WHO WE ARE

MISSION + VISION

HumanKind Workshop exists to create learning experiences that bring people together. Our goal is to deepen connection and communication in order to foster greater self-awareness and understanding across differences. We believe that kindness-based communication is key to serving both our communities and ourselves.

OUR STORY

HumanKind Workshop was founded in 2015 to build on a collaboration that started in 2008.

We, HumanKind Workshop Founders and Facilitators, met in 2007 while most of us were working in administrative capacities for the New York State Judiciary. We quickly learned about our individual efforts to address social inequities outside of the office.

As we discussed past experiences with racial justice training, LGBTQ advocacy, and anti-violence work, we saw in each other something we independently held dear: a desire to contribute to a world in which everyone is free to be who they are.

We inspired each other to build on our individual experience and expertise to craft the first version of our cultural humility workshop. We co-facilitated that training for over two dozen people at a mediation conference, and the response was awe-inspiring. Many participants told us it was the first time they felt safe enough to authentically examine their identity and how it shapes their experience. People shared their unique stories, leaned in to listen, and found common ground as defensive behaviors melted away. For us, it was an indication that what we created was meaningfully different from other approaches, and ever since then we have been finding ways to share it with more people.

Over the years, we have tested and expanded our tools, built relationships with new groups, and facilitated more than 30 workshops related to identity, bias awareness, and cultural humility. As we have grown, so has our collective passion for inclusion work, now embodied by HumanKind Workshop.