Nalini Krishnankutty: How to create genuine communities of belonging
The idea of “community” means different things to each of us, and this meaning can often change over time. We may be part of communities based on family or faith, or those created by shared locations — where we live, study or work. Our communities may also be centered on shared bonds — like race, ethnicity, language, ideology, citizenship, professions, interests, gender identity, lived experiences and more.
When we discuss ideas that are good or bad for a certain community, it is important to consider which community we are talking about, and who is included or excluded. It is also necessary to answer a few questions like: Can what is good for one community be bad for another? And are these benefits or adverse effects a false perception or a reality? If it is a false perception, how do we correct it? And if it is a reality, how do we address it?
As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”
But how can we enable both individuals and communities to rise above their narrow interests and consider the broader concerns of all humanity?
Though this is not an easy task, it is not an impossible one either. One way is by increasing our engagement within our existing communities, and enlarging our circles of care by deliberately engaging with new communities.
A personal example for me is how my circle of care expanded when I traveled to the U.S. for graduate school, and made new friends and connections. Having communities I care about both here and abroad makes me understand the need for equitable vaccine distribution abroad, in addition to the U.S.
Another example of an enlarged circle of care leading to action are some of the veterans of the Afghan war, reservists, and active-duty military whose circle of care expanded by the connections they made during their service in Afghanistan. Some are actively involved in getting at-risk Afghans out of the country through multiple channels and avenues.
A third example involves consistent community engagement over a long time. Two of my neighbors started a weekly tea based on a spontaneous gathering for comfort after 9/11. Over the past 20 years, this weekly tea, which changed to a monthly tea later, enabled connections between neighbors of different backgrounds, political persuasions and interests. We have shared big and small life moments including births, deaths, marriages, divorces, illnesses, retirements, celebrations and more.
A final example is using the opportunities available in our university town, by attending events where we can learn or engage with our own communities or ones that we are unfamiliar with. One such opportunity is seeing “Vincent Who?” on Sept 28, at 6 p.m. in the Freeman Auditorium — a film “about a murder” (of 28-year-old Vincent Chin) “that awakened a people and ignited the Asian American civil rights movement.” Another opportunity is attending Nikole Hannah Jones’ talk, “The 1619 project and the Legacy that Built a Nation,” at the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center on Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. — a project that “aims to reframe U.S. history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the very center of the U.S.’ national narrative.”
Whether our circles of care expand accidentally or intentionally, they often require us to step out of our comfort zone. The process can unfold slowly, more akin to a marathon than a sprint, and may not yield immediate results. But creating and participating in these expanded circles of care will ensure that we truly see each other, enabling us to create genuine communities of belonging — one step at a time.