Many of us are paying attention to “safe space.” Many of us have been using the language of “brave space” in our community organizing and convening. For me, I like honesty that is involved in the invitation and invocation of courage that can arise in “brave space.” It’s a bit different than the false promise of safety, that is swayed or jarred by so many moving internal experiences.
I’m grateful for this poem below, by Micky ScottBey Jones, writer and activist, for the ways it calls out this honesty.
An Invitation to Brave Space
Micky ScottBey Jones
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.
This space 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.
