FC Talks: Finding Your People

If Friends All Around is our big celebration, FC Talks is where the conversations happen. It is where we slow things down, get honest and talk about the moments in between. The ones that do not always get the spotlight, but matter just as much.

On a recent evening at The Beacon, our community came together for FC Talks: What’s Next? Building Community in Transition Years. Teens, young adults and families filled the space, ready to talk about something many people experience, but do not always say out loud—how hard it can be to find your footing during times of change.

The panel, made up of Friendship Circle alumni and leaders including Reid Ringold, Ekow Opoku Dakwa, Colton Vazquez and Rachael Lynch, shared what those transitions have really looked like for them. From middle school to high school and from post high school into college and beyond, the conversation focused on building friendships, stepping outside of your comfort zone and figuring things out as you go.

What stood out most was how real it felt. There was no pressure to have it all together. Just honest reflections, shared experiences and a room full of people willing to listen.

As Rachael Lynch shared, “The transitional period from ages 17 to 22 is often overlooked, yet it can be one of the most challenging times in a young person’s life. I’m so grateful that FC Talks created a space where people could openly share their experiences, reflect on this transition, and offer guidance to those about to go through it. It was an incredibly authentic and meaningful conversation, one that does not happen nearly enough, but absolutely should.”

For Ekow Opoku Dakwa, the evening was also about reconnecting and growth. “FC Talks was a place where I felt comfortable having conversations that can sometimes be difficult. Everyone was willing to listen and share their experiences. Being there made me realize how much I have grown in just one year of college, especially in building stronger friendships and stepping outside of my comfort zone.”

One theme came up again and again throughout the night. The importance of taking action. Opportunities are out there, but it takes a willingness to try, to show up and to take that first step.

That is what FC Talks continues to create. A space where people can reflect, connect and leave feeling a little more grounded in where they are and where they are going.