Permanent link for Centering Together: A Judgment-Free Space for Reflection | By Rachel Robinson, President of the Interfaith Student Council on February 18, 2025

A reflection of our recent Interfaith Student Council general meeting on Grand Valley State’s campus.

When we planned this event, we hoped that at least four or five people would show up to have honest conversations about the political climate, both on and off campus. We wanted to create a space where students, including ourselves, could safely discuss topics that many of us are eager to discuss.What we didn’t expect was that these conversations would naturally become a part of our group culture. Before our board meetings, we found ourselves informally checking in with each other, talking about what was happening on campus, how we were feeling, and how we were coping. This wasn’t something we initially planned, but it became so essential that I suggested making it the focus of our next gathering: a space to openly ask, How are we doing? How are we coping? The question we decided to discuss was, what has given you strength in moments when your identity, beliefs, or values have been challenged?

From this, a powerful conversation emerged about intentional spaces - how much we need them to thrive, yet how rarely we make them a priority. So many of us crave community and connection, yet follow-through is a challenge. We say, “I’d love to come!” but then don’t show up. Why is that? And I am not perfect here either, I’m guilty of it too. I tell my friends I want to spend time with them, but unless I intentionally put something on the calendar, it often doesn’t happen. Worse, if plans are too far in the future, distractions arise, and the moment passes. But we need these brave spaces. If we want to make a real difference in how we are feeling, it doesn’t have to be through grand gestures. It can be a small gathering of just four people. As one of our board members put it, “The proof that people are interested is us in the room. If we are here, that means there IS an interest in it.”

So how do we show up for ourselves and our communities? Through small acts. They create ripple effects, and we never know how far those ripples might reach. Even though only one person outside our organization attended, that one conversation could inspire someone to write about it, to share it, to bring others into the dialogue next time.

Lately, there has been much controversy stirring and concern for communities both on and off Grand Valley’s campus. Some are outwardly expressing their concerns, but others are not. One of our board members said, “Our communities are quiet, and that is scary.” We need to be willing to have the hard conversations. As Brené Brown cleverly puts it, we need to be able to rumble with it: “A rumble is a discussion, conversation, or meeting defined by a commitment to lean into vulnerability, to stay curious and generous, to stick with the messy middle of problem identification and solving, to take a break and circle back when necessary, and to be fearless in owning our parts.” Silence isn’t the answer, community is. Community gives us strength to bear the bad things and find strength within each other. A member of our group answered the question about what gives him strength by saying, “Things like this! Unfortunately, spaces where people can speak their minds without fear of ridicule or judgment are rare. And we need them.” He reminded us that “Diversity equals stability. Nature teaches us this; ecosystems thrive when they are diverse. If we can recognize that same principle in our communities, we will be stronger together.” As Valerie Kaur puts it, “See others as a part of ourselves that we do not yet know.”

The morning after our event, I listened to a podcast featuring Simon Sinek, a leadership expert and author, interviewing Jacob Collier, a musician. They discussed how creation and destruction are not always mutually exclusive. This resonated with me. Maybe the ways we’ve been connecting, through Zoom, social media, and digital spaces work, but maybe we also need to create new ways to be present with each other. In times like these, spaces for deep conversation are life-giving. If we’re willing to put ourselves out there, to be intentional, to get creative in how we gather and engage, then we’ll find not only connection but also inspiration. Because small acts have ripple effects. And maybe, just maybe, those ripples will help us build the world we so desperately need. We continue to plan events like this on campus every other Tuesday from 7:00-9:00p. If you would like to join us in these intentional conversations and brave spaces, please send us an email and we can send you updates on future events.

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Posted on Permanent link for Centering Together: A Judgment-Free Space for Reflection | By Rachel Robinson, President of the Interfaith Student Council on February 18, 2025.