Without conflict, nothing changes.
For People Working with People
PeoplesLab assists people in the arts, culture, civics, education and creative business to meet conflict responsively, recognizing differences, fostering generative relations and discovering opportunities for creative collaboration.
Our curriculum and services are adapted to meet a variety of challenges and real-life scenarios.
Our Clients
Consulting
Librarian’s Guild Los Angeles
Sara Daleiden Facilitation
Children’s Institute Los Angeles
Community Corporation Santa Monica
Direct TV
Institute for Non Violence Los Angeles
Los Angeles County Art Department
Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery
Levantine Cultural Center
Montalvo Art Center
Navel LA
Temple University – Los Angeles Study Program
X-Tra Foundation
Teaching
IKAR Los Angeles
Contemporary Art Museum Directors
Art Libraries Society of Southern California
Caifornia Institute of Technology/Humanities + Diversity
Association for Conflict Resolution
Beta Main
Conflict Clinic
California Lawyers for the Arts
Mediators Beyond Borders
North East Youth Council
Otis College of Art and Design
SAG-AFTRA Foundation
Southern California Mediator Association
Trans Art Institute
Mediation
California Lawyers for the Arts
Department of Graphic Sciences
Journal of Aesthetics and Protest
Los Angeles Superior Civil Courts
Materials and Application
Minneapolis College of Art & Design
Palm Spring Museum of Art
Southern California Counseling Center
University of Cincinnati: Architecture, Design, Art + Planning
Volleyball USA Foundation
Community Corporation Santa Monica
Developing Vision + Leadership for an Effective Resident Council
2019-2020
Consulting + Training
Need:
The Community Corporation Santa Monica (CCSM) administration required a stronger connection with the diverse residents of their city-wide, low-cost housing program, as well as for residents to participate in citizen advocacy for housing policy.
Process:
Designed leadership development program for volunteer residents to develop a Resident Council. The program included:
Create a Vision/Mission
Develop strategic action steps
Assess skills, capacities and challenges
Outcome:
The Resident Council established an internal structure aligned with Vision/Mission to proactively advocate on behalf of the general resident body living in CCSM housing and to advocate for public policy on low-cost housing.
Testimonial:
“Resident Council members filled out the skills assessment you created to highlight their individual resources and how these could impact community through cooperation within their region. A salient response in all surveys was recognition of ‘being marginalized as other’ and the isolation this creates. We look forward to your next session to further consider next steps.”
- Ramon Alvarado / Resident Services, Wellness and Sustainability Specialist, Community Corporation of Santa Monica
Temple University – Los Angeles Study
Guiding Vision/Mission + Expanding InterpersonaI Communication Skills
2012 - Ongoing
Consulting + Training
Need:
The Temple University Department of Television, Media & Theater Arts program for off-campus study in Los Angeles lacked strong, sustainable policy and protocol for professional and interpersonal student communication. This was evidenced by an increased need for student wellbeing.
Process:
Design a program using Tools of Engagement to teach students skills of self awareness, collaboration and interpersonal and professional communication.
Expand the existing two-point mission of Study + Internship to include Communications and Interpersonal Relations
Create a multi-point student Roommate Agreement teaching skills of self-awareness, recognition of difference, negotiation and collaboration.
Design a Professional Communication Skills seminar for students.
Develop Resident Assistant skills to recognize differences and engage tensions amongst students
Offer consistent communications consultation to Program Director
Outcome:
This Los Angeles off-campus study program adapted its vision + mission to encompass study, internship and communications, expanding its sustainability. Students are learning skills of interpersonal and professional communication resulting in increased capacity for social engagement and wellbeing. The Program Director, staff and students are better equipped to fulfill their program goals.
Testimonial:
“In the 5 years since the Temple University/LA Study program adopted a roommate agreement process that you designed for us, we have seen a dramatic decrease in interpersonal problems between students and a similarly dramatic increase in interpersonal harmony and a spirit of community and collaboration throughout the entire program.”
- Lou Pepe/Director Temple University/LA Study Program
Conflict Clinic
Skill Building to meet conflict in personal and professional daily life
2018-ongoing
Training
Need:
Skills in bias awareness and how to meet conflict situations for creative professionals in leadership roles.
Process:
PeoplesLab curriculum Tools of Engagement - a series of 3-hour sessions to meet participant experiences of conflict: critical tools for conflict assessment; reflexive tools to recognize habit and bias; communication tools to bridge differences; negotiation tools for options towards generative relations.
Outcome:
Skills and confidence acquired to meet conflict situations skillfully; self-knowledge to inform emotional, somatic, social, and cognitive intelligence.
Testimonial:
“Dorit weaves a rich array of conceptual, dialogic and somatic activities to ignite the complex knowledge and sense of agency we each have inherently in our bodies. She repeatedly impresses me with the rigor of her ethics, aesthetics, and a willingness to listen and share.”
