Two local organizations dedicated to fostering deeper community connections are joining forces to host a potluck dinner in Woodstock on Sunday, Feb. 23. The Woodstock Center for Awakening (WCAC), known for producing Woodstock’s Annual Festival of Awakening, has partnered with Hudson Valley-based BreakBread World to bring neighbors together for an evening of shared food and meaningful dialogue.
Unlike traditional town hall meetings or panel discussions, this event will emphasize direct conversation between attendees. WCAC’s “Healing Through Dialogue” initiative and BreakBread World both focus on creating structured yet organic opportunities for engagement.
Mediator and conflict resolution expert Michael Raphael, who leads the WCAC dialogue initiative, aims to create safe spaces where Woodstock residents with differing political views can find common ground. In addition to hosting dialogues at community centers and churches, the project offers training in conflict resolution, nonviolent communication, and active listening—skills Raphael sees as essential.
“Oftentimes, the great divides exist because people are not actually communicating,” Raphael said. “Our goal is to create spaces for dialogue while also giving people the tools to engage effectively.”
Martha Williams and John Scilipote began working on the idea of BreakBread World in 2019 while transitioning out of their respective filmmaking and web development careers, seeking to instead focus on activism and what they refer to as “culture shift.” The project evolved from virtual dinner parties held during the COVID-19 pandemic to combat isolation. BreakBread gatherings provide a structured yet relaxed setting, where guests explore personal stories and perspectives around a central theme.
Each dinner is guided by a carefully crafted prompt designed to cut through small talk and foster genuine connection.
“We intentionally weave respect, care, and trust into the structure of BreakBread gatherings,” Williams said. “Our goal is for people to walk away understanding that how they show up to the conversation is the conversation.”
To date, BreakBread has hosted approximately 50 private gatherings, with participation ranging from six to 24 people. The February 23 event will be its first public offering. Participants will sit in small groups and respond to the evening’s theme:
HOME
“The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.” – Maya AngelouWhat is home for you? Share a story of home or the ache for home.
Williams believes hosting these events locally fosters more compassionate relationships. “Doing this with people you have a future with brings you into a more gentle relationship, especially when there is difference,” she said. “It helps you appreciate and make space for the multiplicity of ways we can be human.”
Both WCAC and BreakBread emphasize that ongoing participation leads to the most meaningful impact. Raphael notes that true dialogue requires both structure and skill. “For people to truly engage in dialogue rather than simply react, they need to know how to listen and how to ask questions,” he said. “When people have those skills, conversations become far more productive.”
BreakBread participant and artist Dee Dee Maucher has attended several gatherings. “Each person at my table engraves a little more into me,” she said.
A recent survey of repeat BreakBread attendees found:
- 73% reported becoming more patient and thoughtful in conversations.
- 64% said they now think differently about the nature of dialogue.
- 64% felt more attuned to themselves and others while speaking.
The most recent “Healing Through Dialogue” event, held on Jan. 6, invited community members to discuss local concerns. After introductions from Raphael and guest speakers, participants formed small groups to personally connect before collaboratively ranking key issues. Attendee Sophia Bruun left feeling inspired. “It hit home for me that we can’t just look out for ourselves—we need to reconnect with each other,” she said.
Event Details
Where: Woodstock Community Center, 55 Rock City Road
When: Sunday, Feb. 23, 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. (Doors open at 5:30 p.m.)
Registration: Participants must register by Friday, Feb. 21. A $20 suggested donation helps cover event costs, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
BreakBread participant and trained “BreakBread Conversation Keeper” Karen Ruiz Leon sees this philosophy as foundational to her work in social justice and higher education. “Creating these spaces is incredibly meaningful and needed,” she said. “As an immigrant woman of color, I hope we can get more and more people from diverse backgrounds into these conversations.”
Williams envisions this as just the beginning of a larger movement. “Our goal is to establish a rhythm—quarterly large-scale gatherings, with smaller, more intimate ones in between.”
Chana Widawski is a contributing reporter for The Overlook. Send correspondence to reporting@theoverlooknews.com.