Dialogue Project

The Dialogue Project is a collaborative project to improve our ability to engage in dialogue
and develop solutions to issues from within our local community.

About

The bread and butter of dispute resolution are to teach individuals and communities how to navigate conflict successfully – the precursor to civil discourse. We all experience conflict over a lifetime. Finding lasting and effective solutions to conflict bridges differences and builds stronger communities. 

Dispute Resolution Center of Grays Harbor & Pacific Counties is a non-profit organization that offers highly skilled, trauma informed, professional mediation and conflict resolution services to individuals and organizations of all income levels.

The Dialogue Project, and our DRC, work with the support and advice of experts in the conflict resolution sector, such as state and national conflict resolution experts, Resolution Washington. We continually forge partnerships with other groups focused on depolarization statewide and nationwide, including as part of the network at Braver Angels, a national non-profit dedicated to political depolarization.

For specific questions about the project, please contact dialogue@drcghp.org.

Community Empowerment Sessions

While Harborside Chats have wrapped up, the Dialogue Project is just getting started with important work ahead! We’re excited to launch a series of community empowerment sessions, where we’ll provide a range of tools and insights from community leaders across various partner agencies. These sessions will offer informational resources, a supportive place to learn, connect, and more.

Check back soon for details on our next Community Empowerment Session!

Our project creates local opportunities for individuals
to reconnect to listening and build skills around dialogue and conflict.

Dialogue is a necessary tool to navigate conflict we all experience in our lives. Yet community and interpersonal polarization and division has reached dire levels, leaving many challenged to connect, listen, and grow as individuals, families, and communities.

At the Harborside Chats, a series of guided dialogues in Grays Harbor County, members of the community will be invited to come talk and listen about what’s impacting them in their neighborhoods and lives. The Dialogue Project will train community members to facilitate community dialogue at the sessions.

Together, we can learn again to listen and collaborate to address problems over the long-term.

If you are interested in learning more about the Dialogue Project and upcoming Community Empowerment Sessions, please sign up for our Harborside Highlights newsletter!

Why this project now?

Living alongside others who hold beliefs that are diametrically opposed to their own is essential to the health of a religiously, racially, and ethnically diverse democracy. Yet, the skills needed to protect this value are eroding.

In addition, distrust in institutions grows, making it difficult for organizations to engage skeptical communities.

We have observed seemingly increasingly acceptable levels of bias in our community including harassment, racist behavior, dehumanizing language, and both threatened and physical violence. Discourse has gone beyond disagreement and people increasingly don’t see ways to engage civically.

Without intervention, these harmful practices will become normalized, and the social fabric of our community weakens.

Harborside Chats Reports

Dialogue Project’s Harborside Chats spark community discussions on local issues. Each session will yield prioritized lists of what needs action in our communities. These reports, valuable for transparent communication, reflect community voices and guide future initiatives. Click to explore our post-event reports for a snapshot of lively discussions and a deeper understanding of community engagement—the gateway to voices shaping our community's future.

  • The Harborside Chat, held on December 9, 2023, at the Cosmopolis Lions Club and organized by The Dialogue Project of the Dispute Resolution Centers of Grays Harbor and Pacific County, facilitated discussions on vital local issues.

    Highlights

    • Participants hailed from Aberdeen (54.55%) and Cosmopolis (36.36%), with a single attendee from Grayland.

    • The majority (92%) of attendees were over 50 years old. Forty-five percent were between 60-69.

    • 45% of respondents to the demographic survey, 60% identified as female and 40% as male.

    • The ethnic composition was 91% White, with 9% of respondents identifying as Hispanic, White, and of other mixed ethnicities.

    • Eleven community members attended, 30% of the intended capacity.

    Read the full report and lists of what needs action in our communities by clicking here.

  • The Harborside Chat Virtual Edition, held on January 10, 2024, on Zoom and organized by The Dialogue Project of the Dispute Resolution Centers of Grays Harbor and Pacific County, facilitated discussions on vital local issues. This document reports the event’s outcomes and the participants’ expressed interests and needs.

    Highlights

    • Participants hailed from Aberdeen (80%) and Montesano (20%).

    • The majority (50%) of attendees were between the ages of 40-49. 17% were 30-39, 17% were 50-59, and 17% were aged 60-69 years of age.

    • Six community members attended, 20% of the intended capacity.

    Read the full report and lists of what needs action in our communities by clicking here.

  • The Harborside Chat Virtual Edition, held on February 10, 2024, Ocosta Jr & Sr High School and organized by The Dialogue Project of the Dispute Resolution Centers of Grays Harbor and Pacific County, facilitated discussions on vital local issues.

    Highlights

    • Participants hailed from Westport (56%), Aberdeen (33%), and Grayland (11%).

    • The majority (50%) of attendees were between the ages of 40-49. 22% were 60-69, and 11% were 70 – 79 years of age.

