VA – Richmond

Coming Together Virginia (the CTTT Local Affiliate Group in Richmond, VA) specializes in creating a safe and welcoming space for people to engage in facilitated conversation on race around the dinner table – sharing stories over a good meal like family.

Coming Together Virginia (CT-VA) facilitates the “courageous, clumsy and often uncomfortable” conversations on race by creating a safe space for constructive dialogue, implementing circle process, restorative language and peace-building principles. Inspired by the vision of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in his “I Have a Dream” speech, CT-VA explores the challenges of reaching across racial, political and societal lines literally at the dinner table – breaking down barriers and building bridges. Coming Together Virginia is our area’s local chapter of a national organization founded in 2006 on the campus of Eastern Mennonite University.

CT-VA helps people learn how to engage in these courageous and clumsy and sometimes uncomfortable conversations around the table at home, at school and in the workplace. Our table has four legs – (1) Uncovering history, (2) Making connections, (3) Working toward healing and (4) Taking action to dismantle systems of oppression. Each leg provides stability for our mission of racial healing. CT-VA is dedicated to promoting racial equity and social justice, and to teaching others how to do this as well.

CT-VA was founded by Martha Rollins and Danita Rountree Green in 2014, beginning with small “listening luncheons”, and is now the largest and most active and dynamic (so we’re told!) chapter in the nation, with as many as 80 people meeting monthly for dinner and small group events and with nearly 4,000 people on our mailing list. We have two monthly dinner gatherings (and another in development) as well as a movie circle, a book circle, a “just for fun” circle and various working groups (reparations, food, hospitality, others) and special events, all focused on cultivating authentic relationships, learning, growing and healing together, and ultimately dismantling racism in the Richmond, VA metro area and beyond. We invite you to join us in person at one or more of our many events and CLICK HERE to get on our mailing list to receive our monthly newsletter. WE WELCOME YOU….with all of your questions, uncertainties and misgivings and with your open mind and heart!

See a sampling of our upcoming meetings at the bottom of this page. For a complete list of upcoming events, CLICK HERE to go to the CT-VA Events page. You can also join our Facebook Group, to engage with other local members, stay up to date on local events, webinars and information

PLEASE NOTE: If you wish to join the Coming Together Virginia Affiliate Group and be added to our email list for future events, we request that you first become a member of CTTT.