Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. The food, the traditions, the excuse to spend an entire afternoon with family and absolutely nowhere else to be. But about three years ago, my relationship with the Thanksgiving table got a little more complicated.

Developing celiac disease meant saying goodbye to quite a few foods I'd spent my whole life enjoying. I've learned to adapt the recipes I grew up loving so the dishes I bring to the table work for everyone.

And I've been lucky to have people in my life who make that same effort for me. I have friends who check restaurant menus before making plans. Who remember to grab gluten-free snacks when we're hanging out. Who go out of their way to make sure I can enjoy the same things everyone else is eating, without making a big deal about it.

They're little gestures, and I doubt my friends spend much time thinking about them. But I do.

So imagine my surprise when we started researching this month's cover story about Thanksgiving advertising, and I recognized a little bit of my own life in the findings.

We nicknamed one of the audiences our platform surfaced, Table For Everyone. They're people who love their holiday traditions but want to accommodate different dietary needs, whether that's gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegan. They want everyone to enjoy the meal without sacrificing the dishes and traditions that make it special.

Hi, yeah, that's us.

I could see myself in the recipes I've learned to adapt, and the people I love in the effort they make to include me. It gave me a good laugh, but it also made me think about why those small acts of consideration mean so much.

There's something wonderful about being included without having to ask, about knowing someone has already made room for you.

That thought became the starting point for November's issue, In Good Company, where we're exploring what it means to belong. And there's a lot to explore.

We'll get into the importance of cultural recognition through multicultural marketing and the voices celebrated by the Confluence Awards. We'll dig into how communities develop their own language through inside jokes, shared references, and traditions, including why brands often struggle to become part of those conversations. And we’ll look at belonging through a business lens, exploring what makes companies a good fit for one another and how those relationships can shape what comes next.

This month's issue examines the connections we create, the communities we recognize ourselves in, and the sometimes surprising ways people, ideas, and businesses find their place. I hope it makes you think a little differently about what belonging looks like, and perhaps appreciate the people who make you feel it.

And if anyone knows how to make gluten-free gravy that actually tastes good, my inbox is open.

Okay, go read,

Carly Cowie
Editor-in-Chief, RADAR