On Tuesday November 19th, 2002 Michael Millard and Patricia Rosas were interviewed by Guy Atchley on KGUN, Tucson's ABC affiliate news, just before the 5 PM news show. Michael reports "3 minutes wasn't a lot of time and Trish and I pored over exactly what we wanted to say to gain the most interest. Trish did a fantastic job!" Michael and Trish also win the prize for being the first to get publicity for our upcoming Conversation Week in January!

How they got started: Michael and Trish knew each other from a Simplicity Circle. When they heard Vicki Robin interviewed on Talk of the Nation, they decided to start a Conversation Café to go beyond the Simplicity Circle format. The first Tucson Conversation Café started at the Rincon Market on May 9, 2002. Their attendence has been incredible, with At the end of August, when they got a full 1-page (with photo) spread in the Arizona Daily Star, they had a
record of attendance of around 30 people. For the next 3 or 4 meetings, they consistently had around 25, but now it has settled down now to 12-18 attendees per event.

Topics have included consumerism (materialism, advertising, waste), education (funding, societal effects, new trends), corporations and food (fast food chains, corporate farms vs family farms, organic/Free Trade products) "my patriotism," and spirituality. Trish notes that when the topic of spirituality came up, "interestingly several of us (me included) came to the discussion feeling that we did not have a lot to contribute. However, we soon noticed ideas and questions popping into our heads!"

Trish sent in this enthusiastic excerpt from an e-mail by one of her cafe attendees: "I do intend to keep coming -- it's a very good group and the quality of conversation is very high, comparable to the best parties or gatherings I've been at over the years. (And I've been to some really remarkable gatherings.)"

And it just keeps growing: Just a month later, on October 6, 2002, 6 months after the 1st, Trish and Michael helped Elizabeth and Virginia spin off a new Conversation Café at the Cottage Bakery on Tucson's East Side. The topic was "What Is Friendship?", and it too is experiencing very strong attendence.

Here is some more information on the Tucson Conversation Cafés (always check the online calendars for the latest, best information):

Rincon Market
2513 E. 6th St. (at corner with Tucson Blvd.)
2nd and 4th Thursdays, 7:30-9:00 p.m.
Contact: Mike Millard, (520) 325-4675, [email protected]
or Trish Rosas, (520) 795-0749, [email protected]

Cottage Bakery
800 N. Kolb
1st and 3rd Tuesdays, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m
Contact: Elizabeth Davidson, [email protected] or her cell, (520) 907.5958.