The Coffee Hour with SIETAR USA on October 1st, expertly facilitated by Julia Gaspar Bates and Sue Shinomiya gathered a global group of 32 individuals. People signed in from Germany, Poland, France, Mexico, Canada, throughout the United States and additional countries. The format was taken from listening circles and the theme for this Coffee Hour was “Am I really listening? Turbulent times that test our intercultural skillset and mindset.”

Participants in this informal virtual coffee hour leaned into building a community where we prioritized listening for understanding, empathy, and connection while fostering psychological safety.  It was suggested that in addition to being a safe place, that we created a brave place as well. The session was characterized by personal stories, quiet pauses, and insights into the experiences of some of the individuals who joined. 

The word cloud below captures what people took away from the experience. The key words hope, community, and resilience were mentioned most often. We are encouraged to do another Coffee Hour Listening Circle so watch for the announcement.