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10/13/2024 04:14 PMPress Release, MLK Heritage Foundation
It’s hard to hate with your mouth full.
That’s the simple yet powerful idea behind ‘Meals for the Mind,’ a groundbreaking new series of bi-monthly evenings where 10 people from different backgrounds - whether cultural, racial, ideological, or generational – share a meal, talk, and simply get to know each other.
Launched by Branford’s Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Heritage Foundation, the goal is to break down the barriers that have increasingly come to separate us, said Foundation President Mary Fitz-Perry.
“As a child, I saw my parents, who were very active in civil rights, bring together people with different viewpoints – political, religious, whatever – and they did that with food. When you have good food, there’s a comfort to it. It lets down the guard a little bit so you can be open and have true conversation. It’s not anyone pointing a finger at you because you don’t agree with them. Instead, you try to understand where they’re coming from,” Fitz-Perry said.
The first Meals for the Mind, catered by Branford High School, was held in late September at the James Blackstone Library. The attendees, who began the night as strangers, ended the evening as friends after sharing stories and perspectives over dinner.
"I met people that I totally would not necessarily have met on a daily basis,” said Marcello LaGreca, 28, of Branford. “That was probably one of the most magical elements of it, to hear the diverse mindsets and perspectives that all these different people have.”
“I can see how somebody might be on guard at first because you’re like, ‘What are they trying to get out of this?’” said attendee Jamie Cosgrove, Branford’s First Selectman. “But there was no agenda. It wasn’t, ‘Answer this. Explain that.’ It was truly a conversation that went around the room like a dinner table, no different than a group of friends or family.”
What would Cosgrove say to someone considering an invite?
“I would tell them it’s a great opportunity to share your thoughts with people who are going to listen, but you’re also going to take away more than you expect, because I certainly did,” he said.
The MLK Heritage Foundation, which also annually hosts the MLK Day Breakfast and Speaker each January, believes Meals for the Mind is another way to fulfill its mission to uplift and unify the community, said MLK board member Ray Anderson, who attended the first meal.
“We wanted to create something where people have a chance to embrace each other as human beings, to get rid of negative narratives and see each other as individuals,” said Anderson. “It’s a judgement-free zone. No one is going to try to talk you into anything.”
“It’s a small step,” Fitz-Perry added, “but as Dr. King himself said, ‘Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.’ Meals for the Mind is that first step.”
Those interested being a future dinner guest – the next one will be in November - or those who want to join or donate to the MLK Heritage Foundation, please email mlkheritagebfd@gmail.com.