The Purple Living Room Party

We're continuing to unpack the building blocks of the Purple Living Room Project. Now that we've looked at the Purple Points Protocol in-depth, let's talk about how to use the protocol in the context of a Purple Living Room Party.

Purple Living Room Parties are designed with a particular arc...there is a warm-up round, an issue round, and then the party closes with a gratitude round.  We like to think of it like a three-course dinner. There's an appetizer, a main course, and then dessert!

Let's start with the APPETIZER...

This first round is meant to be a "warm-up" for the group. Everyone gets to know each other a bit better and the group has a chance to practice the protocol with a light-hearted topic.  

The hosts choose the topic for this round based on the interests of the people attending. Different topics work better with different groups. If you're all sports enthusiasts, your question might be, "What is a team you love to watch play?" If you're all avid readers, you might choose, "What is a book you'd like to read again?" If you're stuck, "What is a movie you love?" or "What is a comfort food you would like to eat right now?" seem to work for most every group!

The Personal Round is not meant to take long. The goal is to find one or two "Purple Points" that you all have in common...and to have a little laugh. 

Once you're warmed up, it's time for the MAIN COURSE...

The Issue Round is the main event.  This will take the majority of your discussion time.  The hosts choose the focus issue before the party. The topic can be as broad or narrow as you would like to make it.  For instance, you could talk about Gun Rights in general or you could focus on Concealed Carry or Gun Sales in particular.  

If you're looking for issues to discuss, here are two websites to get you started...

www.procon.org

www.allsides.com

The hosts are responsible for keeping the conversation focused on finding Purple Points. It might take a while to shape the wording of each statement so that everyone can agree.  Stick with it...you'll get there! 

Once you've found your Issue Purple Points, it's finally time for DESSERT!

The last round ends the Purple Living Room Party with something sweet.

The Gratitude Round is a chance for everyone to share what makes them proud to be Americans. You can keep this general, or you can focus the gratitude round on a particular topic like INNOVATION or NATIONAL PARKS or ARTISTIC EXPRESSION.

You follow the Purple Points Protocol, but this round usually flies by quickly.  It's just a little check-in with one another to focus on the positive.  It's a chance to see how much we ALL love our country and to recognize that we all have a stake in helping America thrive. 

During this round, while you're thinking about what you're thankful for about our country, be sure to thank one another, too!  

If everyone follows the protocol, the whole party should last about an hour... 

A delicious hour of meaningful conversation! 

Ready to get started?
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Next week, we'll share tips for hosting your own Purple Living Room Party!

-The Purple Living Room Team