HomeInspiration

Inspiration

From time to time the League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County invites a speaker to address subjects that inform and inspire us. We invite you to watch these recordings and let us know what you think.

Have Better Conversations in Divisive Times
with Monique Stefens

At the League's fall 2025 member meeting, Monique Stefens offered ways to build bridges in conflict situations. Monique says:

"In this workshop, I encourage each of us to cultivate understanding by increasing compassionate curiosity and decreasing certainty and judgement.

Accordion Widget

More about the presentation

I have attached two documents with illustrations that I drew or demonstrated in the workshop. One is Stefens' Ladder Of Inference and the other is This Is Truth worksheet.

When I reference "flat Stanley" I make a gesture where I become like a cardboard cutout of myself. I invite folks to realize how easy it easy to reduce others to an oversimplified version, a caricature.

There are places in the audio recording where a League member nods or I gesture and I don't mention those for the audio; my apologies where this creates some confusion.

I highly recommend folks watch the Conscious Leadership Group's 4-minute videos that I mention in the audio recording. I invite you to watch one and then take time to truly absorb it before watching the next.

Many of us would benefit from The Haven's Come Alive program that I mention as a way to process backlogged emotions. There are folks who participate in Come Alive every year, simply to reconnect with their core selves through breathwork and allowing emotions to inform, heal, and move through us. I welcome any questions you may have.

I also highly recommend attending a free, online 3Practices Circle. And this is probably a good time to mention I do not get any compensation for recommending any of the resources in this email.

I mentioned the George Saunders quote and am including an excerpted version here:

The anxiety of living makes us want to judge, be sure, have a stance, definitively decide. Having a fixed, rigid system of belief can be a great relief.

I think, therefore I am wrong, after which I speak, and my wrongness falls on someone also thinking wrongly, and then there are two of us thinking wrongly, and, being human, we can’t bear to think without taking action, which, having been taken, makes things worse.

“Am I sure? Is it really so? Is my preexisting opinion causing me to omit anything?” Reconsideration is hard; it takes courage. We have to deny ourselves the comfort of always being the same person, one who arrived at an answer some time ago and has never had any reason to doubt it. In other words, we have to stay open… continually, ritually doubt all conclusions. It’s all right to reconsider. It’s noble — holy, even.

Listen >

To prepare for the meeting, Monique suggests listening to these very short audio files:

Accordion Widget

More about Monique

Monique is a coach and facilitator who guides individuals and organizations to be more effective in conflict resolution and communication to foster meaningful engagement. Her specialty is in deepening an understanding of and connection to shared humanity to foster belonging.

Monique has a Bachelor’s in Psychology and Master’s in Adult & Higher Education, both from Western Washington University. She has also completed courses in NonViolent Communication, Facilitator Training through Excellence Northwest, and Coach Leadership Training through Conscious Leadership Group. She has lived in Bellingham, Washington since 1989 and has been involved with many local educational and non-profit organizations.
Contact Monique at: moniquestefens@gmail.com

Shadows of McCarthyism

It might seem like dire times, but we survived McCarthyism. Is there hope for the future? Daniel S. Chard, Western Washington University assistant professor of history, speaks at the League of Women Voters of Bellingham-Whatcom County annual member meeting on June 28, 2025.

Please note: We apologize for the poor visual quality, but the audio is clear and easy to follow.

Defending Democracy in Politicized Times

Dr. Catherine Wineinger, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Western Washington University presents “Defending Democracy in Politicized Times” at the LWVBWC 2023 Annual Meeting. In this talk she addresses political polarization in the United States past and present, why this polarization is a threat to democracy, and what local organizations like the League of Women Voters can do to help uphold democracy.

One of Cathy's suggestions is to support labor unions and organizing. She believes labor unions are one of the antidotes to threats to democracy because they address income inequality, and research has shown that they reduce racial resentment among white workers.

Do you think the League should be more involved with labor organizing? Let us know.

Stephen Gockley Advocates Advocacy

Stephen Gockley is a retired civil legal aid lawyer. Beyond individual client advocacy, Stephen sought to broaden the impact of his work by expanding the public awareness of poverty and its effects, by changing governmental and organizational policies, and by building community collaborations and partnerships.

Stephen says, "I think what I have been encouraging this morning is for our chapter to be nimble and creative in response to changes in local needs, to expand its range of activities to include a strong advocacy component, to ask a bit more from members in that regard, and to tailor its advocacy efforts to various situations we might take advantage of." Do you think we need to advocate more strongly? Let us know.

For a transcription of his remarks, click here.

Inspiration

Have Better Conversations in Divisive Times with Monique Stefens

Shadows of McCarthyism

Defending Democracy in Politicized Times

Stephen Gockley Advocates Advocacy

Have Better Conversations in Divisive Times
with Monique Stefens