There is much difficulty in addressing racism from within academia, given the reality that academic institutions are overwhelmingly white-dominant. So, how does one talk about race in the absence of people of colour? RACE TALKS--Uniting to Break the Chains of Racism, is a Portland, Oregon-based community dialogue group that has been hosting monthly dialogue forums since 2011. This unique forum affords complete strangers an opportunity to connect intimately, by engaging in meaningful conversations about race. Portland faces a similar problem to academia--it is a white-dominant city. RACE TALKS affirms that you cannot engage in a meaningful discussion about race with another party without first establishing some foundation of connection and trust. The first step to having an open dialogue about race is to have the courage to talk about race and admit, “I don’t know what I don’t know” (Singleton, 2015). “Having courageous conversations serves as a strategy for deinstitutionalizing racism” (Singleton, 2015, p.26). Establishing an initial relationship is essential to engaging in race dialogue be it within the community you work or live. Intergroup dialogue can influence higher understanding between diverse perspectives, generate public engagement, and create a space for constructive conflict. Here, participants will build confidence to establish commonality as a strategy to cultivate foundational relationships, practice interruptions, and utilize micro/macro aggressions as an opportunity to build relationships. These engaging and interactive activities will positively benefit ALL participants through thoughtful reflection, sincere dialogue, a commitment to mutual respect, and building community among diverse groups.