Holding Space for Hard Topics

In that spirit, against the social and political backdrop of early 2020, Turner created a forum called Courageous Conversations, a virtual space in which members of our community can engage openly on challenging topics, make connections, and get to know each other in new and important ways.

“During the George Floyd protests, which was also that first and most isolated part of the pandemic, we really needed a way to connect and build solidarity,” said Bianca Johnson, director of Community & Citizenship for our offices in Northern California. “We were all struggling in our own ways with everything that was going on and we couldn’t—and didn’t want to—leave our thoughts and feelings at home. But we also knew we had to approach these topics with care, and that a little structure might help.”

She emphasized that it isn’t always easy, but that working together to hold the space for authentic, often tough conversations feels almost as important as the conversations themselves. “Creating a space that feels safe and welcoming and comfortable to anyone who wants to dig in and connect is an ongoing process. It can be emotional. Everyone is coming from somewhere else and you don’t always know where. Listening—and really hearing—is the most important thing.”