Community Engagement Forums
Thoughtful dialogue and
engaged learning.and
These Community Engagement Forums are free and open to the public. Their purpose is to build stronger and more interwoven networks of people working on poignant issues of the present.
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Please also browse the topics explored in past Community Forums below, and feel free to send us suggestions for future Forum topics.
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2025 Forums
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Learning Together Through Climate Upheaval
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Our 2025 forums are being jointly hosted by WWU's Sustainability Engagement Institute and Center for Community Learning, and Bellingham Public Library.
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To receive calendar invitation to all of the spring forums, please complete this simple form:
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The forums build on the "Learning Together Through Climate Upheaval" series we initiated last year to enhance the learning capacity of the planet so that we can make the most of the opportunities and challenges of climate change.
We're continuing our effort to host a forum related to each of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's), which help us approach climate change responses in an inter-sectional, holistic way. The themes are inspired by SDG #13 Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts, #14 Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development ,#15 Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss, #16 Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
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Please join us to share your hopes and challenges related to creating a more sustainable region, and meet others doing inspirational work! We’ll leave with new connections and opportunities for action!
No RSVP necessary, though we encourage you to sign up to receive calendar invitations and reminders about events in this important series!
Here are the forum dates and titles located at the Bellingham Public Library this fall:
Learning Together Forum: Climate Action- Wednesday, February 5, 2025 3:00pm- 4:30pm
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Learning Together Forum: Life Below Water- Wednesday, February 19, 2025 3:00pm- 4:30pm
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Learning Together Forum: Life on Land - Thursday, April 17, 2025 10:00am- 11:30am
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Learning Together Forum:Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions - Thursday, May 1, 2025 10:00am- 11:30am
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Past Forums
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October 7th, 2024
"How do sustainable food systems work within urban farms?": How It Works: Sustainable Food Systems at City Sprouts Farm
(City Sprouts Farm) Co-sponsored by WWU's Sustainability Engagement Institute, WWU Center for Community Learning, WWU Basic Needs Hub, and City Sprouts Farm
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​May 17, 2023
"Safe and Clean Water for All": Learning Together Through Climate Upheaval Series
(Marine Park) Co-Sponsored by WWU's Sustainability Engagement Institute, the Center for Community Learning, and Explorations Academy.
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April 17th, 2023
Great Spaces for Children Downtown
(First Baptist Church, Bellingham, WA, 110 Flora St, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA) Co-Sponsored by Connect & Learn in Downtown Bellingham events are being jointly hosted by First Baptist Church, Spring Church, Reconciliation Anglican Church, and Center for Community Learning.
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April 12th, 2023
" A Planet Where All Genders Thrive: Gender Equality" - Learning Together Through Climate Upheaval
(Explorations Academy) Co-Sponsored by WWU's Sustainability Engagement Institute, the Center for Community Learning, and Explorations Academy.
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March 6th, 2023
Engaging Our Senses
(First Baptist Church, Bellingham, WA, 110 Flora St, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA) Co-Sponsored by Connect & Learn in Downtown Bellingham events are being jointly hosted by First Baptist Church, Spring Church, Reconciliation Anglican Church, and Center for Community Learning.
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February 27th, 2023
Quality Education- Learning Together Through Climate Upheaval
(Explorations Academy) Co-Sponsored by WWU's Sustainability Engagement Institute, the Center for Community Learning, and Explorations Academy.
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February 6th, 2023
"Healthy": Toward a Well World -Learning Together Through Climate Upheaval
(Explorations Academy) Co-Sponsored by WWU's Sustainability Engagement Institute, the Center for Community Learning, and Explorations Academy.
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January 30th, 2023
Seeing Each Other Downtown
(First Baptist Church, Bellingham, WA, 110 Flora St, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA) Co-Sponsored by Connect & Learn in Downtown Bellingham events are being jointly hosted by First Baptist Church, Spring Church, Reconciliation Anglican Church, and Center for Community Learning.
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November 17th, 2022
Toward a World Without Hunger-Learning Together Through Climate Upheaval
(Explorations Academy) Co-Sponsored by WWU's Sustainability Engagement Institute, the Center for Community Learning, and Explorations Academy.
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November 16th, 2022
A Sense of Belonging in Downtown Bellingham
(First Baptist Church, Bellingham, WA, 110 Flora St, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA) Co-Sponsored by Connect & Learn in Downtown Bellingham events are being jointly hosted by First Baptist Church, Spring Church, Reconciliation Anglican Church, and Center for Community Learning.
