How do Communities Form

Communities unite groups of people around one or more elements of similarity. Any similarity will do:

• Geographic location (citizens of San Francisco)
• Activity (roller skating)
• Job to be Done (labor unions, people who use particular software)
• Ethnic or Religious Group
• Professional or Academic affiliation
• Common Interest or Hobby
• Shared Experience or Challenge (trauma survivors, addiction recovery groups, political causes)

Naturally, communities can also form around a specific list of combinations. The San Francisco Hash House Harriers who bill themselves as a "drinking club with a running problem" lies at the intersection of a place (San Francisco) and two activities: drinking & running. It is similarly no problem to imagine a "Democrats for Jesus" group, or an New York City LGBTQ+ Accountant's organization.

Communities are fundamentally organic themselves, so unsurprisingly they can form organically, through spontaneous interactions and shared connections. They are also frequently created intentionally by organizations seeking to bring people together. No matter how they form, they provide a way for people to connect and support one another.