Community | Conway, AR

A group of Wake Foresters gathered over dinner in Conway, AR on April 30, 2019 to discuss Community.

Overview and highlights of our Call to Conversation:

• We spoke about the importance of finding commonalities, rather than differences, to help people feel a sense of belonging in any community. While no group of people will ever agree on everything, finding those common threads and points of alignment really helps us feel validated and included in a community.
• The powerful concept of being “part of” something that is bigger than oneself underscored one of the most impactful parts of being in community.
• “Family” was a word that was brought up often, whether that be biological relatives, or “chosen family” that care for each other, look out for each other, and act as a social safety net whether the blood relation is there or not.
• While many people look to institutions for community, some communities that are based on institutions struggle greatly with inclusion.
• We talked about the importance of being present with one another, of having genuine and thoughtful conversation, of vulnerability, recognition/affirmation, and active listening in establishing a sense of connectedness within community. These are things that we all spoke about taking away from the conversation as we intentionally look to build and strengthen community within our own lives.