On March 25, members of the Brandeis community gathered in the International Lounge for the fifth “Be Curious Dinner” — an event designed to spark conversations on complex topics. Academic settings can involve difficult conversations, which is why the Be Curious Dinner created a more informal space for dialogue outside the classroom. The event focuses on a specific topic which is revealed to participants at the beginning of the dinner. The Justice reached out to members of the organizing committee and the attendees to gauge the event’s impact. Peter Rojas, Director of the Intercultural Center, explained to The Justice in a March 25 interview that the Be Curious Dinner was created in the fall of 2024 as an opportunity for students to discuss topics they felt were not being addressed in the community. He emphasized that the event fosters a space for the student body to engage with faculty and staff. This approach helps bridge gaps between students and staff, creating opportunities for open and effective dialogue.

“I think the cool part about the event is that although it is an inclusive type of environment, it’s exclusive in the sense that, based on the topic, we pick individuals who might be passionate about that topic,” Rojas explained.

Jamie Wire, the director of the Gender and Sexuality Center, also emphasized the importance of bringing together members of the Brandeis community to discuss sensitive topics and create a safe space for them to engage in these conversations. Wire reported that students have been talking about how hard it is to connect with others on topics that are challenging to discuss.

“So we thought, why don’t we encourage that type of dialogue, especially over the dinner table? Get staff together, mixed with faculty, mixed with students, so everyone from all levels of the university comes together and has some kind of structure around the dialogue, so people don’t feel a little too out of place,” Wire said.

Beyond its structure, the event’s theme is carefully selected. The topic of the March 25 event was gender. When asked about how the topic was chosen, Lara Ericson, director of the Center for Spiritual Life, said that gender was one of the “hot topics” that had not yet been discussed at previous events.

“So we started with some of the really obvious ones, like race, politics and religion, and then felt like gender was the obvious one that we hadn’t touched. And then in the feedback form, we also heard from people that they were excited to talk about gender,” Ericson said.

Additionally, choosing gender as the event’s focus felt topical during the month of March. “It was a perfect time, perfect moment to have that during Women’s History Month, to emphasize gender, especially the polarization of gender in the United States,” Rojas explained.

The name of the event is also significant. It was inspired by a quote from one of Rojas’ favorite shows, Ted Lasso: “Be curious, not judgmental.” Rojas also believes that higher education often prioritizes outcomes over opportunities for critical thinking and dialogue, making events like the dinner especially valuable.

“We try to shift people’s perception into perspective and understand that people come from different stories, different backgrounds and different ideologies, which doesn’t make them right or wrong. It’s just about understanding where they are coming from and seeing how we can collaboratively work together as individuals, but also as a community,” Rojas explained.

The Be Curious Dinner welcomed attendees and randomly sat them at a table, mixing students, staff and faculty. On the tables, guests could find dinner menus as well as definitions of some key terms connected to the event’s topic. By structuring the event around the familiarity of dinner, guests felt more comfortable engaging openly in difficult conversations. The attendees were unaware of the event's topic until the opening remarks. At the event, students reported being excited to learn new perspectives and engage in conversations with staff and faculty. 

“I was invited here by the ICC and I am part of the South East Asia Club. I am here today because I think this is a great opportunity to get to know new people and learn new perspectives, especially beyond the ones I interact with in my daily life,” stated Laura Tran ’26.

“I am here because one, I like to eat, and two, I like to hear different opinions across campus. There is this stigma where you can’t really speak your mind on campus, and here, I would be curious. It feels like a safe space for you just to say what you want about a certain topic,” Destinee Ponder ’29 shared.

“I am here as the Director of DEI for the Student Union’s executive board. I think this event will allow me to gain more insights on what’s happening around the school, and possibly, bring a tangible change through the conversations,” Jimin Geum ’29 said.

The students’ comments suggested that the Be Curious Dinner has worked to provide the Brandeis community with a space to participate in conversations that may feel challenging or stigmatized elsewhere.

Zaire Simmonds ’26, an ICC ambassador, recalled that the conversations during the event followed a three-course structure that people often see at the dinner table. The appetizer was light, featuring get-to-know-you questions and some insights into the event’s topic. Then, people move to the main course, which sets the focus for the remainder of the discussion.

“They will have the option to choose between two envelopes, which will have two completely different sets of questions regarding the topic. Groups will together decide which envelope they are going to take strictly based on the name,” Simmonds said.

Attendees shared their thoughts with The Justice on this dinner’s topic. Many of them reported that the topic is extremely relevant this month, and some connected it to class material.

“Gender is obviously like a big topic, and there is this kind of taboo to talk about it most of the time at dinner. So last year, we did politics and race. So gender seems like the natural segue,” Sanjay Robles ’28 said.

“I think the topic fits perfectly with Women’s History Month. So I think it’s great that we have this topic and time to have this conversation. I feel like not in all of our classes we are able to incorporate what’s going on in the world into the discipline of our class. So having an outside-of-class place to talk about these things, I think, is really cool,” Saniah Best ’29 shared.

As the conversations can be sensitive, the organizers always attempt to foster a safe and supportive environment where everyone can freely express their opinions. Mutual learning and understanding are some of the key aspects of the Be Curious Dinner.

“I think, right now, we live in a world where it’s quite hard to voice your opinion, especially when it is not that popular on certain things. And this is an opportunity to learn, collaborate, to be educated, but most importantly, this is an opportunity to understand each other,” Simmonds said.

The Be Curious Dinner is one of the highlights of ICC’s event schedule for the year. The ICC recently celebrated its 34th anniversary, honoring its rich history. In 1991, a group of students known as the “Push Committee” petitioned to turn the former athletics facilities into an intercultural center. Following student efforts, the Usdan Student Center Advisory Board recommended that the Swig Student Center become the new location for the ICC, which celebrated its opening on March 4, 1992. As a result of student activism, the ICC was founded as a space for students to share and celebrate their diverse cultural identities — a mission that is reflected in events like the Be Curious Dinner.