Building Community over BREAD

Januarie York can trace her love of gathering people back to hosting her first party more than a decade ago.

She remembers the joy of bringing people together under one roof and watching connections among friends, family members, and acquaintances who may not have otherwise met. Hosting a holiday celebration helped York realize something important: creating space for people to connect is a way to make an impact.

“I like to gather people,” York said. “I liked that the people I knew and loved could come together under one roof and not be strangers—and leave with friendships absent of me.”

That helped plant the early seeds for what became BREAD, a salon-style event series presented by The Learning Tree and supported by the Indianapolis Foundation. The idea is simple: bring 15 to 20 people from different backgrounds into an intimate setting for a shared meal and meaningful conversation, sometimes with entertainment.

York, a poet, author, and event curator whose work has long been rooted in connection, developed the idea for this type of event after seeing one of her favorite podcasters host a similar gathering in 2018 — hosting people in thoughtful discussions for more than two hours. 

Following that, York convened what she considers the first unofficial BREAD gathering. She invited 12 Black men around a table for conversation and connection. The experience affirmed what York already suspected: people were hungry for spaces where they could be fully present with one another.

The need for connection became even more evident after the isolation of the COVID era and the politically and socially divisive time that followed it. York, who had collaborated on projects with The Learning Tree's founder, De'Amon Harges, for several years at that point, suggested they revisit the living-room style gatherings they both had been organizing informally for years as a way to build bridges among people. That's how BREAD was born. 

At BREAD, the evening is designed intentionally to make people feel welcome, seen, and comfortable sharing their perspective. York, who began writing and delivering poetry in high school, uses her long-honed creativity to design an experience that engages every participant. 

Some gatherings happen in living rooms. Others may take place at locally owned restaurants or community spaces. Each one is shaped by a host, a theme, and a spirit of joy.

BREAD events are small by nature, as the intimacy helps build trust among participants. Hosts invite people from their own networks and, when needed, The Learning Tree helps add participants to the mix of guests.

The goal is not to avoid hard conversations. It is to create the conditions where they can happen differently.

“When you make sure people do feel seen and heard, the dialogue is going to go a whole lot differently,” York said. “They’re going to handle each other differently because they know they’re in a sacred space.”

Each BREAD gathering centers on joy, even when the topic is serious. Community is built through the slow work of listening, eating, and seeing one another clearly.

BREAD launched in March and will continue monthly, with a goal of reaching 150 to 200 people over the course of the year.

“It’s okay for it to be small,” York said. “Because if we have them over the course of a year, we’ve still made a very large impact.”

At its heart, BREAD is an invitation to gather, listen, and experience joy. It reminds us that community often begins with something as ordinary – and powerful – as a shared meal.