'Idaho Listens' — and learns

COEUR d’ALENE — Tracy and Jennifer Scott came to the Hagadone Event Center to listen Monday night.

They listened. And learned.

“I think it’s fascinating to hear the stories from different walks of life and the experiences,” Jennifer said.

Tracy found that the different deliveries, styles and backgrounds of each speaker kept his attention.

“It really opened up my ears to listen more,” he said.

The Hayden couple were among about 200 people who took part in “Idaho Listens."

The Boise State University program brings together speakers from “a cross-section of backgrounds, occupations and experiences, who live different values and perspectives about the central issues of our state and our time. That is the goal: to listen and learn, nothing more and nothing less.”

"The goal is not agreement, but engagement and human connection," an event brochure said.

BSU President Marlene Tromp stood before the crowd, with Lake Coeur d’Alene as the backdrop, and said, “I think you’re going to get something that’s even better than the view today.”

She said Idaho Listens is one of the most important things she has done during her presidency. Idaho Listens is a signature program of BSU's Institute for Advancing American Values.

She said when people meet and discuss new ideas together, it can help “find a path forward.”

“People can’t talk to each other if they can’t listen,” Tromp said.

Nine speakers shared stories, about five to 10 minutes each, that ranged from battling drugs, dealing with abuse, overcoming the death of a loved one, finding joy in Idaho’s outdoors, toiling under a hot sun in a hay field and the “awesome power of music and how it brings people together.”

The audience was asked to be silent, be respectful, be curious and be gracious.

“Love breaks down stereotypical barriers,” said Gabe Bujko, one of the speakers.

Laura Penney, Coeur d’Alene Tribe chief executive officer, said she failed in her first three efforts to land the job. But her perseverance was eventually rewarded.

“Fail, learn and move forward,” she said.

Sandy Emerson talked about growing up in Kootenai County. He recalled how people of different political views came together during economic challenges in the region.

“Things you do for the good of the community,” he said.

No applause was allowed until the end. And then, it was a standing ovation as all the speakers returned to the front of the room.

Afterward, audience members shared dinner around tables, as a family would break bread, and talked about what they had just heard and what it meant to them.

Josh and Meg Leech of Spokane listened intently.

“Very moving,” Meg Leech said. “I really enjoyed all the different perspectives.”

“It’s something nationwide that we need right now,” Josh Leech said.

Jonathan Owens, pastor of Heart of the City Church, said he’s used to interacting with speakers. His wife, Raydeane Owens, was among the speakers.

“To sit and listen and be quiet, wow, what a discipline,” he said. “But you know what? What a beautiful discipline in order just to listen and receive the lives of people from all kinds of backgrounds. I was so tremendously blessed.”

Woody Garvin was smiling as he sat down and was quickly engaged in conversation with another person at the table.

He said what he heard was “very moving.”

“To see what happens when we can touch the texture of people's lives and hear their stories, we need a lot of those,” he said. “It’s what we need to bring our country together.”