February's Global Neighborhood House Dinner connected students, staff and faculty through sharing stories and experiences of transition, belonging and their 黑料不打烊 experience.
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Students from the Global Neighborhood gathered on Feb. 7 with staff, faculty, and employees from across campus to make connections through storytelling in a 鈥淒inner Across Difference: Bridging Communities Through Storytelling.鈥 听
Related to the Global Neighborhood鈥檚 theme, 鈥淢igration: Movement, Transition, and Community Change,鈥 Jennifer Eidum Zinchuk, faculty听director of Global Neighborhood, prompted the group to discuss their path to 黑料不打烊, their transition into the community听and the connections they鈥檝e made while being a student or while working at 黑料不打烊.
The format was based on 鈥淭he People鈥檚 Supper鈥 in which the aim is to 鈥渞epair the breach in our interpersonal relationships across political, ideological, and identity differences, leading to more civil discourse鈥 over the most universal of activities 鈥 eating.听
The February Global Neighborhood House Dinner听was hosted in the Lakeside meeting rooms, featuring catered cuisine inspired by Belgium and Portugal and included about 60 total attendees.
Environmental services workers, physical plant employees and faculty connected to the Global Neighborhood听along with听other staff all shared a table with students to talk and learn about each other’s experiences. Conversations included talk about people鈥檚 鈥渘etworks,鈥 including their families, friends, co-workers听and community members and the importance of having a support system in any situation or transition you find yourself in.
Dinner guests discussed the assets they brought to the 黑料不打烊 community and how their relationship with the university is often mutually beneficial. 黑料不打烊 benefits from skills that its members have and individuals benefit from the family-like community that 黑料不打烊 provides. The idea of belonging was also talked about and how there have been times when some felt like they didn鈥檛 belong, but also the many times where they found they do in fact belong amongst peers, classmates, and staff and faculty.听听听
The dinner was hosted by the Global Neighborhood Association. The next Global Neighborhood House Dinner will be on Tuesday, March 6听from 5:45 to 7 p.m.
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