“So many of us have had difficult experiences with community spaces and know — we really know — that trust has to be earned, and that no space is completely safe.” - Kes Otter Lieffe, writing for the aequa website
Even when we know that no space can ever be completely safe, we can be committed to the constant listening, dialogue and learning that is necessary to continue to make our shared spaces as safe as possible for as many different kinds of people as possible.
To that end, I offer up these Social Equity Mindsets for each space I hold.
Social Equity Mindsets
- We are all on a learning journey.
- We normalize the possibility for transformation.
- We share our perspectives while understanding there are many.
- We aim to fight systems of oppression, not each other.
- We care for ourselves and each other on the way, addressing impact over intent.
These mindsets were developed first by the working groups of the aequa community of practice, and later refined by the aequa Workshops Collective.
Brave Space
I also offer this beautiful invitation from facilitation elder, Micky ScottBey Jones:
AN INVITATION TO A BRAVE SPACE Together we will create brave space Because there is no such thing as a “safe space” We exist in the real world We all carry scars and we have all caused wounds. In this space We seek to turn down the volume of the outside world. We amplify voices that fight to be heard elsewhere, We call each other to more truth and love We have the right to start somewhere and continue to grow. We have the responsibility to examine what we think we know. We will not be perfect. It will not always be what we wish it to be But It will be our brave space together, And We will work on it side by side.