Attendees
- Sarah
- Shannon
- Rachel
- Ro
- Meoshi
- Raushan
- Esther
- Dawn
- Gurpreet
- Erica
- Drea
- Jessica
Topics for Discussion
· Bystander training that Drea is holding – can we share resources with the committee? Invite the committee to be part of the training?
· Is there a way to share our learning resources in Instagram or Podcast or Newsletter? Blog post that lives on the website/is updated? Send the “homework” to our community? Give others a chance to participate in the learning and education piece as well.
· Should we look into having a “safe team” for events – identify them in a certain way, that they’ve completed the training and have agreed to take on this role. Team of people that are open to taking on that responsibility. Need to make sure the role is clear, and then if folks need help they know who to approach?
· Brought up personal safety when discussing training – need to make sure it includes conversations on when not to intervene. When not to put yourself into a situation that is not safe for you. Drea confirmed that will be an important aspect of our training. Dandelion initiative comes from a place that safety looks different for everyone and works with that information and prioritizes folks safety.
· Feel that in person might be more effective for the training. Ability to do an environmental scan. Hopefully at the new space. More info to come!
Headquarters
· Erica mentioned the difficulty of finding female brokers in commercial real estate in the city of Toronto. A couple people are going to reach out to folks they know.
· Discussed the Living Wage certification: a few breweries have been certified, interested in learning more. Ro knows someone who is certified and can reach out to get more info on the process.
· Discussed looking into is who we are renting to – ensure that people we are working with share our values. Similarly supplies – look into who we are working with to stock us. I.e. ULINE has some questionable donation history, look into Canadian made companies where we can.
· Should we look into a co-op program? Potential to subsidize people who can’t afford the space, could pitch in or do an in kind program that can help support other folks events.
· For the shop part of the space: a monthly spotlight on a BIPOC business, or queer business to stock their products.
· When talking to landlords – make sure to ask how much will we be able to modify the space. Some places won’t let you make changes that are adding accessibility. Make sure it’s in the offer where you want them to make these improvements.
· StopGap program – is it free? Think it’s a mix of both. They’re not actually that great, they’re a good step but if we can just have it built in it makes a lot more sense. You can access grants from federal and provincial government to help pay for accessibility improvements. If the changes are to an owned building then the landlords often have to apply for those grants.
· When looking at accessibility – try to avoid things that people have to ask for re: accessibility. Just have them there and not have folks have to request them.
· Craigs Cookies – at the front door there’s a piece of art that’s the land acknowledgement. Patrick Hunter is the artist that did it. Could we have someone create a work of art that is the land acknowledgement similarly? Have to be careful and ensure the artist we are approaching is alcohol friendly. Chief Lady Bird, Star Horn were mentioned.
· Discussed looking into some Indigenous stories and original names of places from that area to incorporate into the space as artwork and some education. Incorporating certain ways of being that feel inclusive like round tables instead of square.
· Want to offer a different rate or sliding scale to new Canadians for rentals. For newcomers specifically, suggested going into the community centers/ immigration centers and encourage folks to come into the space rather than waiting for them to come to you. Would have to make a concerted effort to welcome folks in. Can we give them a night where it’s just for them and their community? Can be direct and think about that as an offering. Maybe do some community outreach together with folks from the committee alongside to these specific places once we’re open.
· Discussed that a lot of businesses will have a pride flag and then the people that work there are gendering folks and the behaviour of the staff doesn’t match putting out the flag. So we need to ensure that what we’re presenting to the outside is what we are doing inside and our staff is all trained. Feel Left Field is a good model – they practice what they preach. Make sure the implicit bias training is mandatory for all new staff.
· Dawn has offered to help with HR policies and manuals and training for the space.
· Esther recommended a book called Invisible Women – it’s about women and women identified folks in the workplaces and identifies blind spots
· Artisan women maker’s market at the front and a monthly spotlight
Bevys and Events
Sanitizing stations
Planning to have sanitizer at the swag shop, at the 2 bars, at the food station. Make sure they’re in the washrooms too. Look into it at the site visit. Have it at the welcome. Discussed having individual hand sanitizers for everyone that they can take home – put the sticker on? Or print a specific label. Everyone gets a glass, then hand them the sanitizer. If not for 45 can plan going forward.
Menus
Not doing paper menus, going to do a couple big ones on the wall in addition to QR codes available for the details. Have a laminated one at each bar?
Beer Serving
Don’t want bartenders to have to touch everyone’s glass. Can we just pour the beer from the can into the glass. Have a fun sign saying ‘place beer here,’ they put the glass own and we pour in. Also have disposable cups available just in case someone needs one.
At the door
Have a waiver to ensure people are signing off on their vaccine status without needing proof. Set up a google doc that people have to fill out before they get access including this sign off.
Bathrooms
Have period stuff available in the washrooms for folks who menstruate. Future Events:
Sensory Packages
Some concerts are offering sensory packages – including ear plugs, sunglasses, fidget spinners etc. to help folks who struggle existing in loud spaces. Put in the bevy deets that these things are available. Even having a quiet space where folks can go sit for a moment and then go back when they’re ready. Could also sell them at the shop and have proceeds go towards tickets for an underrepresented person? How to communicate that we have this stuff available and make sure that folks know its available? Add it as an add on in Eventbrite – have it as part of the welcome? Could we add ideas like this to the resource library and help build awareness of practices like this.
Nametags
Maybe have a table where people can make nametags if they want and include their pronouns. Be mindful of the security thing, may not want folks leaving with their nametag on. Cover the safety side of things – have someone remind folks to take their nametags off? Have all of the staff and vendors wear nametags/with pronouns? Want to normalize it so it’s not just folks who want to indicate their pronouns but everyone. Can also help also designate who is volunbeer and who is staff.
Accessibility
Going forward need to be more specific and mindful of spaces being accessible. Lots of folks have issues with stairs, not just an issue for those in a wheelchair – invisible disabilities. Sometimes saying no to a venue is a way of pushing change. Will be easier once we have our own space to host events.
Tickets for larger events
Should we implement a sliding scale? Pay extra to buy someone else’s ticket? Is it levels on Eventbrite? You can pay a bit extra to pay for a BIPOC or Queer person’s entry. Then have folks reach out or email to access those tickets. Set aside a few tickets ourselves and then the ‘fund’ pays for the rest. Could do it as a fundraiser at the event for the next event – add it as a donation to the next event’s ticket fund. Revisit that in place of the $1 for CWF add on at the Swag Shop. Find that it’s not so common for people to abuse it. Set aside say five tickets from us to give away and then can offer more if those funds are available.
Morning After Bags
Looking into having something in the morning after bag about the traditional territory the land took place on? Something to take home that has that education piece.
Next Meeting
Discussed booking our next meeting when we have the space. So we can put it all into reality.
Training manuals
Sarah said she could help with this.
To-Do List
AUGUST-OCTOBER
- Alternatives to Uline
- Land acknowledgements with each podcast episode
- Do expanded land acknowledgement at our events during speech time and put an insert into each morning after bag
- Sensory packages for Bevy 0046
- Bevy0045 – we did menstrual products in bathrooms and had people do nametags with pronouns!
- Head to Black-Owned TO in Scarborough and connect with more BIPOC women small businesses for Mystery Boxes, artisan market, etc
- Look into the Living Wage Certification – talk to Mandie at Left Field and Alex at TWB …Rest will hang tight for now and implement as soon as we have the new space!
