Peacekeeper & Nonviolence Training-- with special guest trainer Eileen Flanagan

Saturday, August 30, 2025

Workshop 9:00 am - 12:00 pm 

Followed by soup lunch and Peacekeeper community building (optional)

Langley United Methodist Church, 301 Anthes Ave.

DESCRIPTION

This time of democratic backsliding has motivated mass protests by everyday people. Nonviolent direct action and noncooperation are the next needed steps. Peacekeepers trained in nonviolence play a key role in the success of pro-democracy actions. They bring a sense of calm, protection, safety and resilience to our events and our movements. 

Join renowned organizer and former training coordinator at Choose Democracy, Eileen Flanagan, as we learn and practice skills essential to Peacekeeping:

• Respond from a grounded place when the unexpected happens. 
• Navigate complex situations and make informed decisions to maximize group safety. 
• Deepen our capacity for nonviolence so we can help others remain nonviolent.

This will also be a great time for our Whidbey Peacekeeper Team to get to know each other in a social setting before we meet out on the streets again!

PRESENTER BIO

EILEEN FLANAGAN has over thirty years of experience leading workshops and trainings. She has confronted corporate CEOs, prayed in their lobbies, and been arrested alongside Indigenous water protectors, Black preachers, and fellow Quakers. The former trainings coordinator for Choose Democracy, she is nationally known for helping people to make their activism more effective and spiritually-grounded. 

Eileen recently worked with Daniel Hunter to co-author Streetwise & Steady: A Workbook for Action Peacekeepers and Event Marshals. Due out August 19, her new book Common Ground: How the Crisis of the Earth is Saving Us from Our Illusion of Separation includes change-making lessons from the climate movement.

EVENT DETAILS

There is no charge for this training, but donations are welcome to help cover expenses.

This is a limited size event. We are prioritizing invitations to community members who have already or who are committed to serving as a Peacekeeper at future Whidbey events. 

Because of the limited size, please make every effort to attend. If you register and then cannot attend, please email SOS Whidbey promptly so that we can fill your spot with someone from our waitlist. 

Questions? Contact [email protected].

Sponsored by SOS Whidbey, Whidbey Island Friends Meeting, and Indivisible Whidbey