For those of us who perpetually find ourselves in the minority in predominantly white spaces and institutions, taking up space is an act of resistance. Taking up space is also about taking control and taking power. There needs to be spaces that are designed, run, governed in a way that suits people, that doesn’t cater to the dominant culture, where we can express ourselves on our own terms. The less dependent a space is on corporate or public funding, the more alternative cultures can flourish. Often, our community is engaged in the transfer of political assets when we access space – our presence is seen as a bonus for big institutions who get to tick a box. But we want to be visible. A space that we can access, use and develop on our own terms would create true visibility. We need space to meet and connect, to go beyond ego-driven leadership and gatekeeping and be able to be creative, away from culture politics. It is rare that we find ourselves in environments where we can simply exist and express ourselves as creatives. “It’s about power dynamics, who runs a space, who truly runs it?”; “For me an intersectional space is where boundary breaking collaborations can grow.”; “It needs to offer things like a prayer room, a sensory space, a downtime room, so people feel understood and welcomed.”;“I want a space for the community to celebrate and be celebrated.”
WE CARE ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY AND WOULD LIKE SPACES TO BE CONNECTED TO NATURE, USING SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES AND LOCAL DESIGN AND RESOURCES – SOLAR PANELS AND RAINWATER COLLECTION, NATURAL AND RECYCLED MATERIALS, A COMMUNITY GARDEN, EXHIBITIONS OF LOCAL TALENT WOULD HELP US TO CREATE NURTURING AND GROUNDED VIBES AROUND A SPACE, CURATED TO LOCAL EXCELLENCE, LOCAL PEOPLE AND OUR NEEDS. SPACES CAN CREATE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND BECOME RELEVANT THROUGH THE PEOPLE YOU FIND THERE, AND THE CONNECTIONS THEY ENABLE YOU TO BUILD. IT IS IMPORTANT WHO RUNS AND HOLDS A SPACE – WE NEED SOMEWHERE WE CAN GO WHERE THE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, WELCOME AND BEFRIEND US. A SPACE WHERE WE CAN GO FOR HELP, ADVICE AND SUPPORT.
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