2026 Capstone and Orientation Day 1
The 2026-27 Civic Bridgers Fellowship Cohort
My first day of service as a Civic Bridgers and AmeriCorps VISTA Fellow started bright and early as I arrived at the American Swedish Institute to support the Civic Bridgers Bridging Leaders Showcase. As I walked into the building that morning, I knew I was embarking on something new. I did not understand, however, how much the day itself would embody what this fellowship is about: building relationships, crossing differences, sharing stories, and creating community.
First thing in the morning, we got acquainted with one another by participating in the Cultural Object exercise in which each of the Civic Bridgers in the cohort brought an item which symbolized his/her culture or story. In classic first-day fashion, I realized I had forgotten my cultural item at home. Thankfully, I tend to keep a couple of tricks up my sleeve and a few rabbits in my hat. I decided to share the necklace I was wearing, which serves as a personal declaration of my interspiritual faith and represents the ways I draw wisdom, meaning, and connection from across spiritual traditions. What initially felt like forgetting something important became an opportunity to share something even more personal and authentic. Then, we transitioned from the introductions to serving the cause.
Specifically, I was supposed to greet people along with Logan, another Civic Bridgers member in my cohort who hails from Montana. It offered me and Logan an opportunity to know each other better while also giving a warm feeling to every person who entered the place. For me, it was a taste of how the community can be created with a very simple act of being hospitable. As soon as the showcase began, the day was full of action. It had a certain vibe of urgency. I remember how, in one moment, I ate lunch in fifteen minutes and then hurried to participate in the swearing-in ceremony in which we became officially sworn into service. It was very symbolic for me because this was the very moment when my participation in Civic Bridgers became real. Not only did I apply and prepare for something—it was a reality now.
After the showcase, we left for Metta Meditation Center located in the southern part of Minnesota. Even going there was already an opportunity for building a community for me because I was traveling with Dez and Lillian and could ask questions and listen to their stories as we traveled through the rural farmland of Minnesota. When we arrived at the meditation center, I felt almost like we crossed the threshold. As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by the impressive sight of the Crux Immissa which was about 30 feet tall and the abundance of trails and the lake in front of us. The meditation center was very serene and had an atmosphere of peace and restoration which contrasted the hustle-bustle of the morning. Almost everywhere you looked, you could see spiritual artwork depicting the representatives of different traditions. It seemed like the place was built for contemplation and reflection; a place big enough to accommodate curiosity and difference.
After settling into our rooms, we had a pizza party and training on theories of change and their nuances for the evening. It was a very appropriate topic for our first day because if we are going to make changes in our communities, we should be thinking thoroughly about what we need to change and how, who else should be involved, and what assumptions guide our actions.
So, after this first day, I felt tired, but I also knew that I was on the right track. This day taught me that civic service is not about projects and programs, not about measurable results, but about people, their stories and communities. It is about being hospitable, listening to another person's story, welcoming strangers, traveling together, breaking bread, and creating space where people with different backgrounds can meet.
If this first day was any indication of the year ahead, I am excited to see where this journey of service, relationship, reflection, and bridge-building will lead.
August 10, 2026