2019 E. James Holland Symposium on American Values

“Intelligent Conversation and American Values”

Distinguished Speaker: Mr. Kyle Emile

Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019

Mr. Kyle EmileOne might argue that a democracy works best when there is meaningful productive dialogue driving the decision-making process. Great debates have been at the center of our progress and our very nature. Social change, cultural shifts, and basic ideologies have been driven by informed discussions by people with diverse, even opposing views. So then, American values are genuinely at stake when there is no avenue for conversation between diverse factions making up our complex society.

Kyle Emile’s conversation experiment reminds us that we have more in common than we might think. He has demonstrated a way to open doors between different groups of people that allow them to engage in meaningful and safe interaction. His “Free Intelligent Conversation” provides a framework that serves as a model for what we - as a free thinking democracy - should think about.

Kyle Emile is the founder and Executive Director of the non-profit organization Free Intelligent Conversation (FreeIC). An organization that grew out of his curiosity in other people and desire for meaningful conversations.

Free Intelligent Conversation facilitates meaningful conversations between strangers by hosting events in public places where volunteers hold up signs that read “Free Intelligent Conversation” inviting people to talk about anything and everything.

Kyle’s goal is for Free Intelligent Conversation to be consistently hosting events in every city worldwide - so that when you get out of work or school and are looking to meet with people different to you, your first thought is, “Where’s my local FreeIC outing happening?”