The holiday season is one of my favorite times of the year, and this year is no exception. Every year I look forward to decorating the house and inviting the usual and unusual guest to my table. I have friends who tease me about the perceived randomness of the invited guests. I would hope that after twenty years, they now know that every single person invited to my table is intentional. 

There was that one time when my guests included local pastors from both affirming and traditional faith ministries, a fierce drag queen, a community elder, and a handful of millennials.

Another honorable mention was a holiday gathering where the guests included my very religious elderly mother-in law, a Jewish trans friend who had recently transitioned, a friend who identified as a devout Catholic and a former Baptist Sunday school teacher. 

I’ve always likened holidays and dinner parties to a microcosm of community. I believe deeply that there is room for everyone at my table, and for as long as I can remember I’ve mixed and matched guests to create diverse community. 

The current state of our world is one that emphasizes our differences. We are reminded daily of the ways in which we are misaligned with one another. Talks of creating space at the proverbial table for all people consume us. We now see and feel the importance of creating inclusive, sacred spaces for all. 

I’ve decided that this year as I celebrate the holidays, I will be even more intentional about the gift I give to my community, my city, and my world. I am gifting each of you with an open seat at my table where both social and racial justice abound. A seat of acceptance. 

I invite you to consider giving this special gift to your community—the gift of a judgement-free place to belong and connect with others. I do insist that all of my guest bring all parts of themselves and I commit to graciously welcoming and loving all the ways in which my guests are brave enough to show up. 

I believe this is the ultimate gift we can give our community, a place and space to belong this holiday season and beyond. 

We may never get to a place where we all agree on everything; that is actually one of the things that makes our communities so vibrant. Even with our differences, we can certainly get to a place where every person is an honored guest for which we are open to sharing space, perspective, and experiences. This is community. 

Happy Holidays to you and your families—and do consider yourself an invited and honored guest at my table. 

XOXO

Kiantha 

Kiantha Duncan is a lover of dinner parties and mankind. A transplant to Eastern Washington, she enjoys bringing people and organizations together. She is the incoming president of the Spokane chapter of the NAACP.