I’m Elizabeth Dawes Gay, the founder of Ìpàdé - a co-working space and community of support and accountability for Black, Indigenous, and women and femmes (womxn) of color changemakers. At Ìpàdé, we bring together womxn of color to build skills, resilience, and power so we can disrupt the status quo, dismantle systems of oppression, and transform society for the good of our communities. Ìpàdé meets the needs of womxn of color social entrepreneurs, activists, and creators by cultivating community and providing high-impact programming designed for us by us. In a safe and inclusive virtual space, we offer comprehensive programming (workshops, training, mentoring, and community-building activities) designed to build skills, resilience, and power so our members can contribute to social change. We provide connection and support through community, leadership development and accountability to spark growth, and resources specially curated to help us tap into and utilize our power for the good of ourselves and our communities. What sets us apart from other communities is our emphasis on empowering social impact leaders. As a result of our efforts, American society will benefit from the innovation and ingenuity of Black and Brown womxn. We are more than a co-working space or social club - we are fueling movements that transform the world.
We will use this space to host our first in-person gathering, the Renew and Reconnect Retreat. We launched with virtual programming after the COVID-19 global pandemic made securing our first brick-and-mortar location infeasible. Although the COVID-19 delayed the pursuit of our first brick-and-mortar location, it could not stop us from pursuing our vision. We recognized that our target audience needed us to hold space for them immediately so they could hold others. Ìpàdé launched in April 2020 with virtual programming so women of color could stay connected to a community of like-minded people; get the resources, support, and connection they need; and know they were not alone during unprecedented times. Recently, we expanded our offerings to better reflect our longer-term plans for content that educates, empowers, and builds the skills and resilience of people seeking to disrupt the status quo, dismantle systems of oppression, and make social impact. For example, through our biweekly Epiphany Circle virtual meetup, we build generative connections, make warm intros, share resources and opportunities, get insightful feedback on our work, and inspire each other to keep pursuing our dreams. And we have epiphanies about our power and ability to create the future we're yearning for - for ourselves and our communities. We will use this space to take Epiphany Circle offline and into “real life.” Our community has not had the chance to connect in person - the Renew and Reconnect Retreat will be our first time coming together, sharing space, and being present with each other in the same physical location. The Renew and Reconnect Retreat is designed to help Black and Brown womxn do just that as we emerge from a year of physical distance. Through programming that centers the mind, body, and spirit, we will help attendees renew their outlook on life, work, business, and wellness and reconnect with themselves and each other. We will take all necessary COVID-19 safety precautions including mandatory mask-wearing, temperature checking, hand sanitizer, physical distance between seats, and capacity limits.
Peerspace is on a mission to bring people together. We believe it is impossible to achieve that goal unless we also fight for equality and access to resources in the communities we serve.
Having a space to gather, create, and exchange ideas is an important part of any movement. In order to magnify voices that are often quieted, Peerspace will sponsor venues for people who challenge prejudice and fight for social justice and equality.
Each quarter, we will sponsor space for three projects that are relevant to our community. These projects can range from fundraisers and educational initiatives to art exhibits and photo series.
