Common Table DeKalb encourages dialogue among DeKalb residents

DeKALB – Everyone has a story to tell. Daveyon Bradley is no different.

The Cortland resident, who describes himself as a social butterfly, said there are times when he’s felt like he can’t be his authentic self in certain spaces.

“My story was I’ve been in prison, I come home, and now I’m doing all of these successful things – graduated from college, bought a house – all these different things that’s exceeding the expectation, right?" Bradley said. “When I went to Naperville and I joined their chamber just trying to sell business out there, I felt like I didn’t fit in at all.”

Bradley was among dozens who gathered this month for the first in a series of free community meals and story-sharing events. The affair was put on by Common Table DeKalb and facilitated by Ada Cheng, a professional storyteller, community builder and former professor at DePaul University.

The events are typically structured in such a way that those who attend will first gather at a table for a meal and light conversation. The second half allots time for story-sharing, or the sharing of personal experiences.

Frankie Dicaccio, project coordinator for Common Table DeKalb, said the makeup of DeKalb’s population presents a case for why piloting a community project, such as Common Table DeKalb, makes sense in DeKalb.

According to the latest U.S. census data from July 2023, the city’s racial makeup breaks down as 62.6% white, 15.2% Black and 18.4% Latino.

Data shows that the median household income for a DeKalb resident is $46,564, and that 25.7% of DeKalb residents meet the poverty threshold.

Common Table DeKalb is made possible due to a $150,000 grant awarded in the fall from the Chicago Food System Fund.

“The grant is to help alleviate the sense of scarcity between those groups that are already experiencing need,” DiCaccio said. “One thing we don’t want to happen is that two groups who are underserved, marginalized, oppressed maybe, we don’t want them to feel like they need to turn against each other or like they need to compete for resources. So, DeKalb is a good place to seat this project because of our diversity and because of the need here.”

Bradley said the recent event hosted by Common Table DeKalb provided proof that there are many who can relate to his story.

He said he believes that he’s done what any good sales rep would do in his situation.

“Once I started listening to people’s stories, I realized they’re just like me,” Bradley said. “Though they wear a suit and ties, and though they’re all dressed up, they are just like me. We’re very similar. We can connect through stories, and that was allowing me to break the ice and become a great sales rep in that area because I would now share my story and connect with them on a different level that will draw more business.”

Bradley said he was pleased by the event’s turnout.

“A lot of the people that were there I knew,” he said. “Maybe eight people out of the 50 that was there I didn’t know.”

Cheng shared that sentiment.

“And for people to show up for Friday night, that was amazing,” Cheng said. “Friday night – it’s usually very difficult to do events for Friday night. And for a spectrum of people from different communities to show up, that was also very unusual.”

Bradley said the event provided an amazing opportunity to get to know new people and their stories.

“Out of all of those people, I didn’t know all of their stories, right?” Bradley said. “Some of them are just shy and won’t talk at all, no matter how much you share your stories. But this was like their opportunity. I heard people get up and share stories, and it opened up a pathway for me. Now I know you a little bit better. I don’t think they’d ever got up and said anything like that, if that platform wasn’t there.”

The hope, Cheng said, is for DeKalb residents to come together as one community.

“When I say that, it really means to break the way that we communicate with one another,” Cheng said. “When I was talking to Frankie and Dan [Kenney], I mentioned to stay away from talking politics just for a little bit. I think we get caught up in this discussing politics, and then oftentimes we have to listen to agree or disagree, right? We listen to respond. It’s important for us to come back to listening to one another.”

Organizers said future events remain in the planning stages but are expected to run through the summer months.

DiCaccio wanted to give special thanks to Asheli Mann-Lofthouse of CORE Collective; First Congregational United Church of Christ; and Laura Heideman, a sociology professor at Northern Illinois University.

For information, visit CommonTableDeKalb.com.