Iowans are taught to listen politely and let others speak, but a University of Iowa researcher has found that connection and empathy may actually grow faster when listeners think about themselves and talk back.

Why it matters: Storytelling is often used as a way to build empathy through lectures and TED Talks, but that may not be the most effective model, says JJ Kapur, an Iowa doctoral student studying psychology.

How it started: Kapur grew up in West Des Moines after 9/11 as one of the only Sikh kids wearing a turban in his school.

• To help other kids understand his son, Kapur's father visited his classroom each year for "Turban Time," tied turbans on classmates, and encouraged kids to ask JJ questions.
• Years later, as an adult, Kapur noticed that colleges still relied on the same traditional model of bringing in guest speakers, but he wondered if another format could work better.

State of play: Kapur partnered with Des Moines nonprofit CultureALL, whose Open Book program encourages speakers to share a personal story, but after the storyteller shares, they ask the audience to relate about their own lives, too.

• Kapur took this idea and designed a controlled study at Grand View University and split students into two groups: a group that attended a traditional TED Talk-style storytelling session, and a group that participated in Open Book's "reciprocal storytelling" format.

The result: Both groups became more empathetic over time, but the Open Book group gained immediate empathy that was retained two weeks later.

• And while the traditional group remembered biographical facts about the speaker, the Open Book group remembered how the story made them feel, building a relationship with the storyteller.

What they're saying: Kapur argues that traditional storytelling leaves our fast-driven brain in charge, which defaults to stereotypes and biases.

• Meanwhile, dialogue slows us down into more reflective thinking, where connection becomes possible.

What's next: Kapur wants to bring the model to rural communities and expand Open Book programming into higher education.

JJ Kapur suggests the following ways you can improve your ability to empathize in your own life:

1. Look inward before reaching outward. Before asking someone who is different from you about their culture or background, ask yourself how you see yourself in their story, which can help level the playing field.

2. Flip the Q&A. When someone shares an experience different from your own, resist the impulse to only ask them questions. Offer a piece of your own story that connects.

3. Check readiness — yours and theirs. Empathy requires psychological safety. Before diving into charged topics, notice your own emotional state and read the other person's cues. Is this a moment when both of you can actually be present? If not, the conversation can wait.

"Farm policy has basically rewarded the large-scale farming operations, but we've sacrificed smaller-scale farming operations, and that has had a direct impact on communities."

World Food Prize Foundation CEO Tom Vilsack says U.S. agricultural policies are geared toward supporting larger farms, and that has contributed to Iowa's current nitrate and fertilizer problems.

• He also said he's concerned about adding more regulations on farmers to address water nitrate levels, noting family-owned farms are already financially struggling in Iowa.
• Instead, he advocates for strategies like converting manure into a commodity product like methane.

The big picture: He spoke yesterday at the Des Moines Heritage Center during Axios' event, "Farms, Communities and the Future of Rural America."

What's next: We'll have our full conversation available to watch next week.

Friday

🎆 Iowa Cubs Game | Watch the Cubs take on Omaha, then stick around for a fireworks show. | 7:08pm | Principal Park | Tickets: $12

Saturday

🌱 Seedling Transplant Workshop | Learn how to transplant seedlings, get hands-on gardening experience, and take home plants to grow or swap later this spring, hosted by Nine Square Feet. | 10am–12pm | 1016 8th St., WDM | Free!

🎨 Social Saturday: Plot Twist! | Enjoy crafts, performances, guided tours, and interactive art activities throughout the museum during this all-ages creative day. | 11am–2pm | Des Moines Art Center | Free!

• 🎭 "The Fall" Live Performance + Film Screening | At Social Saturday, experience a live performance by Simone Harris, who portrays Lady Blake Ophelia Stratum while honoring the legacy of Jamaican freedom fighter Queen Nanny. | 1:30pm | Free!

Sunday

🛍️ Spring Into Handmade Market | Shop local makers, sip drinks, and explore handmade goods across multiple downtown breweries during this spring pop-up market. | 1–6pm | Big Grove, Lua and Exile | Free!

🏛️ There's nothing our publisher Nicholas Johnston loves more than a good state Capitol, and when he was in town recently for our event, he realized he'd never been to the Iowa statehouse despite many visits to Des Moines.

Here are his thoughts:

• A+ interior. Excellent lighting and very nice and warm color scheme inside. Like being on the Great Plains in the fall.
• Big fan of the Civil War commemorations, including the Grand Army of the Republic flag in the rotunda ☝️.
• The Lincoln and Tad statue on the grounds is also great, with a good backstory.

What he's saying: "Easily the nicest and chattiest staff of any of the 18 state Capitols I've visited — and state Capitol employees are by natural disposition already very nice and chatty.

• Like most Capitols, very easy to walk in and wander around at your own pace."

The bottom line: "A great exemplar of the genre. Well done, Iowa!"