Allies in Community®
A Signature Program of DiversityWealth™
Allies in Community® is a powerful program for connecting cultures and generations to build bridges of understanding and belonging.
Tasnim McCormick Benhalim
Creator of Allies in Community®
DiversityWealthLLC Founder & Chief Learning Officer
Allies in Community® brings people together from different walks of life, cultures, and backgrounds creating opportunities for participants to:
Forge robust connections with their fellow residents.
Open hearts and minds to identify common ground and channels for the shared common good.
Acquire a deep sense of belonging and purpose
Work individually to live fully as an Ally in ways that are comfortable and easily accessible
Work together to serve and sustain the connected, welcoming community in which they wish to live
Pass on what they’ve learned to their family, friends, and neighbors.
Our mutual concern
Cities and towns across the US are experiencing a steep rise in social isolation and loneliness which is driving a decline in social connection and community engagement.
What is driving these concerns? A range of issues have been identified such as economic and demographic shifts, generational and ideological differences, social infrastructure changes, etc.
What is clear is the need for a realistic, engaging and effective community-based program that brings people together to meet, learn, grow and most critically – to connect for the common good.
As humans, we lean toward comfortable and familiar experiences with those who are similar to ourselves. While this behavior is human nature, it limits and silos our experiences into (seemingly) secure relationships. We miss vital opportunities for learning, understanding, and developing meaningful connections with others different from ourselves.
The Allies in Community® Process
The Allies in Community® process lays the foundation for vital connections with other community members, providing tools, interactive exercises, and safe environments for learning, understanding and a deeply-felt -sense of belonging. Participants build skills, confidence, and affinity with one another as making potentially uncomfortable conversations welcome and accessible. The result is lasting, positive change in creating communities of connection and belonging.
Allies in Community® (AIC) Logistics
Community members and city employees come together in cohorts of 30-40 participants for a welcome dinner, 4 (monthly) learning sessions, and a graduation celebration where AIC cohort members graduate to become Allies in Community® Ambassadors. The AIC curriculum is tailored to the community mission and goals and iterates in response to changing community needs.
Through highly-interactive workshops and interim small group activities, cohort members share their unique perspectives and experiences and grow to identify and appreciate both areas of difference and areas of common ground. Central to the Allies in Community® (AIC) curriculum is the focus on creating communities of belonging and engagement.
Allies in Community® (AIC) Facilitation
Our DiversityWealth Team brings a wealth of experiences and skill sets to connect deeply with participants. The Allies in Community® curriculum together with our DiversityWealth Team’s calm, focused facilitation opens new pathways to understanding and connection, enabling participants to not only relax, but also flourish in the learning, sharing, and discovery process.
Finding Belonging
Allies in Community® is a proactive response to natural shifts in our environment from changing demographics, cultural differences, generational gaps, and social structure and network changes. Through open, honest, and respectful conversations, the Allies in Community® program builds relationships to discover common ground, foster a deep sense of belonging, and encourage meaningful civic engagement.
Honoring and Incorporating Legacy
Each community has a legacy — a history of where they started, how they’ve grown, and their successes and failures along the way. Allies in Community® honors legacy and the importance of that legacy as the heart of the community. Participants use that knowledge to evolve, guide, and engage in the life and growth of their community.
Building a Future of Connection, Belonging and Engagement
Allies in Community® (AIC) participants graduate to become AIC Ambassadors, continuing their work long after the workshop sessions end. They implement the lessons they have learned in ways that are comfortable for them. They engage and continue the momentum of allyship in their local neighborhoods and community organizations, through, for example, service and volunteering, PTO’s, sustainability efforts, inter-faith work, and a wide range of cultural events.