His answer: "I never saw a black person live till I was 12 years old."Īlongside the dinner's larger group discussion is time set aside to talk in pairs.ĭom Brassey, an LGBTQ activist, says her own reaction to hearing Shjeflo's more conservative opinions was a wake-up call. "You know anybody who looks like me?" she asks. You're right, I'll tell you this on that." To which Shjeflo, who is white, replies: "Rachel. "Because I don't know too many sisters that live in North Dakota!" "Is that because there's a lot less women and a lot less black people?" Williams, who is African American, asks with a laugh. "There's a lot less sexism than the Bay Area. "In my experience, North Dakota has a lot less racism than the Bay Area does," he says. At one point, Shjeflo compares North Dakota with the Bay Area when it comes to certain struggles. The group quickly delves into different issues that strike a personal chord. "I mean, it's pretty much just like my Facebook living in front of me," he says, referring to the liberal bubble of the Bay Area.Īs the guests dine on margherita, mushroom and pepperoni pizzas, organizers Lee and Chang pose questions to stir discussion. He grew up in a Trump stronghold in New Jersey, but he says he's never tested politically in the very liberal Bay Area. Make America Dinner Again guests (from left to right) Nick Tucker, Walter Rodriguez, Walt Shjeflo and Dom Brassey listen to views from across the table.Īnd Affan Khokhar, who works at a technology company, is a first-generation Pakistani-American who was raised in a Muslim family. Among the dinner guests is Walt Shjeflo, an attorney originally from North Dakota. Tucked into a private room, they reveal a bit of their histories as they start to talk politics. While some people they invited had the opposite reaction, careful planning and gentle wording helped them convince others.Īt the first such gathering, in late January, they gathered 10 people, including themselves, at Local Kitchen & Wine Merchant, a swanky pizza restaurant in San Francisco. They figured that a dinner is a warm and non-threatening way to chew on different ideas and have diverse opinions co-exist.
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So Lee, a marketing professional, teamed up with her friend Tria Chang, who works education technology, to launch "Make America Dinner Again," a series of dinners in the Bay Area that brings together strangers whose views range the political spectrum. No, Lee was interested in the opposite: a gathering over a meal where all sorts of perspectives get aired. Justine Lee? She got the urge to host a dinner.īut not your typical dinner party, where, if politics seeps into the conversation, things typically don't turn volatile because all the guests likely share the same views. Make America Dinner Again guest Affan Khokhar (left, seated) talks with hosts Tria Chang and Justine Lee (front right, seated) after the dinner as guests (from left to right) Afam Agbodike, Walter Rodriguez and Nick Tucker continue their conversation.Īfter the upset results of the presidential election, some people felt motivated to become politically active.
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