Democracy & Belonging Forum free monthly offerings

The below and more member-led virtual meetups to explore issues and topics of democracy, belonging, and building connection & community can be accessed by joining the Forum. Learn more and join this network of leaders here: Democracy & Belonging Forum 

Processing Politics, a series co-facilitated by Sarah Crowell and Evan Yoshimoto
Monthly virtual series where Forum members can make sense of—and collectively process—ongoing political developments through a bridging and belonging lens. 

What to expect: Each session will include a blend of mindfulness practices, somatic exercises, and guided reflections to help participants navigate and process complex emotions surrounding current political events. Together, we will explore how to engage with politics in a way that fosters understanding, connection, and emotional well-being. For more information, contact the Forum's Head of Community, Evan Yoshimoto. If you’re not a Forum member yet and are interested in joining, apply to become a member here.

Bridgers' Roundtable: Strategies for Peace in Divided Societies
Bi-monthly virtual meetups to exchange insights on depolarization and facilitate dialogue, while sharing experiences in bridging divides. The series brings together bridgers from the Democracy & Belonging Forum with peacebuilders from WASL for exchange around conflict transformation, peacebuilding, and engaging across lines of difference in highly polarized contexts. In each session, a peacebuilder and bridger from each network will offer catalyzing remarks on a shared challenge to spark discussion among session participants, sharing reflections on their unique contexts and experiences. The goals of this series include collective learning, strategy exchange, and strengthening collective efforts toward peace, equity, and belonging worldwide.

Making Sense Of... 
Monthly virtual series of sensemaking sessions with experts and practitioners to deepen our collective understanding of unfolding events and explore the implications for strategy, alignment, and action. Each session will include a short presentation by a leading expert and/or practitioner on the topic, followed by a collective discussion of events we are trying to make sense of and piece together.

Brewed Connections: 
Monthly series of informal coffee chats where Forum members are randomly paired to learn about one another’s work. Each month, members will be paired randomly with another Forum member, providing an opportunity to connect on a personal level and explore the themes of democracy, belonging, and bridging. These conversations are a chance to reflect, share stories, and build meaningful relationships that strengthen our shared commitment to bridging and belonging without othering.