WHO WE ARE
It began in 2008 when Dr. Andrew Westmoreland, president of Samford University, and Dr. Shelley Stewart, president and CEO of o2ideas, became friends. Inspired by their relationship, these two individuals — men whose backgrounds couldn’t be more diverse — asked themselves a simple question, “If we can find similarities in our lives and form a relationship, wouldn’t it be great if we encouraged others to have the same openmindedness?”
This inspiration laid the foundation for Birmingham Kitchen Table.
Birmingham Kitchen Table is a group for all of us. We believe that people are more alike than different, and that dialogue can create deeper empathy, break down barriers and build relationships. Ultimately, these relationships will help us to create positive change in the world.
EVENTS
Throughout the year, BKT hosts dinners for people representing diverse cross-sections of our communities. While we share a meal, we also share our hopes and concerns. Our goal of these discussions is to build relationships among people whose paths in life would most likely never cross.
NEXT EVENT
Tuesday, July 31
Topic: TBD
Location:
The McWane Science Center
Event Center
Birmingham, AL 35223
Time: 6-8 pm
Dress is casual
PAST EVENTS
April 2012. Many of us used to sit on the front porch to watch the kids play, chat with our neighbors or wave to passersby. The front porch was more than a structure, it was a meeting place. Relationships were formed, issues were talked about and people connected with other people. You don’t see that many houses with front porches today and the sense of community is lost. We discussed how people could help rebuild the proverbial front porch in their neighborhoods and also shared fond memories/stories about growing up in a front porch society.
January 2012. How often do you talk to people outside of your regular circle? Probably not that often. For this discussion we wanted people to step outside of their comfort zone by answering various questions at their assigned table. Some questions were more serious and thought-provoking, while others were a little more lighthearted. Through this exercise, participants came to realize they had more in common with others outside their usual circle of friends.
October 2011. It isn’t easy being green, or is it? Participants had the chance to share their views and opinions of what “going green” means. We discussed our own environmental footprints and what we can do to lessen the impact on our planet.
August 2011. Some say social media, like Facebook and Twitter, have brought us closer together. Others say they are alienating us. Our Social Media Madness discussion gave participants a chance to discuss the pros and cons of social media and how it affects their everyday lives.
April 2011. Has technology bridged or increased the generation gap? What can the generations learn from the others' personal experiences? How have historical events defined each generation? These are just a few of the topics that our young and not-so-young attendees discussed during our "Bridging the Generations" conversation.
February 2011. Taking the conversation in a positive direction, our February topic was Progress in Birmingham. Lively and enjoyable discussions focused on a variety of developments taking place in our city—from the Lakeview District and Downtown Birmingham revitalization to Railroad Park and community gardens.
November 2010. This month, we discussed a topic near and dear to everyone’s heart: food. Joined by nearly 90 people, including representatives from Grow Alabama and Birmingham Originals, we dug into tasty conversations about everything from our favorite restaurants to the ways food can bring together people from diverse cultures.
August 2010. We focused on the power of relationships and how it only takes one relationship to positively affect a person’s life. Participants were given the opportunity to share personal stories of relationships that have had an impact on their lives.
May 2010. Instead of addressing concerns, we took a positive approach with our discussion on “What’s Right with Birmingham.” Our guest speaker, Dave Rickey, vice president of communications with Birmingham Business Alliance, presented little known and impressive stats about our city.
January 2010. We continued the conversation on education, and were lucky enough to have Betsy Rogers, a former national teacher of the year, as our guest speaker. Betsy presented some of the challenges she’s seen first-hand and ways that we as a community can get involved.
September 2009. Because education was a recurring topic in the first two discussions, we decided to make it (along with educational organizations making a positive difference) the focus for this discussion.
April 2009. We continued the conversation about general concerns, including education, crime and the economy.
January 2009. In our first discussion, we focused on general issues of concern.
In the News
Read news articles about past Birmingham Kitchen Table events.
- “Kitchen Table Dialogue Brings People Together” - al.com, September 2010
- “Kitchen Table Talks Foster Diversity, Understanding” - The Birmingham News, July 2010
- “Dinner and Discussion” - Birmingham Magazine, March 2010
- “Birmingham Kitchen Table” - B-Metro, November 2009
To learn more about past discussions, BKT news and view more event photos, visit our Facebook page.
JOIN THE DISCUSSION
Our conversations are ongoing and ever changing. To keep up to date with the latest information, fill out the form below and you’ll be added to our communication list.
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