A Carers Space

A Carer is broadly defined as someone who is in a practice of relationship, support, and tending to another. That could be someone who professionally does care work, a parent, a friend, someone who feeds others, someone tending the earth; the possibilities are vast. Despite its broad definition, this word is intentionally used to create a relational mindset as we pour into our ecosystem after the recent occupation.

Rotating hosts curate and hold the space to include focused care for the body, mind, soul, and safety.

Folks coming into, participating, planning, facilitating, and/or engaging in any way commit to embracing harm reduction, accountability, and repair, and practicing this ethic of safety in the space.

PRACTICING AN ETHIC OF SAFETY

This space has a standard ethic or approach to safety. This is a values practice that will be operationalized through shared agreements in the space. These values are rooted in harm reduction, accountability, and repair. It is a practice with the understanding that no one can completely eliminate risk, but we can collectively mitigate it. Mistakes will happen, harm will happen, but what can we do with the err knowing that no one is disposable.

→ In this space, safety means engaging in a dynamic process of being human. Humans err, humans are messy, humans cause harm- peopleling can be hard, but it is worth it. Safety is a practice, and practices are not perfect. Safety means knowing personal boundaries and moving accordingly.

→ In this space, discomfort being unsafe.

→ Individual and collective risk are varied, and while we cannot control for all variables, we can strive to care for each other as we move together.

→ Sustained and acute violence and grief can squeeze out patterns of harm. In coming together to care for each other, we must attend to this possibility and actively work to not cause harm.

→ While no person is disposable, any hate, violence, disregard, or perpetuating harm will not be tolerated.

→ This space holds neither a vouching nor a vetting practice, but instead practices relationships as a safety value. We are all committing to caring for each other by being here, and we are all responsible for maintaining the space.

→ By participating in this space, folks are expected to adhere to the agreements and practice this ethic of safety.

**Drafted at the three planning sessions held on February 10th and 18th, and March 4th, 2026.

A CARERS SPACE SHARED AGREEMENTS

→ Joy is imperative.

→ The space prioritizes those dynamically situated at the intersections of Blackness, Indigeneity, queerness, transness, immigration status, and disability.

→ Come as you are, leave as you must. Bring as much of yourself within your window of tolerance and exit gracefully and without pulling the energy. *

→ Mind your business. What comes up for you is your practice, and what comes up for someone else is their practice. Confidentiality is a must. *

→ Move at the speed of trust. Notice when you find yourself anchored outside of the present. *

→ Everyone has an agency of self-care and is not forced to comment or participate. **

→ Practice both/and thinking. When possible, substitute an “and” for a “but” to expand versus limit thinking. **

→ Be willing to try on new ideas and speak in draft. **

→ Collective and relational care is prioritized over vetting or vouching. This is a collective commitment that shares responsibility, limits the pitfalls of exclusion, and disperses power.

→ We all agree to practice care when there is harm in need of repair.

→ If a person contributes care to the space one week, they are expected not to contribute care the subsequent week. This is an intentional practice to have folks move away from solely contributing to also receiving care and respite.

→ Individuals in this space are accountable to the space and others in it. If harm has occurred or an agreement has been violated, a process of repair will be initiated with the support of Sequeerity and the community broadly.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Healthcare Reparations Cooperative