Newsletter: December 2025
- Cultures Connecting
- 13 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Cultures Connecting End of Year Wrap Up for 2025
Can you believe 2025 is already coming to a close? It's been a tumultuous year for many of us as we've experienced attacks on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, harm to our communities, and the dismantling of rights. It's a lot to take in so for our very last newsletter issue for the year (there will only be one in December), we wanted to share how we've been managing through all of this, as well as highlights of 2025. It's important that we do our best to balance our highs and lows so that we have the energy to keep going and doing our part to make a positive impact on our world.
Below are brief excerpts of what we shared in no particular order. You can read our complete answers on our blog, along with pictures, by clicking on the button at the bottom!
Ilsa Govan
This year involved a lot of personal and political upheaval, loss, changes, and through it all, joyful activities...I’m now solidly in the middle of the Leadership for Learning doctoral program at UW...and the additional workload is both exhausting and inspiring. Personal highlights included riding my bike twice from Seattle to Bellingham...
Richard Kim
This past year has been full of emotion, connection, and inspiration. At the beginning of the year, when the backlash against DEIB was increasing, I was grateful to be part of a team that gathered a community of likeminded folks...A few moments stand out from this past year. I was proud of our Cultures Connecting team...
J.P. Anderson
Anxiety and overwhelm have been experienced by many of us, including myself. So, I took steps to remind myself of what is actually within my control and what is not...Among the highlights of this year were presenting at the Bridge Conference...Another highlight was joining University of Washington’s American Ethnic Studies department...
Caprice Hollins
This year invited me to slow down, breathe deeply, and be intentional about caring for my mental health. I prioritized rest, set firmer boundaries around my time, and leaned into practices that grounded me...Amid the challenges, there were bright personal highlights that brought deep joy...
Judy Lee
This past year has been challenging with both our political climate and in my personal life so I really leaned into what brings me joy—my arts community. When times are tough, I find that being part of and supporting my community helps me feel like I'm part of something bigger than myself. This helps to ground and energize me when I'm feeling drained...
Train the Trainer Workshop is Coming Up!
Our Train the Trainer workshop, facilitated by Dr. Caprice Hollins and Ilsa Govan, will take place on January 14-16 from 8:30-12:00pm PT / 11:30-3:00pm ET.
The skills developed in this three-day intensive are valuable for individuals who want to further equity work in their communities. Organizations committed to instituting systemic change will benefit by sending a small group of employees who become internal trainers that can provide on-going professional development for staff.
Participants will...
Gain tips for creating a welcoming environment.
Learn ways to establish credibility and build relationships with participants.
Identify your own triggers and learn strategies to engage people when they are triggered.
Develop skills for handling common pitfalls and resistance.
Improve your ability to address cultural tensions and conflict.
Notice and address common expressions of white privilege in workshop dynamics.
January will come sooner than we think so be sure to register today!
A Resting Place: Where Grief, Culture, and Community Meet with Derek Dizon
In the heart of Seattle’s Chinatown–International District, A Resting Place offers something rare—a culturally rooted sanctuary for grief. Founded by community organizer and grief worker Derek Dizon, the center serves as a “grief and loss cultural resource center,” a place where people can connect with others, honor their ancestors, and themselves.
Unlike traditional support centers, A Resting Place is intentionally multicultural. Grief is not treated as a universal, one-size-fits-all experience but as something deeply shaped by culture. Derek describes a “symbiotic relationship” between grief and culture—each informing, challenging, and transforming the other.
A Resting Place is more than a physical site, it is a communal act of care. Every person who walks through the door shapes the space with their stories, languages, rituals, and grief. "Our interconnections, our community, are what keep us safe,” Derek says. “Grief isn’t something we survive alone. We survive through friendship, through culture, through each other.” At A Resting Place, grief is not rushed, hidden, or pathologized. It is honored. It is witnessed. It is shared. And for many, just as it is for Derek, it becomes a path back to themselves.
A Resting Place began as a labor of love and was sustained through GoFundMe and out of Derek’s own pocket during its first year. Now in its second year, the center is fiscally sponsored by Shunpike, allowing donations to be tax-deductible. They are currently running a fundraiser through December 31st in the hopes to fund essentials such as rent, programming, supplies, and stipends, tea, snacks, printed resources—everything that makes the space feel welcoming. Consider donating here to help them reach their goal and read the full interview by clicking the button below.
Culturally Responsive Practices for Black Students with Delbert Richardson Part 4
In part 4 of Ilsa Govan's conversation with Delbert Richardson of The Unspoken Truths Traveling Museum, Mr. Richardson talks about the different ways he cultivates belonging when engaging with students.
This is the final part of this conversation and parts 1-3 can be found on our blog here.
Ways to Take Action for Change
Blackout Spending at Large Corporations
Black Voters Matter, among other organizations, are urging people to avoid buying from major corporations between Thanksgiving and December 5th. SURJ is recommending you boycott Home Depot, Target, and Amazon during this period. They recommend that you redirect spending instead to Black-owned and community-rooted small businesses.
Sign this Petition and Consider Opting out of Spotify
Spotify has been airing ICE recruitment ads using inflammatory and dehumanizing language. You can sign this petition to tell them to stop running these ads. Amidst the backlash, some are opting to switch from Spotify to qobuz, a music app that compensates musicians more fairly (Spotify is notorious for severely undercompensating musicians).
It's a new month which means taking a look at our Diversity Calendar to look at significant dates to consider when planning meetings or events to create greater inclusion. Click on the name of the day to learn more.
12/08: Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Catholic)
12/08: Bodhi Day (Rohatsu) (Buddhist)
12/12: Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mexican Catholic)
12/14-22: Hanukkah (Chanukah) (Jewish)
12/16-24: Simbang Gabi (Filipino Catholic)
12/21: Yaldā Night (Persian)
12/21: Winter Solstice/Yule (Neo-Pagan)
12/26-01/01: Kwanzaa (African American)
If you'd like to add our Diversity Calendar dates to your Google calendar, you can add it using this link.
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!
12/02: NAMI BIPOC Support Group
12/04: NAMI LGBTQ+ Support Group
12/05: Introduction to Popular Education
12/05: Facilitating Challenging Discussions: Managing Ourselves
12/08: Institute for Common Power Banned Book Club
12/08: People's Institute Northwest Organizing Meeting
12/18: Race Forward: Building for Racial Equity Foundations
12/19: SURJ Abolition Action Hour
12/19: Duwamish Longhouse December Art Market
...and so much more! Visit our Events Calendar to see the most up-to-date full schedule.
*Cultures Connecting workshop.