- Sara Daleiden / Artist + Facilitator, MKE<->LAX
North East Youth Council
Inspiring Latinx Youth to “Be the Change We Want to Be”
2014-2018
Consulting + Training
Need:
Youth of North East Los Angeles are often from immigrant communities that lack resources and are vulnerable to local gang affiliation. Many do not have strong role models, resources and opportunities to develop their identities. Local support, advocacy, resources and inspiration are essential to ensure these youth succeed through their maturation process and learn skills to inspire and lead their families and community.
Process:
Assess needs with community leaders, including high schools, churches, City of LA Human Relations and Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)
Develop relations with North East LAPD precinct to enlist a Community Officer as a partner and secured the precinct Community Room for weekly youth meetings
Expand generative police relations with local youth
Design youth development and engagement program to develop self-awareness, creative expression, critical thinking, collaboration, empathy, vision and action planning
Guide community resource partnerships
Facilitate interaction with arts and culture venues for creative inspiration
Outcome:
PeoplesLab developed strong liaison and partnership with community leaders of North East Los Angeles including North East LAPD officers, Los Angeles City District Divisions, Neighborhood Councils and Gang Reduction Youth Development programs to collectively build programs to support youth from this area. Youth gained trust, confidence and skills to create projects in support of their community, including neighborhood street clean-ups, K-6 backpack/school supply giveaway, information displays at neighborhood councils and community fairs, assembling personal hygiene packets and cooking/serving dinner at shelters for unhoused people. All NEYC youth completed high school and continued to college or career training.
Testimonial:
“I first met NEYC at 16 ½ years old, recently in juvenile hall, deeply involved with a local gang and looking for a way out since a few friends had passed and things were not looking good for me. Eager to help my community instead of harming it, I accepted counselor Mike taking me to the LAPD northeast station. I was extremely skeptical but was greeted with smiles and a warm, welcoming nature that helped me learn I can be a better person. Even though I'd be extremely tired after football practice, I was eager to keep going back as there was nothing more I wanted to do. It was because of Dorit and all of the friends I made in the NEYC that I'm motivated to help people. I'm 20 years old and start my fire-fighting training in a couple months. Honestly if it wasn't for the NEYC I don't think I'd be where I am now.”
- Dylan Rodas/US Forest Service (in training) 2020
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Facilitating Dialogue + Expanding Communication Across Diversity + Difference
2018
Consulting + Mediation
Need:
Undergraduate art students were experiencing disconnection with their college faculty and staff due to unrecognized cultural identity differences, including race, class, gender, sexuality and ethnicity. Over time, this resulted in communication breakdowns, resistance, stress and deep disaffection between students, faculty and staff.
Process:
Assess needs with college administration staff and student leaders
Design a College Town Hall facilitated dialogue between students, faculty and staff
Train student leaders as facilitators and note takers at each of six tables
Guide the structure of facilitated dialogue, including prompts
Share outcomes with college administration to inform changes in college protocol
Outcome:
Students, faculty and staff came together across their differences to engage the conflict between them through an equitable and reciprocal process. Participants gained skills of active listening, bias awareness and recognition of their differences. The Administration staff gained insight into how college protocol can be changed to meet diversity, equity and communication needs.
Testimonial:
“Thank you for a splendid job coordinating and leading this discussion — a really good thing for MCAD — the timing couldn't have been better. Your training of the students was great — Kehayr, the student who led my table, did an excellent job. We appreciate the new perspective, which got us started on this needed and important ongoing conversation.”
- Jay Coogan/President Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Southern California Counseling Center
Rebuilding Trust + Improving Protocols on Diversity + Communication
2019-2020
Consulting + Mediation
Need:
The Southern California Counseling Center had been expanding over several years, adding counseling facilities and members. During this time communication and trust deteriorated between center staff, supervisors, counselors and board members. Members complained of lack of understanding and recognition of cultural differences, including class, race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity and age.
Process:
Engage in conflict assessment with a representative committee of all center member groups to explore the roots of current conflict
Design structure and process for a Town Hall meeting to include a facilitated dialogue to listen and document diverse point of views
Recommend structural changes for more functional communication and protocol for equity, and recognition of differences.
Outcome:
Members came together to engage with the conflict between them. They gained skills of active listening and bias awareness. Trust and communication developed among all member groups and administrative staff recognized the need for changes in communication structure and protocol to meet all member identities. Members committed to a process of change.
Testimonial:
“Dorit was valuable in helping our organization to see ourselves from an external perspective, connect our challenges to broader societal contexts and structure a path forward that fits with short-term needs and long-term goals.”
- Ben Fineman/Marriage & Family Therapist, Southern California Counseling Center
“Our committee learned valuable methods to foster constructive dialogue within an organization. A lot has shifted since the Town Hall dialogue you developed — the interim executive director and board have made changes that now help counselors and staff feel supported and part of a community. We are out of ‘crisis’ mode.”
- Michelle Chong/LMFT, Clinical Coordinator, Southern California Counseling Center