The pandemic forced communities everywhere online almost overnight. Most of us weren't ready for it. But what happened next taught my community something we wouldn't have learned any other way.
When Everything Moved Online
I was part of a community during the Covid pandemic when everything changed overnight. Like many groups, we were told not to have gatherings in-person for over a year. The community quickly came together to find different ways for us to gather online using meeting software and video cameras.
It was challenging for many members who were not used to technology or who had a hard time hearing over speakers. It was especially difficult for people who struggled with English as they did not have anyone near them who could translate. But we got through the experience together.
We figured things out as we went, driven by the simple need to keep people included. We started providing captions for those who didn't hear well and digital copies of documents in multiple languages. We used breakout rooms to create smaller, more personal conversations. We paired tech-savvy members with those who needed help, which created its own kind of connection between people who might not have gotten to know each other otherwise.
What We Didn't Expect
When we could finally meet in person again, we came back like we hadn't seen each other in forever. We realized how precious it was to have a physical community, and many of us had renewed commitment to making our in-person experience amazing.
But we'd also developed new skills in hosting meetings online, which meant that more people could now attend than ever before. People who were too old or sick to come in person could participate from home. When community members got sick, they could self-quarantine and still be part of things. The in-person gathering didn't get worse. It just stopped being the only way in.
That, I think, is the real lesson. The digital tools weren't the point. The point was that we cared enough about each other to find ways to stay connected, and the tools just gave us more ways to do that. When you offer a hybrid option, you're not watering down the experience -- you're opening the door for the person recovering from surgery, the parent home with a sick kid, the elder who can't drive anymore. Our community came out of the pandemic stronger and more inclusive than before. Not because we had a strategy, but because we had each other, and we refused to let distance get in the way.