CommunityBuild Ventures reimagines a world in which everyone has equal opportunity to be themselves and flourish regardless of their race and background. But in the systems of racism and inequity that have continued to exist across many generations in the United States, reaching this future is going to take a lot of internal and structural work, commitment, and awareness from individuals and communities alike.
This starts with transforming organizations into more racial-equitable spaces, a process that Community Build Ventures is committed to tackling head-on. One of the core ways that CBV helps organizations facilitate important conversations that center race and authenticity is our Brave Space Building™ Framework protocol.
What Is The Brave Space Building™ Framework?
CBV has defined a brave space as “a space that is structured to allow participants to be their most authentic selves and lean in more deeply in conversations that center racial equity.” These 6 steps serve as a blueprint for genuine and transparent conversations surrounding race and trauma.
- Gratitude: showing gratitude for every member of the group goes a long way in making everyone feel more comfortable and trusted
- Feelings: when having genuine conversations in brave spaces, it is important to recognize and identify the feelings that show up to cope more effectively
- Intentions: setting intentions of your values and beliefs is essential for maintaining a strong sense of self throughout the journey towards racial equity
- Assumptions: it is important not to shy away from one’s assumptions, but to own them in order to learn from past thought patterns to be better in the future
- Community Agreements: community agreements keep everyone on the same page and working cohesively together throughout the process
- Shared Language: a unified language for spoken words and text improves the group’s communication abilities immensely
3 Community Tools To Utilize In CBVs Brave Spaces
The team at CBV has developed a range of community tools to make everyone in the group feel comfortable throughout the process of building a brave space. These community tools are practices that support integrity, safety, structure, and most importantly self-care for each and every community member. The 3 tools recommended include the following:
#1: See. Breathe. Be.
CBV uses ‘See. Breathe. Be.’ an insightful embodiment liberation tool developed by the holistic coach, dancer, author, and consultant Neith Sankofa.
#2: Journaling
Journaling is an important community tool for emotional self-care, for it gives individuals the time and space to reflect on their thoughts and feelings without the judgment of others.
#3: Settle In The Discomfort
Instead of running away from difficult conversations, it is more beneficial for everyone to find strategies for settling into the discomfort in order to enact true change.
Stand Up To Racial Inequity WIth The Help Of CBV Today
CommunityBuild Ventures is committed to providing solutions for centering racial equity based upon your organization’s unique challenges and community. To experience the transformation that occurs in building a brave space for yourself, don’t hesitate to get in touch with CommunityBuild Ventures today.
