We cannot survive without connection and we don’t have to…
Sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the phrase "third place" in his book, The Great Good Place, to describe the need for places outside of our homes and worksites where we can build relationships.
The ToGather series brings adults from diverse experiences together to form conscious connections through varied curated activities and conversation starters in a warm and open environment. In this drop-in series of gatherings, participants may:
Forge new connections
Dive into thought-provoking and emotionally open discussions
Expand understanding and extend mutual support
Play, laugh, and embrace lightheartedness
Celebrate creativity through art, food, music, and more
“The ToGather event was everything I needed and didn’t realize I needed.”
Participants say ToGather gives them an opportunity to:
Connect more deeply
Learn about themselves and others
Meet people they otherwise wouldn’t
Join us for Death, Desserts, & Discussions on Saturday, September 19th, from 3:00-5:00PM!
The ToGather series doesn't shy away from themes that may be considered taboo.
Participants will experience interactive conversation groups focusing on various themes connected to death. Micaelah Morrill, death doula and East Boston Death Café facilitator, will join us in conversation groups and ensure you depart with some game-changing resources. Listen to her wisdom on a podcast episode of Curiously.
This ToGather event is NOT:
a grief support group
a space to push specific religious beliefs (all faiths welcome)
for changing peoples’ minds
Each attendee must complete the registration form below. If you are a returning ToGatherer, encourage two new ToGatherers to register in advance. If they attend the event, we will waive your ticket price at the door!
Community Guidelines
-
Silence or shut off your cell phones unless you are expecting an important or emergency related call or need assistive technologies.
-
Be aware of how much you are contributing in conversations and activities and allow for pauses for others to process and jump in. If you are someone who rarely shares, this is a space to try to chime in a little more!
-
Misunderstandings and conflict happen, this is a great space to practice repair with each other including asking for clarifications on what someone else may mean before jumping to a conclusion and reacting. Make and own mistakes and integrate changes next time.
-
If you can find a place to build a bridge, to see others’ perspectives, or to appreciate the beauty in the detail, notice and reflect back the nuance you are observing. We are complex humans that more often than not do not want to be put in one box, if any!
-
Community members across gender, race, age, career, educational, and lived experiences, neurodiversity, ethnicity, immigration status, disabilities, and other categories can bring wisdom into this community.
-
The ToGather series is a sandbox for cultivating lightheartedness, joy, and a place to practice consensual playfulness between each other.
-
It is a personal and continual goal of Found to outreach to and welcome people of diverse backgrounds into the space. If you feel that someone or certain community members are missing, share the people you think can add to the environment.
Additionally, expand your idea of who could be a friend in the room: stay open and actively engage and include others.
-
Often, forming meaningful connections requires vulnerability and authentic expression. Tell someone when you appreciated their presence. Alternatively, if someone says something you may want to challenge, we encourage you to speak your mind with consideration to how you deliver the message. Remember to honor confidentiality, assuming what people share in this space is just meant for those in this space.
-
Ask a firestarter. Contrary to the often more superficial ice-breaker, the firestarter is the first or follow-up question which aims to go below the surface and spark a warm connection. These questions tend to ask why, how, or seek more detailed information on a specific focus in relation to what a person shared.