BELONGI How a Conversation Inspired a Community
elonging and othering are concepts rarely explored in day-to-day conversation. Now, they have been brought to the forefront of the community in reflection of incidents that have changed the world in the last couple of years. Northern Illinois University facilitated a conversation that was planned with Dr. John A. Powell, a national expert on belonging and othering, that has changed the course of the community. Director of Community Promotion Jennifer Groce discusses how one community conversation evolved into a powerful movement and art exhibits that are delivered through three senses. “We really look at it as a commitment that we as a global community can make to create a culture of belonging in our communities, and this began before George Floyd was murdered and before any of that took place,” Groce said.
8 | June 2022 | DEKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE
“DeKalb had some of its own incidences and challenges in the community, on campus and other parts of the area. An opportunity was presented to us to partner with our friends in Rockford and the Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence. They had heard Dr. Powell speak and we collaborated with them. We were going to bring him here as they have identified belonging as an important component for our community.” After meeting with his team, leaders from the university and the city sat down to decide if they wanted to work together to host a community conversation centralized around the concept of belonging. “That answer was an emphatic yes,” Groce said. “What followed was an interesting grassroots process.” After COVID-19 swept the globe, the group was forced to meet remotely.
