required.
Please sign up in advance using the link below:

👉 https://tinyurl.com/KeeneMLKBreakfast2026

We hope you’ll join us for a meaningful morning of learning, connection, and reflection—and for a conversation that feels especially necessary right now.