By Zakiyya White
contactzakiyya@gmail.com
In a world that promises constant connection, too many of us are quietly suffering in isolation. Despite the notifications, group chats, and virtual meetings, a growing number of people feel unseen and unsupported. The U.S. Surgeon General has called it what it is: a loneliness epidemic.
Nearly one in two adults in America reports feeling lonely. Research shows that chronic loneliness can be as harmful to your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. The impact isn’t just emotional, it’s physical, mental, and deeply personal.
We talk often about burnout, anxiety, and the pressures of modern life, but less about the remedy that’s been available to us all along: community.
Genuine, in-person connection is not a luxury, it’s a lifeline. It reminds us who we are outside of our job titles and to-do lists. It’s in the side conversations after a meeting, the shared silence between friends, the collective energy in a room full of people who understand your vision without you having to explain it twice.
As someone who curates gatherings for a living, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful it is when people show up not just to transact, but to connect. When the right people are in the room, ideas move faster, collaboration feels natural, and healing happens in ways that can’t always be explained, only experienced.
Social connection improves everything from our stress levels to our immune function. It boosts resilience, sharpens clarity, and reminds us that we were never meant to carry everything alone. Science proves it, but more importantly, our spirits already know it.
So consider this your reminder: not everything can be fixed behind a screen. If you’ve been feeling stuck, unmotivated, or just overwhelmed, don’t underestimate what a walk with a friend, an in-person event, or an afternoon in community could shift. Sometimes the clarity we’re searching for is waiting on the other side of a conversation we haven’t had yet.
Touch grass. Ask better questions. Make time for people. Let community be the mirror that reminds you of your strength.
We heal in community, not just because it’s meaningful, but because it’s necessary.
Zakiyya White is an event producer, community builder, and social change leader based in Miami. She serves as the Miami chapter president of the Black Professionals Network, event manager at the Center for Black Innovation, and a brickyard leader with +More Perfect Union. She is also the founder and visionary of Bold Fridays, a monthly space for connection, collaboration, and culture. Through her work with ZW Eventz, Zakiyya curates experiences that move people from conversation to action, from isolation to impact.
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