Bridges of Belonging Community Storytelling Showcase
Building solidarity through story, wellness, and collective action
Event Details
Saturday, March 7, 2026 from 11am to 4pm
Pacific Tower, 1200 12th Ave South, Seattle WA 98144
Why We’re Coming Together
We are living through a defining time in our country—one marked by accelerating harm, deepening fear, and deliberate efforts to divide us from one another. One powerful way we can meet this moment is by taking action to connect with others by listening to their stories. Stories are important because they shape who we feel connected to, who we see as human, and who belongs.
What to Expect:
This is a public gathering open to all. We encourage communities most impacted by institutional discrimination to attend. Come for:
- Story spotlights from powerful community voices across Seattle—because when stories are shared, humanity is restored. Speakers will be announced soon!
- Creative conversations about how to protect one another, turn priorities into next steps, and make belonging a reality for everyone in Seattle
- Wellness studios including guided sound meditations, healing circles, and art spaces
- A closing keynote from Ben McBride, a nationally recognized speaker, author, and strategist known for helping organizations build cultures where everyone belongs
- Free lunch by Communion with meat, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options available
Due to limited capacity at the venue, registration is limited to 200 guests.
Storytellers
Storytellers will be announced soon. Each speaker will share what belonging means to them and their vision for a more connected Seattle region.
Sherry Tillman
Bio + -
My name is Sherry Tillman, and I am the Director of the Call Center at Mary’s Place. I oversee the King County Family Emergency Shelter Intake Line, and my team works collaboratively with 13 partnership providers across King County to connect families to emergency shelter.
I have been at Mary’s Place for 8 ½ years. I serve on the King County Convening Board, and I am a member of Coordinated Entry and System Performance.
My commitment to this work is deeply rooted in my lived experience. I am a domestic violence survivor and a mother of five. I entered nonprofit work because I was once homeless with my five children. As an African American woman with a low credit score and a large family, that was one of the hardest seasons of my life. There were very few resources for big families, and support was limited.
Families need to know there are people like me out here who understand, who will support them without judgment, and who are committed to helping them get back to stability.
Toka Valu
Bio + -
Toka Valu is a South King County based Tongan illustrator and public artist whose work explores belonging, memory, and relational space. With years of experience creating large scale murals and digital works across the Pacific Northwest, his practice bridges Pacific cultural wisdom with contemporary storytelling. Toka has partnered with municipalities, universities, and major organizations to create community centered public art that reflects shared histories, present realities, and possibilities. He currently serves on the Burke Museum Association Board and continues to build work that honors ancestry while imagining what connection can look like in the world we are shaping.
Wellness Activities
Belonging in the Body: Guided Sound Meditation
In this gentle guided session, participants will start by mapping what belonging feels like in the body through breath, imagery, simple movement and reflection. Then the group will transition into an immersive sound meditation to support nervous system regulation and deep rest. No prior experience, special equipment, or specific attire is needed, but wearing comfortable clothing that you can lay down in will be helpful.
Healing Circle for male-identifying and non-binary participants
A facilitated healing circle for male-identifying and gender non-binary participants to reflect on experiences of belonging, isolation, strength, and care. The space will invite honest sharing, deep listening, and connection around what it means to be held in community.
Healing Circle for woman-identifying and non-binary participants
A facilitated healing circle for women-identifying and gender non-binary participants to share stories of belonging, resilience, and longing. Together, we’ll create a supportive space for reflection, connection, and mutual witnessing.
Community Art Studio: Creating Belonging Together
A collaborative, hands-on art experience where participants create a visual expression of belonging. This studio offers a chance to reflect creatively, work side-by-side, and leave a shared mark of what community can look like.
Partners
Bridges to Belonging is presented by the Seattle Chamber of Belonging, including the Seattle Office for Civil Rights, Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, Beautifulle, Community Passageways, Empower Initiative, Lake Burien Presbyterian Church, Mary's Place, PechaKucha Seattle, Urban Family, We Deliver Care, and additional community-based organizations.