Building Community, by Cris Comer, VLCE

posted February 22, 2022

I don’t know about you, but I have high hopes for 2022. So far it feels like we are moving closer to a post-pandemic new normal. We may not quite know what that looks like, but if you’re like me, you’re aching to get back to some of the activities from the good ole days. I miss eating out at restaurants with my friends. I miss volunteering at our favorite animal sanctuary, helping with repairs and communing with the animals. When is the last vegfest you attended? I miss being shoulder to shoulder in a crowd of vegans checking out new products and lining up for sample tasting. Most of all, I miss meeting new people and showing them how easy it is to live a compassionate life.

While the central focus of our vegan journey is the animals, we must consider community to be just as important. People. Neighbors. Friends you haven’t met yet. Whether your veganism is driven by health, the environment, or your love of animals, none of us live in a silo. We share, converse, convince, exemplify, and demonstrate what it means to be vegan through interactions with others. This is community!

Thinking back to 2015 when I was finding my plant-based groove, I remember feeling extremely isolated. I was relatively new to the area and had only ventured out a few times. It was challenging to find common ground with those around me because I was the only person in my circle who was making different food choices. Food is a large part of how we build community. Activities are often centered around sharing meals, and I became less part of the group by not eating what they ate. It was a natural shift, as there was one less thing we had in common.

It can be challenging to find a circle of friends when everyone around you is marching to the same beat, but your life force has its own syncopated rhythm. My dad used to tell me, “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.” We become who we surround ourselves with. This, too, is community. It’s easy to flounder alone. Even easier to go with the flow and get caught up with the mindset of the crowd. When you choose to swim against the current and commit to trying a different way of life, community becomes even more integral to your success.

So how do you find community? How do you join up with those whose hearts beat to the same rhythm as your own?

Know Yourself

There are many ways to be vegan, so the first step may be to figure out what brings you joy. Where do your interests lie? Do you want to be an animal rights activist, or are you more into fundraising for a cause? Would you like to talk with people, or maybe don a mask and show videos instead? However you want to participate in veganism—whether in an active or passive capacity—get in where you fit in!

Explore New Territory

Try something new. Be brave! As I tell my son, try something new once and if you don’t like it, try it a second time to be sure. We have been somewhat isolated for nearly two years, and I know that I’ve gotten a bit comfortable at home. Break free of your self-imposed boundaries and spring back into life in a new and different way. This could mean joining a vegan discussion group or getting up close and personal with animals. You may have a bit of fun and learn something new about yourself in the process.

Listen with Your Heart

There’s a level of comfort and connection that we feel when we are around people who get us. Connecting with others isn’t always easy, and I know that I’m a bit out of practice. Remember that everyone is in the same boat. We are all aching to break free of this state of inactivity and live out loud once again. Find an event and then go experience it with every fiber of your being. When you meet your people, you’ll feel it.

Authentic connections build community. Community sustains our world. I’ve got high hopes for 2022. There is so much life waiting to be lived, adventures to be had, and animals to save. It’s much more fun doing it with a group of kind, compassionate souls. Ready… set… go!

 

Cris Comer, founder of Vegan Social Clubs, is a 2018 graduate of the Main Street Vegan Academy. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her 16-year-old son, Charlie, and two dogs. Cris fights food insecurities by planting community gardens and teaches vegan shopping and cooking classes to those willing to learn.