Affirmative space for Black womxn is grounded in the notion of representation. Within a hyper-radicalized political climate, too often Blackness has been co-opted and misrepresented as a uniform political identity. On a daily basis, Black womxn are consistently existing in social and professional spaces where their full identities are challenged through perpetual misrepresentation, stereotypes, and silencing. These experiences breed negative implications on one’s self perception, increasing common feelings around isolation that has a significant impact on one’s mental health and ability to thrive in all other aspects of their livelihoods.
Affirmative spaces combat these challenges, creating spaces that are safe and supportive towards Black womxn authentically expressing themselves. These are spaces where Black womxn are seen, heard, and honored as multidimensional beings.
Black spaces are essential to create spaces of empowerment for Black people BY Black people. Black space is where the multidimensionality within Black identity is honored. In essence, they are both a tool of social protest and liberation.
Addressing mental health needs in the Black community goes beyond clinical therapy which is often inaccessible due to high costs, non-representative practitioners, and deep stigmas against seeking formal help for mental health needs.
While there is diversity in expression and experience across the Black community, all Black bodies experience anti-Black racism. Micro-aggressions and everyday oppressive conditions whether large or small take a toll on one’s mental and physical health over time. Affirmative Black spaces allow people to find communal support and release from these conditions. These spaces are key to provide opportunities for self-development while not feeling threatened, tokenized, or taken advantage of.
Within Boston and the country at large, spaces that are not intentionally Black or brown-centered uphold a presence of white dominance. Black spaces are necessary outside of the white lens for communities to tap into ancestral roots and alternative thinking models that build off historical Black success and struggle.
Black spaces are essential to provide opportunities for communities to carry history and cultural customs into the present. Furthermore, safe spaces for expression and creation build opportunity for collective healing and sustainable platforms towards collective action moving forward.
Struggles around race are inherently liked with inequalities in wealth and capital. In Boston, the Black (specifically non-immigrant African-American) households hold a net-worth of only $8 comparative to $247,500 for whites.*
Overcoming racialized wealth disparities is rooted in building stable platforms of exchange and wealth-building that originates within the Black community. Black spaces provide opportunities to challenge dominant values and practices to develop alternative solutions around wealth and capital distribution. Opportunities for gathering within Black communities supports the development of social connections that lead to collaborations and growth of entrepreneurial and creative pursuits.
*via Boston Globe
Black spaces are necessary to hold safe space within the community to address conversations around violence, transphobia, sexism, colorism, and other oppressive values that are co-opted from dominant society. Too often these challenges within the Black community are exploited in media or other destructive means that perpetuate such conditions rather than building platforms to overcome them.
Addressing challenges within the Black community will achieve the greatest and most sustainable impact when also driven and solved within the community. Spaces are needed that are sensitive to Black and Indigenous processes towards conflict resolution and healing, and psychological liberation.
Across many of the popularly mentioned spaces, common characteristics were that the spaces were dynamic, flexible, and evolving with the community. These are spaces that are accessible via various avenues beyond their inherent utility. Whether a marketplace, cafe, or bookstore, popular spaces amongst also served as meeting spots for organizers or have served as venues for music, spoken word, visual art, or other creative programming.
These activities create symbiotic benefits between businesses and community by providing space for communal gathering where it may be otherwise lacking, and in turn building awareness about each respective business as organizers and creatives bring new faces through their doors.
Materiality serves as a form of storytelling and self expression. Here, we feature a collection of design elements shared in interview commentary as well as present in Black-womxn owned spaces across Roxbury.
Across many of the popularly mentioned spaces, common characteristics were that the spaces were dynamic, flexible, and evolving with the community. These are spaces that are accessible via various avenues beyond their inherent utility. Whether a marketplace, cafe, or bookstore, popular spaces amongst also served as meeting spots for organizers or have served as venues for music, spoken word, visual art, or other creative programming.
These activities create symbiotic benefits between businesses and community by providing space for communal gathering where it may be otherwise lacking, and in turn building awareness about each respective business as organizers and creatives bring new faces through their doors.
Materiality serves as a form of storytelling and self expression. Here, we feature a collection of design elements shared in interview commentary as well as present in Black-womxn owned spaces across Roxbury.
Wood Elements
Foster natural and earthy tones
White Walls & Surfaces
For lightness, openness, and flexibility of space arrangement
Dark Accents
A grounding nature on floors, ceilings, or detailing
Bold Colors
Bring warmth, energy, and liveliness into space
Flowers & Plants
Enhance connection to nature
Murals
Bold statements that highlight local artists
Patterns & Tapestries
For softened edges and cultural expression
Mirrored Surfaces
Add reflective elements for enhanced light and openness
Wood Elements
Foster natural and earthy tones
White Walls & Surfaces
For lightness, openness, and flexibility of space arrangement
Dark Accents
A grounding nature on floors, ceilings, or detailing
Bold Colors
Bring warmth, energy, and liveliness into space
Flowers & Plants
Enhance connection to nature
Murals
Bold statements that highlight local artists
Patterns & Tapestries
For softened edges and cultural expression
Mirrored Surfaces
Add reflective elements for enhanced light and openness
Programming spaces serve as junctions of economic and cultural exchange.
Black-centric programming and events are crucial for promoting community building and economic investment within the community. Within Roxbury, programmed spaces often serve the dual purpose as market spaces, including pop-up vendors featuring entrepreneurs from within the community. Inclusion within such spaces creates accessible marketing and growth opportunities for micro-businesses and artists where vending spaces are otherwise too costly or non-existent.Programmed spaces provide opportunities for networking within community members to meet like-minded organizers and creatives seeking to connect and grow collaborations.
Programming spaces serve as junctions of economic and cultural exchange.
Black-centric programming and events are crucial for promoting community building and economic investment within community. Within Roxbury, programmed spaces often serve the dual purpose as market spaces, including pop-up vendors featuring entrepreneurs from within the community. Inclusion within such spaces creates accessible marketing and growth opportunities for micro-businesses and artists where vending spaces are otherwise too costly or non-existent.Programmed spaces provide opportunities for networking within community members to meet like-minded organizers and creatives seeking to connect and grow collaborations.
Programming spaces serve as junctions of economic and cultural exchange.
Black-centric programming and events are crucial for promoting community building and economic investment within community. Within Roxbury, programmed spaces often serve the dual purpose as market spaces, including pop-up vendors featuring entrepreneurs from within the community. Inclusion within such spaces creates accessible marketing and growth opportunities for micro-businesses and artists where vending spaces are otherwise too costly or non-existent.Programmed spaces provide opportunities for networking within community members to meet like-minded organizers and creatives seeking to connect and grow collaborations.
Explore the full report for more information about the experiences and challenges amongst community organizers in Roxbury.