Last month, West Marin Community Services’ Abriendo Caminos program launched a new series of community potlucks to provide a space to spread joy, foster cultural exchange over traditional meals and form new friendships amongst neighbors. The potlucks will take place every second Friday of each month from 6 to 8 p.m. Alma Sanchez, who manages Abriendo Caminos, said the potlucks are a response to the sense of anxiety pervading the community, fueled by the current administration’s anti-immigration stance. Each potluck is meant to serve as a respite from the weight of the circumstances. “I thought that it was necessary for people to have a moment to distract themselves, to build new bonds of friendship, and to make a connection between the Anglo community and the Spanish-speaking community,” Ms. Sanchez said. The location will alternate between the Dance Palace and West Marin School, and the dinners will feature a different theme and be hosted by rotating groups. Each date will feature activities, board games such as lotería, karaoke, music and prizes donated by the thrift store. The series will conclude in October. Abriendo Caminos staff invites everyone to bring a dish to the next community potluck, hosted by the Allies Group, on June 13 at the West Marin School. The group formed after the Standing Together event earlier this year and is comprised of longtime residents working to develop community-based projects. The upcoming dinner will celebrate Father’s Day. Organizers ask that participants bring along a set of personal utensils to help minimize waste. Whether people participate for the opportunity to make new connections or to share their favorite meal, the communal dinners are also meant to serve as an escape from the charged political landscape. Many in the community are overwhelmed with anxiety on a near-daily basis, while the threat of arrest and deportation without due process looms over all immigrants in the country, Ms. Sanchez said. “In the community, there is a lot of stress. There is depression. There are many feelings right now, especially in our migrant community. And not only Latinos, but there are also many immigrants here who are from other countries,” she said. To volunteer with the potluck team, contact Abriendo Caminos staff at [email protected] or (415) 663.8361.