Brownstone Midwest Supper Club, June 15, 2026: Mark Fraley

Brownstone Institute Indiana Supper Club

June 15, 2026:  Mark Fraley

Monday June 15 @ 6:30pm – 9:30pm

Lennie’s Restaurant, 514 E. Kirkwood Ave, Bloomington, IN
6:30pm – 9:30pm
$55 per person includes a buffet dinner, wine, beer and soft drinks.

Please join us for an evening of warm community, lively conversation and great food & drink. This month we are pleased to welcome Mark Fraley, Associate Director of the Political and Civic Engagement (PACE) Program at Indiana University Bloomington. He’ll give a talk titled “On Misunderstanding and Being Misunderstood”.

About Mark Fraley 

Mark Fraley works at the intersection of contemplative practice and democratic deliberation. As Associate Director of the Political and Civic Engagement (PACE) Program at Indiana University Bloomington, he designs and facilitates programming around civic dialogue, viewpoint diversity, and democratic engagement. He co-founded IU’s Heterodox Academy campus community and chairs the IU Votes initiative. His practice draws on contemplative training as well as the tradition of structured public deliberation, and he brings both to bear on the challenge of genuine cross-ideological understanding.

About the Talk

We like to think we engage with ideas on their merits. In practice, we’re remarkably quick to reach for a label, and once the label lands, the conversation is over before it begins. This talk explores how pre-established frames shape the way we receive unfamiliar ideas, and how that dynamic produces a particular kind of isolation: the experience of speaking and not being heard.

Drawing on contemplative traditions and deliberative frameworks, Mark Fraley offers a framework for sitting with that discomfort rather than resolving it prematurely, and for approaching genuine disagreement with something closer to curiosity than defense.

Venue & Details

Lennie’s is a beloved Bloomington institution known for its warm atmosphere, exceptional cuisine, and craft beer selection. For over 30 years, Lennie’s has been bringing people together over delicious food and drink in a setting perfect for meaningful conversation.

Location & Parking

Lennie’s is located at 514 E. Kirkwood Ave in the heart of downtown Bloomington, Indiana. Free parking is available after 5PM in the Indiana University Von Lee Parking Lot at the corner of Sixth and Dunn, and in the Indiana University Parking Lot #402 at 4th and Dunn. There is also metered parking (metered until 9PM) available on streets surrounding Kirkwood Avenue. Several parking garages are within walking distance.

Ticket Information

$55 per person includes a tasty buffet dinner and drinks. Space is limited so secure your spot now!

Accommodations

Excellent hotels within walking distance of Lennie’s:

Grant Street Inn – A historic charming local inn

Graduate Bloomington – A boutique hotel celebrating Indiana University’s heritage

For more information contact Joni McGary at [email protected]. Please include “supper club” in the subject line.