It's time for some Salon Dinners
/“…a table of diverse people who grow together in ways they cannot grow alone...to remember the beauty of being human. ”
ian mcconnell introducing marlon hall, ecotones and salon dinners during fabric’s sandbox conversations in may
There were audible oohs and aahs when Ian introduced us to Marlon Hall and suggested we might try out some Salon Dinners together this summer (listen in here! The Sandbox | The Ecotone). If you are reading this maybe you were one of them! Maybe it’s a desire to prioritize connection, conversation and community amid schedules and media that feed isolation and division; or to explore topics in more depth and nuance than we normally have spaces for. Perhaps it’s the simple joys of sharing food, learning and meeting new people. One community member describes the draw of a space dedicated to being humans-in-process together:
“There is so much pressure (both internally and externally) to be polished and to have polished, well-formed opinions about everything. And while it’s good to be informed... I am drawn to the idea of a forum where I could have the chance to learn and correct myself and not be misunderstood forever. ”
eco (“home”) + tone (“tension”)
Salon Dinners are “ecotones” created on purpose. Strangers and neighbors come “to remember the truth about who we are” as Ian said. Maybe that’s the “home” part. Even simple meals around the fire have always been places of human flourishing. Flourishing implies growth, learning and adaptation - and those don’t seem to happen without some tension. When it comes with a sense of being at home, tension can become generative, creative - deepening connections in a way nothing else can.
“The dinner table is the most ancient institution known to humanity. Before there was civil government there was the dinner table. That’s where we learned to be civil...The table, the meal…is where we learn how to learn. ”
If you look up salon dinners, you’ll see their history and resurgence in many forms and places around the country and world. Here’s a news story about Marlon Hall’s dinners in Tulsa, OK: Amnesia Salon Dinners Blend Food, Art, And Human Connection.
What about you?
What are you already doing that could be affirmed and enriched by this vision of Salon Dinners? What do you want to try?
As a community practicing curiosity, humility and humor for the long haul, Fabric creates fertile soil for Salon Dinner-type, ecotone experiences! Is there an idea growing in you? Find an interested Fabric-y friend to put some water and sunshine on that seed by helping you line up three things:
A topic you want to explore. (Here’s an example idea to mark Juneteenth: A Fabric Salon Dinner Idea - The Sinners Movie)
Some food and a comfortable space to eat and connect.
People! Maybe 6-12 from across varied ages and life stages, cultural and ethnic heritages and/or vocations.
Then share your experience! We made a spot to share our summer Salon Dinner stories so we can learn and inspire each other.
In the meantime, cheers to the generous helpings of curiosity, humility, and good humor at all of our tables.
“What I’m doing is inviting you to the most ancient place to bring your people together to remember the future.”
