Each year, Beloved Community dedicates a day to dialogue, reflection, and community-building activities focused on bringing students together.
Beloved Community is a Branson DEI-led event, launched in 2020, aiming to foster connections in the community through “healthy tension,” or resolving conflict through understanding and reconciliation. This annual event consists of Junior Fellowship workshops, advisory activities and a guest speaker who discusses how they have achieved healthy tension in their own life.
The concept of “healthy tension” comes from a broader history that continues to shape the event’s purpose.
“The reason we came out with this concept of ‘beloved community’ is because it was coined by Dr. King,” said JuanCarlos Arauz, director of diversity, equity and inclusion. “[He] talked about this healthy tension, the responsibility that we have as a community to each other.”
This sense of community is built through the activities hosted throughout the day, with each one facilitating a different facet of a beloved community.
“Having the students interview the guest speaker or having workshops like we did this year, as you know, having the student Junior Fellowships present, that is a perfect example of beloved community, because the students are showing what they’re passionate about,” said Arauz.
Behind the scenes, the DEI team, consisting of the ambassadors, interns and co-heads, helped coordinate every aspect of this day, from minute to large aspects.
“Beloved Community is an entire Branson event, right, and so we have to ensure that everyone is included. That’s the first goal, how do we design a schedule that allows everyone to participate in the event?” said Josiah Harris, the Gallard teaching fellow. “And how do we draw people together that will build community, right?”
One interesting example of community was the student-favorite ice cream truck, which might not be the first thing in mind when thinking about something that cultivates connection.
“When we put down our pride, our ego and our prejudgments about one another, we’re able to learn and build a community,” said Harris. “That’s really what the point is, that standing in the ice cream line, that alone was community.”
Harris said he hoped students would leave the event knowing that everyone is different, but unique, and the difference between all of us doesn’t mean we can’t get along.
“When you bring folks together, and you start to talk, start to do a conversation, without the prejudgment piece, then that’s when you have the true impact right there,” said Harris.
While this year’s Beloved Community did not include a guest speaker, the event will be followed by a presentation from Father Greg Boyle, the founder of Homeboy Industries, on April 1.
