LISTENING IN TIMES OF DIVISION
At VISIONS, we believe that our feelings, even the hard ones, are not obstacles, but messengers. They tell us when something isn’t right, when we long for connection, when our values are calling us to act.
In today’s climate of polarization, fear, and uncertainty, it can feel tempting to retreat into silence or to stay only with those who think like us. AND, real transformation begins with coming together and listening, especially across lines of difference. It is how we build the trust and relationships that make change possible.
For over 40 years, VISIONS has equipped individuals, organizations, and communities to do just that: to step into discomfort, to hear one another fully, and to move from division toward repair and hope. In moments like this, these tools are not optional — they are essential.
We also need your partnership to sustain it. VISIONS is navigating real financial challenges at the same time that our tools are in highest demand.
This season, we invite you to take part in this work:
- Engage with us — bring a workshop or training to your community or workplace.
- Join our programs — explore our various offerings, including our Leadership Institute and other learning opportunities.
- Support the mission — make a gift that allows us to keep bridging divides when it is needed most.
Together, we can remind one another that coming together and listening works, and that compassion and courage can carry us through even the hardest times.
In community,
Elika
From VP Admin
Thank you for joining our VISIONS Membership Circle. We are so thankful for your support of the work that we do. In September, we held our first introduction Circle, facilitated by Dr. Jeanne Firth, Deputy Senior Director of Consulting and Partnerships at VISIONS. We value the participation and input as our goal is to make this “our space” together.
Amy Baker, Operations Director at VISIONS, has created a membership virtual space that includes articles, information, video and much more so you can engage with the work and be “in the know” of upcoming events. If you need help accessing your membership portal, please reach out to office@visions-inc.org
If you are enjoying some of the benefits of your membership, please share with others that you think may be interested. Ask them to join! Our hope is to widen our circle of those who believe that together we can make an impact and a difference. And if they can’t join, they can support the work by making an impactful donation.
VISIONS appreciates your support and your willingness to belong to a community that is trying to do good by helping our fellow citizens understand that there is good in us all. Especially when we come together.
Thank you.
From Senior Director of Consulting and Programs
We are excited to launch the initial phase of the Transformational Leadership Program (part of our Learning Institute). Longtime facilitators Dr. Michelle Holmes and Stella Panzarella are the main facilitators for this important program that will utilize the VISIONS framework to enhance the individual and organizational work of the participants as they integrate it into their already existing skills and practice. The success of this year's pilot will pave the way for subsequent program cohorts in the coming years to expand the VISIONS impact in the larger community of inclusive practitioners.
Dr. Rick Pinderhughes, Senior Director of Consulting and Programs at VISIONS, provided a presentation at Harvard’s Channing Division of Network Medicine related to Emotional Literacy and Navigating Uncertainty in the Workplace. This presentation was well-received and speaks to the collective need for many organizations and groups to experience our Emotional Literacy model Feelings As Messengers (FAM) and its relationship to internal organizational changes that have taken place, about to occur, as well as other challenges connected to the external political climate. The Bridges Model of Change and Transition easily integrates with FAM to produce a powerful collaborative multi-faceted multicultural tool that addresses emotions related to change-related challenges that impact workplace morale, culture and productivity. There are many organizations/institutions in need of VISIONS’ work, and in particular, this perspective.
Transformational Leadership has become a certified educational training program through the United Nations' University of Peace (UPEACE)’s Centre for Executive Education! Participant applications are IN for the pilot program beginning this September. Learn about this powerful leadership cohort, become a sponsor (email us for the sponsor packet), or reach out with any questions to institute@visions-inc.org.
From Senior Deputy Director of Consulting and Partnerships, Dr. Jeanne Firth
Circle Membership Community Circle – September 24, 2025
I had the honor to lead the very first Community Circle for Circle Membership members took place on September 24, 2025. It was a wonderful session! We had a thoughtful check-in and an engaging conversation about what members hope to explore together in future circles. We did a cultural sharing activity – exploring “what's something about your cultural background others wouldn't necessarily know just upon meeting you/seeing you?” And spent time with “FAM” -feelings as messengers – asking “where are you right now and what are the messages connected with how you are feeling?” I truly enjoyed hosting this inaugural gathering and look forward to many more meaningful discussions ahead. Our next meeting is planned for March, so please join us then.
