Is your neighborhood or town welcoming? I spend a lot of time on this show talking about the one-to-one side of friendship—the texts, the plans, the misunderstandings, the dynamics that keep us close or pull us apart. But once in a while, I like to zoom out and look at something bigger: the social health of where we live. Our friendships don’t exist in a vacuum. They’re shaped by our neighborhoods, your cities, and whether connection in these places. My guest, Aaron Hurst, is the founder of the U.S. Chamber of Connection (yes, that’s a real thing—and it probably should have existed a long time ago), and he’s thinking about connection on a national scale. His work focuses on how we rebuild social life in a time when loneliness is rising, trust is declining, and more and more of our interactions are happening through screens. Here’s what I loved most about this conversation: the solutions are surprisingly simple. We’re talking potlucks, block parties, coffee in your driveway, neighborhood-wide walks, even just inviting people over on a Tuesday night. Just small, consistent efforts to bring people together as a volunteer where you live. Is your neighborhood, town, or wider city area welcoming? How so? I'd love to hear! Let's continue the conversation anywhere you see me posting about this episode. (That's usually @dearninafriendship on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. And in my Facebook group at Dear Nina: The Group.) In this episode, we talk about: Why loneliness is bigger than individual friendships and what’s happening at a societal level The idea behind the U.S. Chamber of Connection (and why it exists) Why only some people naturally initiate and what that means for the rest of us “Seattle Freeze,” “Minnesota Nice,” and whether certain cities are harder for friendship The two biggest barriers to making connections: not knowing where to start + not wanting to go alone Why small efforts (potlucks, block parties, coffee in your driveway) matter more than big plans How to become an “inviter” in your own neighborhood The 1 million volunteer goal—and how you can be part of it Why giving friendship—not waiting for it—is the shift that changes everything LINKS MENTIONED: Volunteer for the Chamber of Connection in your area "Why Even Smart People Believe AI Is Really Thinking" Wall Street Journal Previous episodes covering some of this ground: #138: The Neighborhood Village and How Community is Different From Friendship: Seth D. Kaplan #150: Join or Die: Pickleball, Potlucks, Democracy, and Your Health: Rebecca Davis and Pete Davis MEET AARON HURST: Aaron Hurst is a serial social entrepreneur, an expert in purpose and social connection, and the bestselling author of The Purpose Economy. He is the founder and CEO of the US Chamber of Connection, where he uses behavioral science to build the infrastructure for connection in America. Aaron's work has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, Fast Company and Bloomberg, among others. He previously founded the Taproot Foundation and Imperative, and he is a LinkedIn influencer. 📱 Subscribe to my newsletter “Conversations About Friendship” on Substack ❤️ Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, & the Dear Nina Facebook group 📪 Ask an anonymous friendship question 📪 email: dearninapodcast@gmail.com 🔎 Want to work with me on your podcast, your friendships, or need another link? That’s probably here. Special thank you, as always, to my assistant producer, Rebekah Jacobs!