CoRE™ (Conflict Resolution for Everyone) emphasizes the importance of understanding people’s diverse histories and experiences in conflict resolution. Carmen, a learning guide and mediator, shares her journey shaped by witnessing systemic inequities and how mediation became a tool for building bridges across cultural divides. She highlights the significance of empathy, recalling a mediation involving a landlord and an immigrant tenant where misunderstanding stemmed from differing needs rather than intentions.

Tristan, a consulting arborist and landscape architect, entered CoRE™ to enhance her conflict de-escalation skills. She realized that conflict can serve as an opportunity for deeper understanding and transformation in relationships. Both Carmen and Tristan illustrate that conflict resolution is accessible to all and is essential for fostering empathy and functional communities. They believe that the ability to listen and connect across differences is crucial for the future, making conflict resolution a vital skill for everyone, not just professionals.