Starts: 2021-01-05 18:00:00 | Ends: 2021-01-26 21:00:00

This supplemental professional mediation training is designed for mediators who would like to expand their skillset to resolve conflict from an equity-informed lens. This training builds on basic mediation skills and provides an equity analysis that centers race and the impacts of personal bias. It will help mediators learn to balance the power in the room, while still remaining impartial and making space for what we may miss, due to our own bias.

The Online Supplemental Equity in Mediation Training was created for practicing mediators who would like to develop additional equity tools for their mediation skillset; with the full understanding that this is just a start! In this 9 hour class we will cover equity basics, equity in mediation and tools for interrupting racism and other forms of oppression within the mediation setting.

This training will highlight:

• Identifying issues of equity in the multi-stage mediation process
• Utilizing empathy and other active listening skills in all areas of life
• Analyzing and responding to racial and other power / oppression dynamics
• Intervening when racial micro-aggressions occur in mediation

What is equity-informed mediation (EIM)?

EIM is a form of mediation where mediator applies an equity framework to offer support to ALL parties at the table. In EIM, the mediator is prepared and ready to engage in discussion of race and social justice, and has knowledge of systems of oppression and is able to recognize and make analysis at the table. The mediator remains impartial while being alert to the most impacted folks in the room, and is aware that many concepts in mainstream mediation may be western concepts and is flexible to match styles of participants.

Outline of Schedule 

The class is held for three two hour sessions and one 3 hour session on Tuesday evenings (for a total of 9 hours). Please see the dates and times (all PST) of the upcoming classes below.

• Tuesday, January 5th from 6 to 9pm
• Tuesday, January 12th from 6 to 9pm
• Tuesday, January 19th from 6 to 9pm
• Tuesday, January 26th from 6 to 9pm

Cost: $500 per person

Prerequisite: 32 hour Basic Mediation Training

This is a remote training via Zoom. You can see some introductory videos on working with Zoom here. Ways you could participate:

• Computer with camera and good internet access
• Phone with camera and good internet access (standard data rates may apply)
• Or you can join via phone only

Event Organizers

Sunsong (They/Them)Sunsong (They/Them) is a transplant to Portland: Born in Ohio and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee. They moved to Portland in December of 1995 immediately from their experience attending Oberlin College. They started life in Portland as performer for Imago Theater; and worked in social services with developmentally disabled adults.  As a queer polyamorous mixed race intersexed person, they bring both lived experience as well as experience from a background working with Target communities to their work, especially in their recent time as an advocate and case manager for houseless youth. They have assisted and co-led trainings on racial and social justice. Before being hired on full time worked as a contractor doing mediations at Resolutions Northwest. They were a past equity informed mediation cohort member and have a dedication to building bridges across communities.