{"id":2982,"date":"2020-08-11T21:21:00","date_gmt":"2020-08-12T01:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/?p=2982"},"modified":"2021-06-23T17:49:10","modified_gmt":"2021-06-23T21:49:10","slug":"creating-safe-spaces-for-tough-conversations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/creating-safe-spaces-for-tough-conversations\/","title":{"rendered":"Get Real: Creating Safe Spaces for Tough Conversations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Meetup organizers build community and create connections between different groups of people around the world. Join Shakayra Stern (organizer of The Mixed Girl<a href=\"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/NYC-Mixed-Girls-Meet-up\/\"> <\/a>Meetup Group <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/NYC-Mixed-Girls-Meet-up\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"undefined (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New York<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/Los-Angeles-Mixed-Girl-Meetup\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"undefined (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Los Angeles<\/a>, &amp; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/London-Mixed-Girls-Meetup\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"undefined (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">London<\/a>) and Ariana King (organizer of Meetup\u2019s Employee Resource Group Meetup in Color) for a conversation on how they provide a safer space, support their members, and build community with people of different and similar backgrounds. Learn how to navigate through tough conversations, about the power of healing through listening and sharing, and how to create a framework that promotes education through participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Recording: Get Real, Creating Safe Spaces for Tough Conversations\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Ma2rsme6BJ8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Main Takeaways:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Shakayra : People who have joined my events, we\u2019ve all gone through similar experiences despite us being in different geographical locations. I grew up thinking I\u2019m alone with my thoughts and what I\u2019m going through. It\u2019s incredibly therapeutic to know you have something in common with someone else and you don\u2019t even know them.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Ariana: A safe space doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that People of Color show up. Meetup in Color is a company group. You come to learn our perspective and help us celebrate the things that make us different. We make that possible by ensuring everyone feels okay being vulnerable and protected in that space.<\/li><li>How do you ensure that your group\u2019s atmosphere stays positive\/safe?<ul><li>Shakayra: I have a set of housekeeping that I go through at the beginning of events. I\u2019m holding space for those people who maybe never had someone or a group where they could express themselves. That\u2019s my main job as a hostess, to make sure everyone feels encouraged and acknowledge the people speaking up.<\/li><li>Ariana: Staying focused on yourself as an organizer and understanding what you came for and committing to that intention is really important. Like Shakayra said there has to be ground rules. Set expectations really clearly.<br>Instead of asking, \u201cwhat do you think of this situation?\u201d, ask a question more along the lines of, \u201chow were you impacted by the situation?\u201d<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Top Q&amp;A Questions and Resources:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>How do you start to create engagement around Employee Resource Groups?<ul><li>Ariana: Consistency is the thing. We have a monthly open forum but we also throw parties. We have fun and there\u2019s an educational element somewhere. When you\u2019re at work sometimes it can be tiring. So having some respite that incorporates education is how we got most Meetup employees to learn about our group.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li>Have you found there\u2019s a participant number of people that\u2019s best for a good connection?<ul><li>Shakayra: I find that once it gets to 30 people, especially if it\u2019s in person, it gets tricky for everyone to have a say. At around 15 people, if you have a 2-hour event, everyone will have a chance to talk and not feel rushed.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Ariana: I think it depends on the kind of event. If we\u2019re talking about a party where there\u2019s information to be gleaned independently, have at it. If it\u2019s more of an intimate conversation, I think 10 people is really a healthy volume.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li>Any icebreaker tips?<ul><li>Shakayra: I have flashcards with questions or statements. I give each person a card randomly and the person comments on the flashcard.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Ariana: We do have icebreaker questions, but I know at least one person in the audience who will answer my question for me. I say, \u201cThis is the question. If it goes silent can you back me up here?\u201d <\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Additional Resources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><a aria-label=\"undefined (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/pro\/black-justice\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Communities for Black Justice and Equity<\/a> is an organizer-led network of Meetup groups. Their groups share a mission of elevating Black voices and experiences, helping to end racial injustice, and continuing conversations about racism. Organizers who are accepted to the network will have their organizer subscription subsidized by Meetup. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/pro\/black-justice\">Sign up here<\/a> to start your own group.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Shakayra shares more tips on the Meetup blog article: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/attracting-the-right-audience\/\">Attracting the Right Audience<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Shakayra&#8217;s books:<ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/But-where-are-you-really\/dp\/1693258285\/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia-wc-p13n1_0?cv_ct_cx=but+where+are+you+really+from&amp;dchild=1&amp;hasWorkingJavascript=1&amp;keywords=but+where+are+you+really+from&amp;pd_rd_i=1693258285&amp;pd_rd_r=15658259-5b00-410d-a5a0-c7c78bf8826b&amp;pd_rd_w=L7Dwy&amp;pd_rd_wg=FwFHn&amp;pf_rd_p=bea2b102-7a79-4ea6-b799-5674f9dd330f&amp;pf_rd_r=JPJQBA2PAFJ9J8BCF97W&amp;psc=1&amp;qid=1597136093&amp;sprefix=but+where+&amp;sr=1-1-e4abe256-0722-424e-a8a3-6caa9bba7df8\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"undefined (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">But where are you really from<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Affirmations-Mixed-Girls-Build-Confidence\/dp\/B08DSYRWHZ\/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia-wc-p13n1_0?cv_ct_cx=affirmations+for+mixed+girls&amp;dchild=1&amp;keywords=affirmations+for+mixed+girls&amp;pd_rd_i=B08DSYRWHZ&amp;pd_rd_r=5eda9731-ef50-4304-86a7-b4eb980e578c&amp;pd_rd_w=XSMWv&amp;pd_rd_wg=fQvYf&amp;pf_rd_p=bea2b102-7a79-4ea6-b799-5674f9dd330f&amp;pf_rd_r=QTF3JR6X1JN6W1BCR1W6&amp;psc=1&amp;qid=1596900101&amp;sr=1-1-e4abe256-0722-424e-a8a3-6caa9bba7df8\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"undefined (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Affirmations for Mixed Girls &#8211; Confidence Building &amp; Gratitude Journal<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"post-excerpt\"><p>Help your community navigate through tough conversations and promote education through participation.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":2994,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[127],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.2 - 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