Newsletter: June 2026 Issue 2
- Cultures Connecting
- Jun 15
- 4 min read
Updated: 2 hours ago
Train the Trainer in Three Ways + Book Pre-sale!
We have so much exciting news to share! First, the 2nd edition of our Train the Trainer book, Facilitating Conversations on Race, is now available for pre-order! It's been 11 years since our first edition came out in 2015 and we've added lots of new and updated content on topics such as virtual facilitation, accessibility, and using anchors. You can pre-order your copy today at Bookshop to support indie booksellers, as well as at our publisher's site, Bloomsbury or Amazon.
Our second announcement is that in celebration of our book release, we are offering our Train the Trainer workshop in three different ways! Drawing from more than two decades of facilitation experience, participants will learn practical strategies for engaging resistance, navigating tension, and facilitating meaningful conversations about race.
We're offering an in-person option (which we haven't had since Covid), as well as a virtual workshop, and Lunch & Learns. This way, you'll be able to pick an option that works best for you!
In-Person on August 13 & 14 at 9:00-4:00pm PT with an optiona bonus virtual session on August 28 at 9:00-11:00am. Book is included.
Virtual on October 7, 8, 9 at 9:00-12:30pm PT. You must purchase your own book.
Virtual Lunch & Learns on November 3, 10, 17, 24 at 12:30-1:30pm PT. You must purchase your own book. Attend however many sessions you'd like!
If you register for our in-person workshop by July 31st, you'll get $50 off with code EARLYBIRD-50. There's no need to pre-order the book for this since you will receive a copy at this workshop. Currently, registration is available for this event only by clicking on the button below. The virtual options will be made available in a later issue of our newsletter.
Celebrate Juneteenth
Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19th, marks the day in 1865 when Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas and announced to enslaved people that they were free more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had legally abolished slavery on January 1, 1863. The news of freedom reached different communities at different times, and some enslavers deliberately withheld the announcement even after that date.
June 19th has become the widely accepted symbol of emancipation's end because it represents the last major public declaration of freedom in the South. Commemorating Juneteenth is an opportunity for all people to reflect on the enduring legacy of slavery, acknowledge ongoing struggles for racial equity, and celebrate the richness of Black heritage and community. Whether through education, art, music, or community gatherings, observing Juneteenth is a meaningful step toward a more just and inclusive society.
Want to learn about some interesting facts about Juneteenth? Visit The Unspoken Truths newsletter to find out. To find Juneteenth celebrations and other social justice events happening near you, visit our DEIB/Social Justice calendar for a full listing of celebrations and community gatherings across the Puget Sound area so that we can honor our history together.
Trans Pride Seattle Annual Festival
Trans Pride Seattle is a free annual festival celebrating Trans life and community across the Pacific Northwest and beyond! A love letter to Trans people everywhere, TPS increases the strength of the TwoSpirit, Trans, & Gender Diverse (2STGD) community and our allies through increased visibility, connection, love, and the celebration of our lives.
Everyone who supports and affirms Trans life is invited to enjoy our stage show featuring a lineup of all-Trans talent and our tabling fair featuring 100+ Trans-led and affirming orgs, community groups, artists, and services; and to find and bask in community among the thousands of attendees who gather to celebrate, to resist, and to show that Trans people aren't going anywhere.
Produced by Gender Justice League in collaboration with many incredible volunteers, sponsors, and community donors who help make this event possible every year since 2013!
Friday, June 26, 2026
Volunteer Park Amphitheater
5:00-10:00pm • masks expected
Learn more by visiting the Trans Pride event website.
Ways to Take Action for Change
Support Community and Volunteer for Black Farmers Collective One of the ways we can promote social justice is to volunteer with nonprofit organizations doing important work in our community. The Black Farmers Collective (BFC), whose mission is build a Black-led food system for liberation through food sovereignty, is holding volunteer days this summer on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays from now until October 24th at YES FARM located on 721 Yesler Way. You can learn more by visiting their online calendar. And if you missed our interview with one of BFC's co-founders Ray Williams, check it out on our blog to learn about BFC's origins, mission, and vision for the future.
Upcoming DEIB/Social Justice Events
For details on these and other events, workshops and conferences happening in the social justice space, visit our Events Calendar. If you have an event you would like us to share, please reach out to us!
6/16: SURJ Block by Block - Returner Phone Banks
6/16: NAMI BIPOC Support Group
6/17: Anima Café: The State of Psychological Safety and Inclusion at Work
6/17: Navigating Workplace Uncertainties: Let’s Recommit to Practicing Inclusion
6/17: Celebrate Juneteenth in Kenmore
6/18: Men's Work Workshop
6/18: SURJ Abolition Action Hour
6/18: 2026 Juneteenth Commemoration Tacoma
6/19: NAMI LGBTQ+ Support Group
6/19: Juneteenth: Honoring Black Economic Freedom
6/19: NAAM: Juneteenth Celebration
6/19: Resistance Fridays at Common Power
6/19: Juneteenth at the Park
6/20: Kent Juneteenth Celebration
6/20: PSARA Juneteenth Celebration
6/21: City of Auburn Juneteenth Celebration
6/20: Riff Raff League for Political Action
6/23: Zinn Education Project: Teaching for Black Lives Study Group
6/26: Trans Pride Seattle Annual Festival
6/28: Seattle Pride Parade
6/30: Race Forward: Power Building for Racial Equity
...and so much more! Visit our Events Calendar to see the most up-to-date full schedule.
*Cultures Connecting workshop.
