Community Crafted by Choice

All my life I’ve lived in small towns. Different addresses, different states, different paint colors, but the same close, suburban dynamic. The intimacy of these towns soon begins to define you, to write your story for you, as neighbors, teachers, and peers narrate your life and in turn shape who you become. For this reason, it has always been important to me to find my own community, as I learned early on that who you surround yourself with matters. These lessons have taught me that community is more than who you live next to or the events you attend; it is a thriving web of choice. In a community you choose who you belong to, and it’s all you can do to hope that those people choose you right back. There’s a well known adage that blood is thicker than water, meaning that familial bonds are stronger and longer lasting than created ones. But this isn’t always supported by many youth’s lived realities. I’d rather acknowledge the full saying: The blood of the coven is thicker than the water of the womb. Though the bonds between chosen families may seem superficial, I’ve found that they are fundamentally stronger than biological relations. All in all, the reciprocated trust in chosen families showcases what community means to me. 

I started to seek out new experiences, spaces, and people, many of which have either stuck with me permanently or taught me invaluable lessons. This has shaped my growth in a recognizable way, and I know that it’s because of these environments that I am the person I’ve become, and furthermore a product of my chosen family. Community is crucial for every corner of life, from chaotic reverb to peaceful static, despite the level of noise, those who support you keep your feet on the ground. The debate on nature vs. nurture has not yet been answered, however, I’ve observed that the people we resonate with, especially in youth communities, quickly become inherent parts of our own identity. Though I can only speak for myself, good communities will always inspire growth and rebirth.

It’s for these exact reasons that I was drawn to the WanderRoots Youth Fellowship at The Well. We carefully select safe spaces that will foster a sense of unity and community within youth, something many young people’s minds and bodies desperately need in our rapidly changing political climate. We hope to not only guide youth to the places they seek, but to the people who are an intricate part of the safe spaces themselves. My personal compass has always been rooted in the ideology of being someone my younger self would have looked up to, and the creation of the WanderRoots map guides me closer to that reality.