My work offers me opportunities to travel to all corners of New York State, and this month I was extremely lucky to spend time in two of my favorite cities - Albany and Buffalo.

I spent the first week of March at Mediation Matters, training their latest group of potential volunteer mediator. The four days flew by with this spirited group, as we explored our own responses to conflict and practiced intervening as third-party neutrals. It felt like a party and by the end we had formed a strong sense of community.

Then it was up and over to Buffalo to spend a week with the talented and generous team at Center for Resolution and Justice. The room was full of intelligent and courageous professionals, each committed to applying themselves to the practice of mediation. By the end of our four days together, it became clear that we were all going to be self-isolating in response to the coronavirus pandemic. In light of that reality, we were all especially grateful to have spent this time committing to building peace in our communities.

With so much still unknown about the immediate future of our world, and even more uncertainty about the longer term, I feel especially grateful for my work and for the opportunity to connect with so many amazing peace makers. Thank you for joining me on this path.