The Kitsap Women’s Summit is more than an event—it’s the start of a movement. A place where ideas spark, connections form, and the groundwork for a stronger, more inclusive community is laid.
This March, I had the honor of joining an incredible panel at the 2nd Annual Kitsap Women’s Summit, presented by the Greater Kitsap Chamber and Leadership Kitsap. I shared the stage with Aljolynn Sperber of Visit Kitsap, Reama Schuldt of Spread Supplies, and Tiffany Hye of Catalyst Public Schools, for a conversation titled The Blueprint for a Supportive Ecosystem: The Power of Collective Growth.
Our discussion felt rich with insight, vulnerability, and a shared passion for building stronger, more inclusive communities. Each of us came from different backgrounds—small businesses, education, nonprofits—but we shared one singular and deeply held truth: real change happens in community.
Real change is built when we show up for each other, when we listen to one another, when we make space for one another, and when we keep doing the work to ensure everyone is not only invited, but truly welcomed.
That’s the heart of the Kitsap Women’s Summit: creating a space where women from all walks of life can come together, share their stories, learn from one another, and build something bigger than themselves.
The power of vulnerability
One of the most delightfully unexpected and meaningful moments of the day for me personally came when I asked the audience whether they had previously attended CreativeMornings Poulsbo. Many hands went up. I then asked how many people had both laughed and cried at one of those events. Nearly all of them stayed raised.
To me, those hands that stayed raised speak volumes. Why? Because it means the ‘belongful*’ spaces we’re building here at Vibe Coworks are resonating. There aren’t a lot of public spaces where people feel ok to cry just as much as they laugh. I’m proud to say that ours is one of them.
We don’t do events just for the sake of events. We support events (and an overall culture) that creates space for intentional communities where people feel seen, heard, and safe enough to be vulnerable. After all, that’s the foundation of real human connections: vulnerability.
I see the same thing happen at the monthly Lunchtime Lightning Talks held by Matchstick Lab here at Vibe. Each month, business owners gather here to learn, commiserate, and offer words of advice and encouragement from their peers in a space that feels safe to let down your guard. There’s no posturing, no competition—just shared vulnerability around learning, encouragement, and growth.
Those are the kinds of environments that allow people to really, truly thrive.
The power of showing up
The most transformative communities I’ve been part of weren’t built on perfect plans or polished frameworks. They were built by people who showed up with heart, humility, and purpose. I believe in creating spaces where people feel seen, supported, and invited to lead.
Doing so doesn’t happen by accident. It takes intention, consistency, and a deep commitment to shared growth.
By fostering “belongful places,” we address the urgent crisis of disconnection and loneliness. We create environments where personal and collective successes are intertwined.
As Director of Operations at Vibe, and in each of my volunteer roles, this is the foundation I strive to build—spaces where belonging isn’t merely a declared value, but the very essence of our community.
Rebuilding the fabric of community
As a panelist, I was gifted a copy of Robert Putnam’s seminal book Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community—a powerful and deeply researched look into the decline of social capital in the United States. Putnam suggests we’ve seen a steady erosion of community engagement since the 1950s. The metaphor he uses is striking: more people are bowling than ever, but fewer are doing so in leagues.
That image stayed with me. It’s easy to think we’re connected—scrolling, liking, following—but it’s not the same as showing up for one another in real life. It’s not the same as sitting around a table, asking honest questions, and sharing space with people who want to grow together.
Inspired by Bowling Alone, there’s a powerful new documentary called Join or Die that I hope to screen at Vibe in the near future. The film builds on Putnam’s research, exploring how disconnection has quietly reshaped our lives—and what it takes to rebuild meaningful connection.
Through interviews with leaders like Hillary Clinton, Pete Buttigieg, and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, as well as stories from grassroots communities across the country, Join or Die offers a compelling case for belonging as a remedy to the loneliness epidemic.
It doesn’t gloss over the challenges, but it does point toward a hopeful path: choosing community, choosing connection, and choosing to show up—for ourselves and for each other. Because at the end of the day, belonging is built by those who choose to be part of something bigger.
Our work is ongoing.
The conversation at the Kitsap Women’s Summit was a reminder that building a supportive ecosystem isn’t a one-time thing. Supportive ecosystems require a continual process of listening, learning, and showing up. More often than not, it starts small—with a coffee, a question, an invitation.
Whether through CreativeMornings, Lunchtime Lightning Talks, slinging waffles for Waffle Wednesdays at Vibe, throwing our monthly Member Birthday Bashes, or putting on a future Join or Die screening, I want to keep creating and nurturing spaces where people feel they belong. Space where it’s safe to not have all the answers. Spaces where collective growth is not just a goal, but a way of being.
Here’s to more connection. More questions. More seats at the table. Because building belongful spaces isn’t just our mission—it’s our way of being.
Whether you’re joining us for an event, Free 1st Friday Coworking + Happy Hour, meeting room reservation, or simply dropping by for a coffee, you’re part of building this community. Let’s keep showing up for one another—and ourselves.
*The term ‘belongful’ is one we learned from one of the global coworking movement’s earliest visionaries, Tony Bacigalupo, whose work with The Belongfulness Project has been a powerful influence in the way we think about building community at Vibe Coworks. His dedication to cultivating spaces where people feel they truly belong has inspired much of our approach. Please check out his work!
