SobreMesa – Deep and Honest Conversations that matter

A need for deeper conversations

It took a tiny virus with a pandemic impact to bring us to harsh realizations about ourselves and the world that we live in. The virus highlighted the vast disparity in the accessibility of healthcare services to the marginalized communities (defined here) in our society. For those in the United States, that meant “emerging majority” or of ‘BIPOC ( Black, Indigenous and People Of Color, as the all encompassing terms implies.

We’ve experienced 4 pandemics (world issues) since March 2020:

1. COVID-19 – that excavated the healthcare inequalities and impacted well-being for everyone.
2. The murder of George Floyd was the next domino to fall, leading to worldwide recognition of the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement. It sparked conversations or a movement around the world in support of marginalized communities that exist in every society. Individuals who are marginalized on the basis of race, religion, financial status, caste and others. They are the ones who are the most impacted during times of economic instability and natural disasters caused by climate change.
3. Similarly, it was the economically weaker sections who were most impacted by the enforced lockdowns. So, while many of us are talking about ‘finding ourselves’ and moving to a healthier lifestyle, there are many who are standing in lines waiting to find their next meal.

These current times are witness to many incidents of systemic and institutional discrimination and social injustice. But it is also an opportunity for us to listen, learn and act in a way that’s purposeful and impactful.

There is a need for us to take on a deeper dive beyond that traditional diversity and inclusion conversations. These meaningful conversations on the topics of – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and how they are all connected to creating a Sustainable world for everyone to live in.

What is SobreMesa?

In Spain lunch doesn’t end when people can’t eat another bite. That’s when the SobreMesa starts. There is no equivalent word in English, though the concept is simple: sobremesa is the time you spend at the table after you’ve finished eating. Usually, there’s laughter involved, and almost always the kind of easy, convivial conversation that only the pleasures of a big meal can inspire (bbc.com/travel).

All family members are primed for those deep, real, honest conversations that happen after a slow-cooked home meal, and over the last cafesito of the day. These conversations can get heated, gestures do get bigger and wider. Dinner guests might sometimes even swivel to get up from the table and remove a plate, just to diffuse the intensity. Everyone participating knows that there is no beginning or end to these conversations that are held together by a couple of “understood group rules”: don’t make it personal, and we may disagree on the topic, yet must always agree we are family.

It was after the 2016 Presidential Elections that for the first time since arriving in the United States of America, I had decided to facilitate ‘SobreMesa’ conversations for the workplace. I had the opportunity to facilitate a couple of these conversations over at various conferences. We used storytelling and authentic dialogue as a way to bring the attendees together. They worked really well, and participants shared an intimate experience together.

What next?

In our current world, we are often so self-consumed and locked in our personal chambers that are influenced by curated social media pages. Where we obsess about what the rest of the world thinks about our point of view. Our biased sphere of influence sometimes extends to the books we read, the language we use, the people we have “real” conversations with, as well as those we avoid. Don’t you think it is time to listen and explore different perspectives from our own and have deeper conversations with people beyond our comfort zone?

We at Mercedes Martin & Co., plan to start a series of by-invite only ‘SobreMesa’ sessions, where participants will be encouraged to speak with their authentic voice and heart and not worry about how the others might react. We will discuss topics related to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Sustainability, with context to those who are attending.

If you would like to participate in one of these sessions or would want us to host a session for teams in your organizations, do leave me a comment or fill up this form. I look forward to hosting a lot of ‘SobreMesa’ discussions in the coming months!