Where Did the Village Go? How to Actually Build One with Mallory Le Duc
Everyone says, “It takes a village.”
But what happens when it feels like the village is nowhere to be found?
In this episode, Jamie sits down with Mallory Le Duc, the woman behind The Village Calling, for a kitchen-table conversation about what it actually takes to create community in a world that has become increasingly isolated.
And here's the thing: your village probably isn't going to magically show up at your front door.
You have to build it.
Jamie and Mallory talk about how the rise of the nuclear family, social media, short-form content, hyper-independence, and our obsession with protecting our peace have slowly disconnected us from the messy, imperfect relationships humans have always relied on. They explore the strange contradiction of modern motherhood: we're desperate to feel seen and supported, while simultaneously shutting people out of our homes and lives.
They also get into one of the biggest barriers to real-life connection: our phones. Online communities can give us just enough connection to temporarily satisfy our need for people—without actually giving us the deep relationships, witnessing, reliability, and support we're craving.
But building a village doesn't have to start with hosting twenty people for dinner.
It can start with a text.
A walk.
Remembering someone's big appointment.
Bringing something when you're invited over.
Inviting the mom from the playground to meet again—even if you're terrified she'll think you're needy.
And sometimes, being willing to be the person who reaches out again when they didn't reach out to you.
Jamie and Mallory also unpack why community isn't supposed to be perfectly reciprocal. Some seasons you'll give more. Other seasons you'll desperately need someone else to carry you. The point isn't keeping score; it's creating relationships strong enough to hold all of it.