I’m excited to share these comments from one our new members who joined for the September Community Circle-
Why did you join the Membership Circle?
I was first exposed to VISIONS at my workplace (a health department in California) and it was one of the first times I was given language to talk about patterns I had seen. Over 20 years, I’ve been exposed to so many different trainings and models and yet I keep coming back to VISIONS. I can still hear the voice of the facilitators in my head; I remember things they said all these years later. I wasn’t ready then to truly digest everything. Now I’m ready and I want to go even deeper.
I can’t believe our first Membership Circle gathering was less than an hour–I had so many learnings and re-learnings! I learned a lot about myself.
I love that this is a national and even international group. It’s so important to hear what issues people are facing all over– all the overlap, similarities and differences.
We'd love to keep growing our MEMBERSHIP CIRCLE. If there is someone you think would benefit from being a part of this community, please share our membership page with them!
In the News: VISIONS' Executive Director, Elika, Weighs In
We’re proud to share recent media highlights featuring insights and quotes from our Executive Director.
- When Schools Try to Erase Diversity, Parents Have To Make It Part Of The Curriculum
- Generations argue over who has endured the most tech changes, from flip phones to AI: ‘No wonder Baby Boomers get so cranky’
- Survey finds most teachers down on ‘equitable grading’
- Foster Youth And Mentorship: Finding Stability In School Life
- Digital Workplace Tech Priorities Narrow as Budgets Tighten
- Debate Rages Between Generations Over Whose Experience Sparked Viral Idea
- Do you have time blindness?
- When Schools Try to Erase Diversity, Parents Have To Make It Part Of The Curriculum
- How women over 50 are redefining solo travel through culture connection and purpose
- Construction Warning Issued After Foreign-Born Population Plummets
- Mentorship Helps Foster Youth Find Stability In School Life
FROM PROGRAMS
Listening Works
In a recent video, Senator Bernie Sanders visited deep Trump country in West Virginia, seeking to understand and connect with people whose lives are far removed from his own. Whether or not one agrees with his politics, the story shows the power of listening across differences.
At VISIONS, we know that true connection doesn’t start with debates and winning arguments; it starts with listening. Our approach, honed over 40+ years, helps individuals and organizations step into challenging spaces, hear one another fully, and find common ground. Especially in today’s climate of fear and division, this kind of listening isn’t optional. It’s the work that makes change possible.
Join us in this work: explore our upcoming programs, invite us to partner with your organization, or support VISIONS with a gift today:
Upcoming Programs
PACE Level I is the foundational workshop offered by VISIONS. When you complete this virtual course, we believe you will have the skills necessary to:
- Identify unconsciously held misinformation in yourself, in others, and in organizations.
- Communicate more effectively across difference.
- Recognize personal, interpersonal, institutional, and cultural barriers to belonging.
- Understand the ongoing personal effects of historical and contemporary exclusion.
- Facilitate change in groups and organizations to create supportive environments for all.
- Per person cost: $1,150.00 (A Supporter Rate of $1,250.00 is also available).
- If you need support on the course fees, please email us at office@visions-inc.org.
Upcoming Dates:
October 29
January 28
March 25
May 27
June 24
Are you looking for ways to strengthen and deepen your relationships? Would you like to enhance your communication skills and promote successful outcomes in a variety of settings? Join our virtual transformative workshop, where you’ll learn VISIONS Guidelines for Effective Cross-Cultural Dialogue.
- Develop practical communications skills that you can apply every day, both at work and in your personal life.
- Strengthen your ability to communicate with people from different backgrounds, identities, and experiences.
- Foster a culture of inclusivity and respect within your organization.
VISIONS has been teaching these guidelines to individuals, groups, and organizations for over 40 years. They have been instrumental in transforming organizations into inclusive, welcoming environments, and are also powerful skills for cultivating rich, enduring relationships between individuals.
Per person cost: $25.00 regular rate (A supporter rate of $35.00 is also available).
From the Office
The office will be closed on the dates below.
- Indigenous Peoples Day - Oct. 13, 2025
- Fall Break - Nov. 24-28, 2025
- Winter Brea - Dec 22- Jan 2, 2026
Have any general feedback, questions, or ideas? Let us know! You can complete this survey and someone from VISIONS will reach out to you.