Community | Kiawah Island, SC

A group of Wake Foresters gathered over dinner on May 23, 2019 on Kiawah Island, SC to discuss Community.

Overview and highlights of our Call to Conversation:

• We heard about our shared experiences, many of which revolved around our time at Wake Forest, and the relationships that are still thriving today. We have taken an active role to keep these connections intact, to ensure these friendships were not just situational ones.
• We were reminded of the Ani DiFranco quote, “I know there is strength in the differences between us. I know there is comfort, where we overlap.” We bring a variety of perspectives and experiences to the table, and because we listen and respect one another, we discover and connect through our shared values.
• We discussed how we’ve all built caring, affirming relationships over the years that have helped mold us into the people we are today. Every person around the table mentioned a time (or times) when they’ve felt valued and appreciated by their community, and also how they’ve been able to do that for someone else.
• We shared concerns over the future generations and the possibility that their communities may suffer to an extent, or at the very least appear very different, due to the rise of social media and the digital age.
• We talked about the issues regarding socioeconomic status versus community currently on campus at Wake Forest and potential ways to lessen the discrepancies.