    • Nine community members attended, 30% of the intended capacity.

    Read the full report and lists of what needs action in our communities by clicking here.

  • The Harborside Chat, held on March 9, 2024, at the North Beach Junior Senior High School and organized by The Dialogue Project of the Dispute Resolution Centers of Grays Harbor and Pacific County, facilitated discussions on vital local issues. This document reports the event’s outcomes, and the participants’ expressed interests and needs.

    Highlights

    • Participants hailed from Ocean Shores (93.33%), with a single attendee from Hoquiam (6.67%)

    • The majority (80%) of attendees were over 60 years old. Thirteen percent were between 50-59. 7% of attendees were less than 49 years old.

    • 73% of attendees responded to the demographic survey, 45% identified as female, 45% as male and 10% non-binary.

    • The ethnic composition was 80% White, 10% Black/African American, with 10% of respondents identifying as two or more mixed ethnicities.

    • Fifteen community members attended, 50% of the intended capacity.

    Read the full report and lists of what needs action in our communities by clicking here.

  • The Harborside Chat, held on April 13, 2024, at the Pearsall Building in Aberdeen and organized by The Dialogue Project of the Dispute Resolution Centers of Grays Harbor and Pacific County, facilitated discussions on vital local issues. This document reports the event’s outcomes, and the participants’ expressed interests and needs.

    Highlights

    • Participants hailed from Aberdeen (78%) and Hoquiam (22%)

    • A diverse mix of ages was present with 44% of participants under 50 and 56% of participants 50+.

    • 100% of attendees responded to the demographic survey, 66.7% identified as female, 33.3% as male and 0% non-binary.

    • The ethnic composition was 78% White, 11% Black/African American, and 11% Asian (not Indian or South Asian).

    • 9 community members attended, 30% of the intended capacity.

    Read the full report and lists of what needs action in our communities by clicking here.

  • The Harborside Chat, held on May 4, 2024, at Summit Pacific and organized by The Dialogue Project of the Dispute Resolution Centers of Grays Harbor and Pacific County, facilitated discussions on vital local issues.

    Highlights

    • Participants hailed from Elma (40%), Taholah (40%), and Aberdeen (20%).

    • A diverse mix of ages was present, leaning younger than past chats, with 40% of participants under 50 and 60% of participants 50-70.

    • 80% of attendees responded to the demographic survey, 50% identified as female, 50% as male and 0% non-binary.

    • The racial/ethnic composition of those that responded to the demographics survey was 75% American Indian and 25% Latinx

    • 5 community members attended, 16% of the intended capacity.

    Read the full report and lists of what needs action in our communities by clicking here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Harborside Chats?

A: Harborside Chats are two-hour long, monthly community dialogue sessions taking place throughout Grays Harbor. These round table style chats are supported by dispute resolution specialists and trained community members. We've designed a unique blend of dialogue, networking, and learning. The people at the chat, with the help of facilitators, will decide what issues they would like to talk about with each other. 

Q: What are the conversation topics?

A: The participants themselves at the Harborside Chats will decide what topics to discuss. We will help guide the Chat, creating an opportunity for healthy dialogue between community members about what issues they deem of importance to the community, however, we’re not proposing the topics.

Q: What can I expect to take place during a session?

A: Harborside Chats is a unique blend of dialogue, networking, and learning. We will start with a structured 1:1 conversation, developed by our partners at Braver Angels, a national cross partisan organization focused on depolarization. Our moderators will then facilitate a healthy dialogue between community members about what issues they deem of importance to the community.

Q: Why this project now?

A: Living alongside others who hold beliefs that are different to their own is a part of being a member of a smaller community like ours. Yet, the skills needed to protect this value are eroding. In our dispute resolution work, we have observed that talk has gone beyond disagreement and we hear that people increasingly don’t see ways to discuss issues in their community and lives. Our intention is to build bridges through healthy dialogue.

Q: Am I limited to attending the Harborside Chat taking place in the city I reside in?

A: Not at all! We would love to have you at any of the Chats that you can make it to! We will be posting the dates and times at https://www.drcghp.org/dialogue-project.

Q: How much does it cost to attend?

A: The sessions are free but spots are limited. Visit www.drcghp.org/dialogue-project to get your free tickets.

Q: Will the Harborside Chats be accessible?

A: We will be communicating the unique accessibility details of each venue as we publish the chats. Please get in touch with us to ensure a pleasant and accommodating experience.

A word from our Executive Director, Astrid Aveledo.

Inatai Foundation 

We are in deep gratitude for the collaboration and foundational support of the Dialogue Project, by which we can create opportunities for keeping dialogue alive in our community.


We also thank our community-level supporters of the program:

Satterberg Foundation

Grays Harbor Community Foundation


We’re also grateful for community supporters through in-kind donations:

Robert Wyman Mullins  and Ardell Garrick