As the country grapples with division, Charleston-based Transformation Table offers a simple yet powerful solution: gather people from different backgrounds around a table for a meal and conversation.
Transformation Table’s story started in 2016 at an event commemorating the Mother Emanuel AME tragedy, during which Dr. Bernice A. King challenged the Charleston community to “get intimate.” Her message was clear: “Go to each other’s homes. Have dinner!”
Inspired by King’s message and her own background hosting cross-cultural dinners as a development worker in Afghanistan, Tina Singleton founded Transformation Table. Rooted in the belief that empathy grows through shared understanding, Singleton curates dinners that bring together community members of different backgrounds, many of whom might never otherwise meet. Around a home-cooked meal and honest dialogue, guests begin to see each other as individuals and break down stereotypes.
Dinners are hosted in private homes or by community organizations, with a pay-what-you-can model. On Friday, June 20 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Transformation Table is hosting a special gathering at Joseph Fields Farm centered on the theme of Community, with a meal prepared by Chef BJ Dennis, in remembrance of the Emanuel Nine.