“I am more in love with the people around me genuinely… talking to people and having connections, it makes me so much happier. School is much more fun now.” –Rye Country Day School Student
As students return to school this fall, one of the most important lessons they can learn is that each of us carries a rich, multilayered identity–shaped by culture, experiences, and personal stories. When students learn to see that complexity in themselves and others, it becomes easier to build genuine connections and mutual respect.
But in a time of rising division, that kind of understanding doesn’t happen by accident. It takes intentional, immersive experiences that help people bridge differences with empathy and curiosity.
That’s why Common Circles is so urgently needed. This local nonprofit delivers research-based, interactive programs that empower students and educators to challenge bias, spark connection, and build more inclusive communities.
Greenwich resident Marla Felton, Founder and Executive Director of Common Circles, launched the nonprofit in 2015 in response to rising antisemitism and polarization. The idea first emerged when her daughter was preparing for her bat mitzvah and the family envisioned a sculpture filled with 1.5 million candies to honor Marla’s uncle, Holocaust survivor Martin Greenfield, and the 1.5 million children who perished. When local institutions declined to display it–saying it belonged in a synagogue or Jewish Museum–Felton realized “we needed more than a sculpture”. That moment sparked the creation of Common Circles: a nonprofit helping students and communities connect across differences and recognize our shared humanity.
Felton, originally from St. Louis, was deeply affected by the unrest following the shooting of Mike Brown. In the wake of that moment, educators and community leaders were actively exploring how to bridge divides. Around that time, a mutual friend introduced her to Sue Spiegel, an Armonk resident and former TV producer whose award-winning documentary Erase the Hate launched USA Network’s anti-hate campaign. They quickly connected over their belief in storytelling’s power to bring people together and began researching how to reach people who might be hesitant to engage.
Over the next decade, they partnered with researchers, educators, and students–first in St. Louis, then across the country–to explore how to strengthen relationships across diverse communities. Their work uncovered three key insights:
1. Self-understanding of one’s own multi-layered identity is essential before learning about others.
2. Psychological techniques–like perspective-taking, stereotype replacement, intergroup contact, and finding commonality–have been proven to increase empathy and reduce bias.
3. People are more engaged through art, technology, games, and storytelling.
Felton and Spiegel thought that if they combined these techniques from psychology with the modes of engagement that people enjoy, they would have a winning combination. In an independent feasibility study, outside evaluators validated the research and found that no other museum or institution was addressing these complex topics in this way, reinforcing the belief that the approach could be impactful.
After piloting a variety of interactive experiences and measuring impact, they created Common Circles’ We Are (your school or town!) traveling exhibit. Dr. Joseph Ricca and Dr. Deborah Hand were early supporters and helped test it in the White Plains School District. A UCONN NEAG School of Education professor evaluated the program through surveys and focus groups, and the results were extraordinary. Ongoing evaluation is now supported by a multi-year grant from The Conference on Material Claims Against Germany.
Common Circles tailors its two-part exhibit to each school or community, which humanizes the people featured, engages participants, and fosters a stronger sense of connection.
Part one introduces the themes of bridging, belonging, and the dangers of othering and dehumanization. It uses art, photography, and storytelling to prompt reflection on identity, perspective, and first impressions.
“It really gives a level of relatability to feel like you share something with the people here, and it builds a stronger community in this high school.” –White Plains High School Student
Part two, Voices Against Hate: Lessons from the Holocaust, features interactive biographies from the USC Shoah Foundation, enabling real-time Q&A sessions with a Holocaust survivor and a Jewish American liberator. Unlike AI tools like ChatGPT, these responses are drawn directly from real interviews. Through these interactions, students explore the Holocaust, deepen their understanding of Jewish identity, and learn to recognize and combat antisemitism.
“At one point I was like ‘Oh, it probably isn’t real (the Holocaust),’ but what I learned from Anita [the survivor] really changed my view.” –White Plains High School Student
Felton and Spiegel see the combination of parts one and two as the exhibit’s “special sauce.” “We’re not talking at the students,” Spiegel explains. “They’re asking the questions they’re curious about and getting answers directly from primary sources–actual eyewitnesses.”
Over the past several years, the White Plains School District, Rye Country Day School, E.O. Smith High School, and Southwest BOCES combined have hosted thousands of students, educators, and community members. Interest from New York and Connecticut school districts is strong, and Common Circles is working to scale the educational program so that it can travel to K-12 schools, universities, and community hubs across the United States.
“The Common Circles exhibit has been one of the most powerful, engaging, and inspiring experiences I’ve had in 24 years as an educator.” –Dr. Joseph Ricca, Superintendent, White Plains School District
“It changed the way I looked at my identity… and then that translates to the second part, with how identity affected the Holocaust.” –Rye Country Day School Student
Felton and Spiegel remind students that not everyone has to agree–but we must approach difficult conversations with empathy, curiosity, and respect.
“In the short time since visiting the exhibit, I place a larger emphasis on recognizing what contributes to hate and appreciating the humanity in others.” –Rye Country Day School Student
As demand grows, so does the need for support. This work cannot be done in silos. Building communities of belonging takes a collective effort. Common Circles is actively seeking partners to help fundraise, host, and expand the exhibit and its mission.
To learn more, visit commoncircles.org or email info@commoncircles.org.
