On Tuesday, Nov. 19, Wayland Community Action Network, also known as WaylandCAN, held an event at Loker Elementary School where members of the community discussed town issues and topics of interest.

WaylandCAN is a nonprofit focused on improving the community and bringing neighbors together to take action for a more equitable Wayland. It was started in 2023 after a series of incidents that created tensions within the Wayland community and the nation at large.

“There were anti-Semitic incidents that happened in town, and I saw a need for a community conversation,” WaylandCAN founder Caroline Higgins said. “The conversation ended up blossoming into something really unexpected. My intention last year was not to form a group.”

The group came together when people began to reach out to Higgins inquiring about creating an organization dedicated to building community in Wayland.

“It was people who had ideas who wanted to make a difference and make change, and so we realized that we had to form a group,” Higgins said. “it just became obvious that there was a need for something like this [organization] because people wanted to create positive change in town.”

One of the ways that the organization puts their mission into action is by hosting events. There are workshops and group conversations designed to engage with the community directly.

“We did two separate workshops and we’re starting some smaller, more casual conversations in the community [about] belonging,” WaylandCAN member Megan Flatley said. “We had a conversation and came away from [it] feeling like there was an appetite for a larger discussion, a lengthier potential intervention that could address and balance out some of these actions.”

Higgins, along with other founding members of WaylandCAN, Allison Kates and Elizabeth Wuerz, led the discussion of approximately 40 people in attendance. Attendees were led through exercises that allowed for sharing about the good and the bad of Wayland and coming up with ways on how to create a more unified community.

“Only by bringing people together [and] creating space for conversation across lines of difference can people learn from each other, work more collaboratively and foster greater belonging,” Weurz said.

For some participants, attending was a way to close the gap between people and cultures within the Wayland community. It created a better understanding by providing different perspectives.

“Being a Muslim in town and being new, I didn’t feel entirely supported when we first moved here,” new Wayland resident Asma Khan said.” “[I’m] hoping to show up to more of these community events, so I can bring my Muslim perspective and make that perspective known to the community.”

For Khan, participating in these events is a way to take a step towards building a community where everyone feels welcomed.

“I just want to bridge the gap between the communities [and] make our perspectives known to [people] outside of our Muslim community,” Khan said. “It’s [important] making sure that our kids are welcomed in the school [and] people are understanding of our experiences.”

The event left a lasting impression on those who attended. WaylandCAN made meaningful strides towards building a better community. According to Wayland resident Stuti Bhargava, the event was a place to be yourself and listen to the experiences of others.

“I think listening is just as important as communicating,” Bhargava said. “The number of times you hear people say ‘I didn’t know this or I didn’t see it from this perspective.’ That’s what it’s all about.”

Bhargava’s emphasis on the impact of the event was echoed by other people in attendance, including those who led the discussion.

“I hope the impact was that the people who attended heard perspectives that were different from their own,” Higgins said. “I know the impact on me is that it re-energized me in the work and makes me want to continue to make positive change in town.”

For Bhargava, the event also highlighted how powerful it can be when people are heard and respected.

“I’ve never seen a community come together and be vulnerable like that in front of [others] where people were not only sharing, but getting emotional and the respect was incredible,” Bhargava said.

Bhargava emphasizes the importance of having community conversations and coming together to cultivate change.

“There’s a lot going on in the world. Everyone feels like they can’t have an impact, but if you start local and you start small and you see the little things that you do that can change. That’s powerful. It’s one step at a time.”