Twenty people gathered on a beautiful evening in Skagit County. They gathered as the LGT Skagit Council to offer feedback and vision for Let’s Go Together in Skagit County.
These twenty people represented many, but not all of the groups in Skagit County: people of diverse wisdom traditions, cultures, life circumstances, and identities.
After 1.5 hours of meeting, we shared cake and berries. People stayed on for another hour, deepening their relationships, setting up coffee dates, and talking about how their organizations and groups could know and support each other.
A pastor told me how she and and a member of the Muslim community met at McDonald’s in Mount Vernon: a pastor with a collar and a Muslim with kufi, out in public together.
Council members said about the first six months of Let’s Go Together:
- Everyone was deeply heard thanks to thoughtful prompts for group conversations.
- How much joy they’d felt and witnessed.
- How hopeful it was to see all these people from different groups coming together.
- People’s courage to share some of their pain caused by interactions in Skagit Valley.
- The events were well organized by PTU staff.
We also discussed
- People and groups we want to include next year;
- Ways to make the events more inviting;
- How to handle security and other safety issues.
We discussed ways to build a model of funding that can sustain this kind of work in Skagit county. This would include contributions by LGT partner organizations, applying for local grants, and raising individual donations.
Lastly, everyone was enthusiastic about PTU’s plans to start a youth engagement program in Skagit County!
It was a night to celebrate the now and to envision what comes next. I am so grateful to be a part of this, and grateful to PTU’s community of partners and donors for making it possible!
LGT Skagit council members gathered to envision the next six months of partnership building.