Twelve years ago, when cancer and the onslaught of appointments, surgeries, and treatment left me feeling adrift, I wanted to find a way to reclaim my story. I found myself returning to a love of writing and setting a vision to write a book. Unsure of where to begin, I started a blog called A Fresh Chapter. 

Long before A Fresh Chapter was anything beyond a collection of blog posts and social media connections, I wanted to find a word to describe the community I imagined building. As I surveyed the online world, I saw the word “tribe” emerging. At the time, I was searching for a feeling of belonging. I thought others might also be looking for the opportunity to be part of a “tribe” of people who understood them and supported them. The word took hold and became part of the fabric of AFC. 

As A Fresh Chapter grew from a blog to a nonprofit, we began to use the word “tribe” both to describe the participants in each program as well as our broader community of alumni, volunteers, team members, and friends on social media. During the past 8 years, this word has brought up such warm feelings for me (and so many others), conjuring a collective sense of the family we have built and the specific memories each group has of their experiences together. 

However, the world is evolving and we are grateful for the opportunity to evolve with it. The cultural appropriation of the word “tribe” is just one of many lessons arising as we all deepen our understanding of the impact our actions and words can have on historically marginalized communities. We now believe that our use of this word is disrespectful of indigenous peoples, which is in direct conflict with our values. Here at A Fresh Chapter, we strive to be as inclusive as possible. We’ve realized that if even one person decides against participating in an AFC program because of our use of the word “tribe,” then we are not truly creating a place and space where everyone belongs.

So, last year, we reached out to our alumni community to announce that we would be moving away from “tribe” and asked for ideas about what language felt right to them. Very quickly, the words “Family” and/or “Community” became popular to describe our broader group of alumni, donors, volunteers, team members and partners. But, what about a word to describe each group and the bonds that form by sharing an experience with each other?  

While there were a handful of options, most fell short of conveying the inviting warmth we were determined to retain. One word, ranked highly by both our community and our team, rose to the top.

Today, we’re very excited to announce that we will move forward with the use of the word “Circle” to describe the group of participants for each program. Why circle? Circles represent unity and have the potential to expand infinitely. They are symbolic across time and culture and encompass the cycle of life. Circles also evoke a sense of belonging, which is one of our core values. The globe is a circle and we have continued—even through the pandemic—to bring together circles of people from around the world virtually. 

Like anything new, it may take time for this new word to feel like home, but you will see us starting to use this word in our communications. 

Speaking of which, do you or someone you know want to join one of our upcoming Ignite Experience circles? Applications are now open for our April-June programs. Ignite gives you the opportunity to explore a variety of themes designed to help you build resilience, navigate uncertainty, and create meaningful change in your life. You’ll get to do this within a brand new circle of people who can relate to what you’ve been through and just might become new lifelong friends.

Thanks for being here, and for growing and evolving with us.