I belong. Do you?

What does belonging feel like?

It sounds like a simple question, but the answer is rarely simple. Belonging is not a destination we arrive at one day and keep forever. It is something we build – through conversations, shared spaces, welcoming gestures, and the courage to keep showing up.

That is the heart behind a new initiative from the Noblesville Diversity Coalition.

This summer, we are inviting people to help us find the pulse of belonging in our community. We want to hear from the people who live, work, learn, volunteer, worship, shop, dine, and celebrate in Noblesville. Whether you have called this city home for decades or only visit for concerts, festivals, parks, local restaurants, or community events, your story matters.

Hamilton County offers something truly special. We have beautiful parks, neighborhood concerts, farmers markets, faith communities, libraries, community celebrations, cultural festivals, local businesses, and organizations that bring people together every day. These shared spaces create opportunities to connect – but do they create a sense of belonging for everyone?

That is what we hope to better understand.

To help us gather meaningful and unbiased community feedback, the Noblesville Diversity Coalition has partnered with SMARI Research, an independent research organization, to conduct an online community survey. The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete and asks thoughtful questions about how connected, welcomed, and valued people feel in our community.

As a thank-you for participating, everyone who completes the survey will receive a $5 gift card to support a local small business in Noblesville. Participants may also choose to donate that $5 to the Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville. It’s a simple way to give back while helping us better understand the experiences of people across our community – a true win-win.

This effort reaches far beyond the Noblesville Diversity Coalition alone. We are grateful to partner with organizations including the City of Noblesville, the Noblesville Chamber of Commerce, the Hamilton County Community Foundation, Hamilton County Tourism, and many other nonprofit and community partners who are sharing the survey throughout their networks. Together, we hope to hear from people both inside and outside Noblesville – because belonging is also experienced by those who visit our city to attend events, enjoy local restaurants, support businesses, or celebrate alongside us.

The more voices we hear, the clearer the picture becomes.

This survey is not simply about collecting data or taking the community’s temperature. It is about discovering where connections are strong, where gaps still exist, and how we can become more intentional in creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, respected, and valued. The insights we gather will help shape future programs, partnerships, and initiatives that strengthen our community for everyone.

When people ask me whether I feel like I belong in Noblesville, I wish I had an easy yes-or-no answer. But belonging has never felt like an on-and-off switch.

For me, belonging is an ongoing practice.

It means choosing to attend events where I may be the only person who looks like me. It means sitting at tables where I am still the minority, still the newcomer, still learning. It means speaking up, listening deeply, and returning again and again because every conversation creates another opportunity for understanding.

Little by little, unfamiliar faces become familiar ones. Conversations become friendships. Communities become home.

That is why this first community-wide effort is so meaningful. It is our opportunity to listen before we lead, to learn before we assume, and to build together instead of separately.

Perhaps belonging isn’t a place we find. Perhaps it’s something we create together – one conversation, one connection, and one voice at a time.

I belong. Do you? If not yet, let’s listen, learn, and build a community where everyone can answer that question with confidence.

Here is the survey link: tinyurl.com/NoblesvilleBelongSurvey. Because your voice matters as much as you matter.

Pooja Thakkar is working to build cultural connections. You can read her column each week in the pages of The Reporter.