2014/05/03 Omni Hackathon/Safe space / Dominant Culture

Safe Space / Dominant Culture - facilitator: Sarah

Safe space, diversity, and inclusion--how we're incorporating those things into the Omni

Attendees

Sarah - member of collective of dancer's known as "Live Space" Noemie - making documentary about sudo room and the omni Emgee - Timeless Infinite Light Brel - Unaffiliated Matt - sudo room Jordan - sudo room

• "Challenging Dominant Culture" Working Group met, recap.
  • Began conversation about our concerns of current makeup of the Omni Collective.
  • Personally, primary concern is that majority of folks involved and leading are white folks.
  • Acquiring this huge resource implies it is important to be intentional about how we can fight against gentrification and structures of white supremacist land ownership.
  • Needless to say, did not "solve" anything in our discussion. Agreed we need to keep coming back to this topic.
  • Not simply how to "reach out" but also how to be self-reflexive of our own collectives, and how those collectives may be inclusive or not.
  • Part of it is internal change, and also about continuing to do outreach.
  • Beginning to reach out to the neighbors around The Omni, invite them into this process.
    • Next meeting for this conversation is Monday May 12, at 3:30-5pm at Kazoo's house http://wiki.omni-oakland.org/w/Event:2014/05/12_Challenging_Dominant_Culture_Meeting
• Reactions to report-back on "Challenging Dominant Culture" meeting
  • B: Concern was immediately present at the last meeting, concerns had been aired before that
    • There's a lot of potential for an anti-gentrification force, focus on community values, but we have to be active to make that happen.
    • This has to happen very very soon, to have groups feel ownership. Can't wait, it will be difficult to "add on" later.
  • E: Common space, meeting usage, groups exist to reach out to.
    • How do groups who do not represent the dominant culture use the space?
    • Especially groups that have been historically marginalized
  • N: Kind of tortured about it, wondering if this is going to be homogenous, support gentrification, and become oppressive.
    • What are ways to transform these concerns into ideas and projects?
    • I am interested in documenting.
  • S: Echoing what has been said already.
    • Interested in enfusing how to make our process more accountable and more transparent?
  • B: Maybe it's "future-tripping" but we're such different people with different perspectives--problems will arise.
    • Anti-racism training? Self-reflective, pre-emptive tactics?
    • What can we do within our group to educate ourselves and hold ourselves more accountable?
  • E: I like the idea of building it in, institutionalizing the process. E.g. trainings, living document, articulation of values, etc
    • Different ways that spaces can be unsafe, this requires different interventions.
      • Are there mediators?
      • Who can help workout disagreements?
      • How do we prevent folks from feeling isolated?
      • What do we do to address issues of racism, homophobia, transphobia, and make sure you never have to call the police?
  • S: Design and infrastructure of building--disability accessibility, gender neutral restrooms?
    • Refuge Restroom had a hackathon at sudo -- mapping project, but they may know some ways to get around these things
  • J: Feeling a bit pessimistic (about violators of safe space), would like to see separatist corners of building, in case safe space becomes more "theory" than "practice".

Outcomes

• Today and on-going ourselves: "How are we putting our collective resources behind anti-oppression?" This can make our commitment that much more real.
• Common spaces should include reservable, with reasonable expectation of total privacy, enclosed spaces.
• Draft a Community Accountability Process based on restorative practice.
  • Request feedback about whether the "Challenging Dominant Culture" is willing and/or able to create a draft.
• Pool, share our collective resources (monetary, knowledge, etc) to outreach and challenging dominant culture.
  • Start an email thread, add items to wik, reach out.
• Supportive of "Challenging Dominant Culture" working group's next meeting (and future meetings), formally or informally.
  • Next meeting: http://wiki.omni-oakland.org/w/Event:2014/05/12_Challenging_Dominant_Culture_Meeting
  • Last meeting: http://wiki.omni-oakland.org/w/Event:2014/04/28_Inclusion_Task_Force_Meeting
• To inform "Values" discussion by including safe space / etc