How Hosting Impactful Gatherings is helping two participants plan a conference

At the end of February, the Forum held Hosting Impactful Gatherings, bringing together 41 participants from across the state, representing 25 organizations in nine communities, for a three-day, highly participatory workshop. The workshop introduced tools and practices from the Art of Hosting, the National School Reform Faculty, the Center for Leadership and Educational Equity, and Liberating Structures, helping participants design and facilitate meetings that fostered genuine connection, shared ownership, and actionable outcomes. Click here to see a summary of the workshop.

I got an email a few days after the workshop from a team at Sealaska Heritage Institute who had attended, excited to share that they were already planning gatherings differently. I hopped on a call with them to hear more. Soha Arzagan, Program Manager for the Thru the Cultural Lens program, and Kayelina Publico, Educational Program Coordinator, shared how they’ve been applying Hosting Impactful Gatherings lessons to support educators across Southeast Alaska.

The Thru the Cultural Lens program, which is operated by the Sealaska Heritage Institute and funded by the DOE Alaska Education Program, helps educators become more culturally responsive, both in the classroom and in their relationships with families. “We’re helping educators understand why this work is important and how to implement it in their day-to-day teaching,” Soha explains. Kayelina, who coordinates the logistics of the program, is currently bustling with preparations for their upcoming Our Cultural Landscape: Culturally Responsive Education Conference, a space designed for educators and administrators to learn, share, and build supportive networks. She describes it as her “dream job.”

Kayelina teased Soha on our call: “You have to understand, Soha is always gathering people. She is literally always planning something. We were in the airport after Hosting Impactful Gatherings, literally right after, and she was planning an event.” Soha shared that she was preparing a gathering for her faith community, eager to try out what she had learned from AKHF. She organized participants to sit in a circle, read a poem together, and then move into small groups. “It worked really well,” she said.

Reflecting on Hosting Impactful Gatherings, Soha added, “The best part of it was the delivery. You are actually doing what you’re preaching. It really moved us. We learned a lot and we are sticking to it. And the amazing cohort that you put together - there were several people who came over, and we already have connections. So many new ideas. This is what made it different from other trainings.”

Soha and Kayelina emphasized how meaningful it was to have a workshop grounded in Alaska. “We go to trainings in the Lower 48, and the methods are great, but we feel really detached. It was so nice to have it so grounded in Alaska. Having a cohort that is so deeply connected to this place, and all the methods just felt so tied to here,” Soha shared. Kayelina added, “There was established trust all the way through, and I felt so taken care of.”

Kayelina recalls her favorite activity: Troika Consulting, where each participant had time to share their perspective. It is a peer-to-peer coaching tool that engages deep listening and problem solving. “Any time everyone got a space to be involved or share, I loved it.”

Soha was struck by the Chaordic Path theory. “I have a processing mind, I work in systems. Having the steps to follow was really good. It covers everything and can show up in every part of planning a gathering.” Both emphasized the value of hearing diverse perspectives in a validating and respectful environment.

Soha reflected on a key insight from Hosting Impactful Gatherings: “I had an a-ha moment when there was sharing in the large circle. Often what was shared was very different from what I was thinking. It came from having such a diverse group. It was very sweet. And everyone was so validating.”

The team has already started integrating Hosting Impactful Gatherings tools into multiple settings. In May, they are bringing together a cohort of educators across Southeast Alaska, and in August, they are preparing to make the Our Cultural Landscape conference collaborative and welcoming. From guiding questions to community agreements, they’re even applying the principles in their personal lives with roommates, friends, and family.

Kayelina describes Hosting Impactful Gatherings as highly interactive: “It will require a lot of your spoons. You can’t disappear, you have to be present. Your brain will feel like mush, good mush. A big helping of mashed potatoes.” Soha adds, “You need energy and full attention. Take advantage of the network of people who are there. They are resourceful, creative, caring, and very willing to sit with you and give suggestions.” Kayelina added that this really came up during the lunch hour. Everyone mingled and sat with everyone. She credited all the trust that was built by the facilitators and the tone that was set.

Creating a Welcoming, Impactful Conference

For their upcoming conference, Soha and Kayelina aim to foster a supportive space for educators and administrators. They hope participants will:

• Build a lasting professional support network

• Engage in learning and reflection about culturally responsive education

• Feel valued and understand the weight of their responsibilities in education

Although the conference is hosted by an Indigenous community, some participants are not Native. The organizers aim to create a space where everyone feels welcome and supported, while also understanding the cultural context and significance of the work.

Sealaska Heritage Institute’s mission statement reflects this grounding: "For more than 10,000 years, we have been guided by ancient values that allowed our people to adapt to rapid cultural changes and to survive as a distinct cultural group. Today, we are seeking to integrate our cultural values into the institutions that directly serve our people.”

In alignment with this mission, the conference is designed to be an uplifting and welcoming space for participants to explore learning and contribute to important academic and professional conversations. As described:

“The overarching objective of the conference is to serve as an uplifting, welcoming space for participants to explore learning about and contributing to academic and professional discourses essential to the generation of knowledge and the progress of Native arts, culture and languages. This event provides educators and administrators with a deep understanding of culturally responsive education and equips them to transform their classrooms, pedagogy, and curriculum to fully support all students’ success—especially those who have been historically underserved, disenfranchised, and marginalized by colonized systems.”

For more information about the opportunity, check out their website.

If you’re interested in transforming your gatherings and experiencing what Soha and Kayelina described, we are hosting Hosting Impactful Gatherings again in June on Yukon Island. We would love to see you there!