Athina Education will host monthly Coffee Conversations (1) in collaboration with First Parish of Sudbury. These gatherings will occur on the last Thursday of each month from 10:00 to 11:30 am.

Each conversation will have a theme with curated questions, and Athina facilitators will manage the flow of activities. We will meet in the First Parish Community Room, and light refreshments will be served. Prior to each coffee, information about the coffee theme will be posted here and on social media. 

To allow for a rich discussion that is inclusive and respectful, all participants must agree to the following Values and Guidelines:

Practice Active Listening

The road to dialogue(2) is more about listening than talking. This is an opportunity to build this critical skill in a conversational setting. It is also a way to learn more about the experiences and perspectives of others.

Suspend Judgment

Judgment is a considerable obstacle to dialogue building. We all hold assumptions and implicit bias, and this creates judgment. Setting aside your assumptions and judgment can open you up to new possibilities. Practice active listening by focusing on what others say without interruption or unsolicited advice. 

Speak from Your Experience

Please speak for yourself only, based on your own experience, not on others or a group. To learn more about the experiences of others, make space and allow others to share their experiences. 

THINK

Be thoughtful in what you wish to share by THINKing before speaking. Is what you want to say…

True?

Helpful?

Inspiring?

Necessary?

Kind?

Step Up, Step Back

We all benefit from hearing different perspectives. If you tend to dominate a discussion or notice that some people are not sharing, step back to make space for the quiet voices. Conversely, if you often hold back, be brave—step up and share your perspective. 

Be Responsible

We are all responsible for holding each other accountable. If you notice someone not adhering to the guidelines, gently speak up or motion for the facilitator. 

1. Coffee Conversations is inspired by the work of other organizations, most notably Living Room Conversations.

2. We define “dialogue” as “the two-way communication of two or more people willing to actively listen to one another in a respectful and equitable manner, in which participants consciously attempt to suspend assumptions and are open to the possibility of changing their own perspectives.” (Fontes, 2021) A conversation doesn’t always adhere to this definition but can, through hard work and practice, evolve into dialogue.