What If The Most Human Space Is Not Safe But Brave

Send us your feedback, we'd love to hear from you! Tolu is away at a training and we are trying something new! Bonus episodes where we record solo, share poems or other writings that we want to share with each other and YOU! So in this episode, I record one of my favorite poems, a poem that also has some contested history! “Safe space” is one of the kindest phrases we use in community work and also one of the easiest to overpromise. When humans gather, we bring scars, gaps in knowledge, and the real possibility of hurting each other even when we’re trying our best. So what do we build instead? In this short bonus episode, I offer a different frame: brave space, a shared commitment to truth, care, and growth without pretending we can guarantee perfect safety.I read the poem Invitation to Brave Space twice, because I know poems don’t always land the first time. The lines are simple and sharp: we turn down the noise of the outside world, we amplify voices that fight to be heard, we call each other toward more truth and love, and we keep learning. It’s a powerful resource for facilitators, educators, DEI practitioners, community organisers, and anyone doing relationship-centered work who wants a practical language for group agreements and accountability.I also name the poem’s complicated history, including its original authorship by Beth Strano, the later additions and popularisation by Mickey Scott Bay Jones, and how questions of plagiarism led to a transformative justice dialogue. That context matters because ethical sharing, clear credit, and honest repair are part of collective care, not an afterthought.If you’re building a group, leading a team, or trying to host harder conversations with more integrity, this is a grounding listen. Subscribe, share this bonus with someone who holds space for others, and leave a review, then tell us: what would you add to a brave space agreement?And here is a link to a podcast episode with folks discussing this poem: https://onbeing.org/programs/jennifer-bailey-and-lennon-flowers-an-invitation-to-brave-space/PLUS, sign up to be informed about the group that Tolu and Gitika will be hosting in a few months! Kinnected Support Group: https://forms.gle/e9JAq7iv6DFi1UCt6 Thanks for listening, Tolu & Gitika You can reach us at kinnected.squarespace.comTolu is the Founder of Re-member Counseling & Gitika is the Founder of Pranh Healing & Wellness