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October 27th, 2022
Enough for Everyone's Needs: Toward a World Without Poverty -Learning Together Through Climate Upheaval
(Explorations Academy) Co-Sponsored by WWU's Sustainability Engagement Institute, the Center for Community Learning, and Explorations Academy.
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October 26th, 2022
Enough for Everyone's Needs: Toward a World Without Poverty
(on the WWU Main Campus) Co-Sponsored by WWU's Sustainability Engagement Institute and the Center for Community Learning.
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October 4th, 2022
"Connect and Learning Downtown: Gathering Spaces"
Cosponsored with Spring Church, First Baptist Church, WWU Center for Community Learning, Whatcom Love INC and Reconciliation Anglican Church
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July 19, 2022
"Connect and Learning Downtown: What makes a vibrant downtown"
Cosponsored with Spring Church, First Baptist Church, WWU Center for Community Learning, Whatcom Love INC and Reconciliation Anglican Church
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February 20, 2020
"Learning Together: Putting Values into Action"
cosponsored with Whatcom County Libraries, Whiteswan Environmental, University of Puget Sound, Eastern Washington University, and Community Engagement Fellows.
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February 5, 2020
"Learning Together on a Climate Disrupted Planet"
cosponsored with WWU’s Office of Sustainability, Whiteswan Environmental, Sustainability Fellows, Community Engagement Fellows, Curriculum for the Bioregion, and Sustainable Communities Partnership
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December 10, 2019
"Learning Together about Place through Food"
cosponsored with Common Threads, East Whatcom Regional Resource Center-Opportunity Council, PeaceHealth, Whatcom County Library System, WWU Community Health Program, WWU Salish Sea Institute, WWU Sustainable Communities Partnership, and York Community Farm.
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October 17, 2019
"Learning Together about Community Health: Local & Global Connections"
cosponsored with Community Engagement Fellows, East Whatcom Regional Resource Center-Opportunity Council, Healthy Whatcom, PeaceHealth, Whatcom County Library System, Whatcom Family & Community Network, WWU Community Health Program, and WWU Sustainable Communities Partnership.
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April 26th, 2019
"Working Futures in the Salish Sea"
cosponsored with Northwest Indian College
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May 16th, 2019
"Neurodivergence Forum"
March 7, 2019
“Digging In: Vulnerability in Social Learning Spaces”
cosponsored with Jenna Bean Veach.
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February 28, 2019
“Broadening Employment Opportunities for Neurodivergent, Intellectually Challenged and Non-College Bound Youth”
cosponsored with Whatcom Community College
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January 17, 2019
“What is going on? The Challenge of Getting the Word Out. ”
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December 7, 2018
"Making Space for Indigenous Truth and Reconciliation"
cosponsored with Northwest Indian College, Whiteswan Environmental, WCC Equity Project, Generations Forward
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October 18, 2018
“What would Truth and Reconciliation mean for Washington State?”
Screening of Dawnland
cosponsored with Northwest Indian College, Whiteswan Environmental, WCC Equity Project, Generations Forward
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May 31, 2018
"Cultivating a Sense of Place"
cosponsored with Whatcom Community College and Western Washington University
April 18, 2018
"Indigenous People in a Global Context" Lee Maracle
cosponsored with Northwest Indian College
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February 27, 2018
"Building an Inclusive Environmentalism for the Next Seven Generations"
cosponsored with Whatcom Community College
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January 23, 2018
"Confronting the Opioid Crisis"
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July 20, 2017
“A Place to Be: Creating Welcoming Spaces for People Experiencing Homelessness”
cosponsored with Whatcom County Coalition to End Homelessness
June 8, 2017
“Making a House a Home: Creating Sustainable Housing Solutions”
cosponsored with Whatcom County Coalition to End Homelessness
April 26, 2017
“Building Resilience through Skill-Sharing and Volunteering”
cosponsored with Volunteer Center of Whatcom County
February 23, 2017
“Farms, Fields, and Forests: Connecting Campuses and the Countryside”
February 1, 2017
"Linking Campuses and Community Through Public Art"
November 10, 2016
“Funding Campus-Community Collaboration”
October 27, 2017
"Cities and Campuses: Opportunities for Collaborations”
April 29, 2016
"Gaining Institutional Support for Campus-Community Collaboration”
April 8, 2016
“Teaching Empathy through Community Engagement”
February 26, 2016
“Documenting Our Community Engaged Work”
February 5, 2016
“Integrating Your Work”
January 22, 2016
“Forming Lasting Partnerships”
November 13, 2015
“Preparing Students for Community Engagement”
October 23, 2015
"Preparing the Self”
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