News & Events

Big Talk for Hallmark Employees: WordTober Theme of Hope

Wed, October 8, 2025

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Big Talk Interactive Event after a Year of Social Distancing

Our first in-person Big Talk event after a year of social distancing! We asked strangers to stop by and skip the small talk to answer: “What do you want to do before you die?” Young children, the elderly, and people from around the world participated. It felt special to connect…

May 17, 2021

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6 Ways You Can Bring Big Talk into Your Life

After a year of limited socializing, you are feeling ready to skip the small talk and reconnect with people. Maybe you have an upcoming work function or family gathering, and you want to make sure it is a meaningful experience. Perhaps you just got your own pack of Big Talk…

May 5, 2021

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Human connection is not immune to repair

What makes you feel most alive? Where do you find peace when times get hard? What are you curious about lately? Who do you need to get in touch with because it’s been too long?  – “Big Talk” moves past small talk to facilitate more meaningful conversations through questions that…

April 28, 2021

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Big Talk Best of 2020

Here are some highlights for Big Talk in 2020! 1. News Features about Big Talk in Forbes (36 Questions to help you Live Longer), LA Times, Voyage LA, and Today.com. 2. Virtual Events for Veteran Rites, Bridges in Tennessee, Twine, IG Live with Justin Jesso and Leigh Miron, Northwestern University,…

December 24, 2020

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Harvard Medical School Makes Big Talk

150 future doctors “made Big Talk,” for Harvard Medical School’s 2020 new student orientation. Last year, students participated in the Big Talk activity in person. However this year, programming was virtual. Students were first played the “Big Talk Before I die…” video. They were then split into breakout groups of…

September 21, 2020

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36 Questions to Help You Live Longer

This article was originally published in Forbes. Check it out! “36 Questions to Help You Live Longer” By Kalina Silverman and Diana Rau 2020 marks the 82nd year that researchers at Harvard University began following 724 college age men as part of the longest running study in history on human…

July 13, 2020

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Download, print, fold, cut, and write in a “make Big Talk with yourself” journal!

A Big Talk journal is a great way to have a deep conversation with yourself and reset your mind. Download here: www.bit.ly/bigtalkjournal  

May 15, 2020

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How to make meaningful social connections while social distancing

My motto during this quarantine and time of encouraging social isolation is inspired by Christopher McCandless’s (Into the Wild) realization after living in social isolation for 114 days: “Happiness is only real when shared.” And as we struggle at home through the anxieties that quarantine life may present us, Anna…

March 27, 2020

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Big Talk for 1000 teenage girls for UN’s International Day of the Girl

On the UN’s “International Day of the Girl, St. Catherine’s School in Richmond, Virginia hosted a special day of celebration for 1000 teenage girls. Kalina was invited to speak about Big Talk and how it can enhance building more open and meaningful relationships both at school and at home. After…

October 19, 2019

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U.S. Embassy Tashkent, Uzbekistan Hosts Kalina for Big Talk Event

6/9/2019 – The US Embassy in Tashkent, Uzbekistan hosted Kalina Silverman to present Big Talk to exchange alumni and local audience members at GroundZero Kitob Olami. Guests learned how to “make Big Talk,” answered Big Talk questions in small groups, shared videos and personal stories out loud, and wrote their…

June 17, 2019

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Big Talk presented to US Senators and House of Representatives on Capitol Hill

In May, Kalina attended Fulbright Ambassador congressional meetings on Capitol Hill in Washington DC to present the Fulbright project “Establishing cross-culture empathy through Big Talk” to senators and representatives. She was able to gift the Senator of Delaware’s office a set of Big Talk cards to use at their staff…

May 31, 2019

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Big Talk “Meetups” held around the world!

Big Talk themed meetups have been held around the world. Check out some of the ones in: Hamburg, Germany Charleston, South Carolina Smyrna, Georgia Perth, Australia

March 12, 2019

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