April 27, 2025

On behalf of students at the Harvard Kennedy School and across Harvard University, we are calling for the funding and support of a new community dinner initiative, designed to build real, lasting relationships between Harvard students and local Cambridge community members. We respectfully ask Dean Weinstein to support this project through the HKS Student Community Service Collaborative.

Who is impacted:
Harvard graduate students and Cambridge community members alike are impacted by the way service is currently structured. Today, service often feels transactional - students deliver help, but have few chances to build real relationships with the people and organizations they engage with. This creates a missed opportunity for deeper learning, solidarity, and meaningful, lasting connection.

What is at stake:
We believe service should be about building community, not just delivering aid. If nothing changes, Harvard students will continue to miss chances to grow real partnerships outside the university - and community organizations will lose opportunities for collaborative, mutually beneficial relationships. By supporting a model centered around shared meals, art, and storytelling, Harvard can foster authentic connection, leadership development, and long-term community collaboration.

Why now:
Dean Weinstein is currently deciding whether to fund this proposal through the HKS Student Community Service Collaborative’s budget. This is a pivotal moment to show that students want a better future for service at Harvard - one rooted in mutual respect, relational organizing, and true community partnership. By signing this petition, you’re raising your voice for a Harvard that builds with communities, not just for them.