Hey Garden(ers),
What if we took intentional time to imagine Reparations beyond the State? We'll be wrapping up Black August 2025 with 🌱 But is it Reparations: A Deep Dive into Reparations Frameworks with J Mase & Lady Dane on Sunday, August 31st from 1-4pm PT. This 3 hour session will seek to engage the answers to the following questions: What can Reparations actually look like? How does the Reparations Movement intersect with other social movements and how do non-Black POC participate? They'll also cover examples of models that currently exist and what additional elements go into Reparations outside of money. Don't miss out on our last Black August event and RSVP here (This session is open to all Garden(ers).)
🫂 The next session of Chronic Illness and Long Covid Support Group will be this Thursday August 28th from 5:30pm-7:30pm PT with Chanelle! Navigating everything that comes with chronic illness can be difficult - from managing symptoms to experiencing grief over missing your pre-illness life. This is a peer support space where we can share our feelings about living with any chronic/long-term illness, including long COVID, during an ongoing pandemic. RSVP here!
🤔 Have you become a member of Garden, but still feel like you have questions about how to navigate the Gather.Town platform, or how the space works? Come ask all your questions and get acclimated at New Member Orientation on Saturday, August 30th at 1pm PT! RSVP here for a reminder!
📺 Based on Issa Rae's acclaimed web series Awkward Black Girl, Insecure is a show about the awkward and messy experiences of a young Black woman. Join us for the next showing has been postponed to next Saturday September 6th at 6pm PT to stream and chit-chat about Issa and her crew's hilarious moments, relationship drama, bad decisions, breakups and glow-ups. Issa watch party at The Dunes! RSVP via the visit page.
✍🏽Are you an aspiring writer? Come join The Storytellers' Anthology every other Saturday starting September 6th at 1pm PT, hosted by Louis J. Mason. This group is created for writers who want feedback and constructive criticism on their unpublished literary works, especially for those looking to publish their piece, but just need an extra pair of eyes and encouragement. All genres are welcomed and encouraged. RSVP to attend here
☕ September 7th at 1pm PT, Garden will be hosting its first Social Hour series. Each Social Hour will feature a 15-30 min rant// talk// presentation// performance from a Garden member on a subject of their choosing as well as time for folks to meet other members in a casual hang out space with games and activities. Want a place to share your random idea, your new poetic works, to present something special, get feedback or even host at a Garden Social Hour? The format is flexible as needed, and can be a space to practice facilitation skills for those wanting a friendly place to try something new. We are seeking our first brave presenter, is it you?! Send us your proposals here! RSVP to attend here.
🛋️ Join Deeda as she hosts Fall Forward: A Cozy Vision Board Party on Saturday September 13th at 3pm PT. As the season shifts, come settle in for a gentle Saturday evening of reflection, intention-setting, and creative visioning. Folks will gather in the Enchanted Library to dream together about the months ahead. Feel free to bring your favorite cozy drink, comfy socks/blanket, and a few images or words that speak to your heart. ✨ No pressure--just presence and imagination!✨RSVP here
🫁 Want to increase your lung capacity? Come to Breathing in the Knowledge Nursery! Every weekday at 9am PT. RSVP here!
💃🏾 Co-Twerking this Tuesday with Caroline at 3pm PST!
📔 Quiet-ish Reading Club / Connect (QRC) 💜💛📚 meets Tuesdays at 6pm PT! QRC - Garden Edition is where we chill together in mostly quiet company of 45 min reading blocks. Bring your own: book, audiobook, article, magazine, comic book, training manuals, graphic novel, paperwork/forms, poetry, etc. anything you’d like to or need to read. Most of the time will be us practicing sustained silent reading (SSR) in cozy, quiet company together. We will take occasional breaks to chat and socialize - mics optional. Learn more about QRC - Garden Edition. Like to be kept up-to-date on QRC meet-ups in Garden? Fill out this interest form. RSVP here
🎥 Name That Movie (Night!) is Wednesday at 5:30pm PT! This week's movie is a drama/comedy about a man who thinks he is being watched- but just how big is the audience? Think you know what it is? Come thru and find out! RSVP via the visit page.
🪷 Stretch it out as Caroline leads us in another weekly afternoon Yoga sesh Fridays at 3pm PT by streaming a yoga video from YouTube and following along. Videos will be between 25-45 minutes long between easy to moderate pace. Drop ins are always welcome! RSVP via the calendar on the visit page.
🗡️Join us every other Friday (starting September 12th at 5pm PT) for Garden's Among Us Game nights! Join for fun, strategy, and a little bit of betrayal 🗡️ Complete your tasks (yes, even after you are killed!), look around to see who is acting suspicious and see if you can spot the Impostor before it’s too late. Whether you're a seasoned crewmate or a sneaky saboteur, all skill levels are welcome to join! RSVP here!
😷 Hang out, chill and play games with Black folks who take COVID precautions at Bonfire in Garden! The next Bonfire will be Saturday September 20th at 5pm PT RSVP here. (Black folks only.)
🦾 Self Defense Discussion Series will be on Sundays at 8am PT. We focus on ease of movement, light strengthening or flexibility exercises, and reading/discussion on self-defense and liberatory principles. Message Caroline with any questions. RSVP via the visit page!
🎨 Let’s unlock our creative spirit together! Garden's Way a 12-week meetup where we’ll discuss chapters, share progress, and encourage each other as we move through The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. Open to anyone (writers, painters, musicians, dreamers, etc.) looking for a supportive space to grow and express themselves. 🌱 every Sunday at 11am PT through Oct 5th, hosted by Deeda & Mo & Dan. Meeting weekly at Garden and yapping asynchronously in our Signal group. DM a host to be added to the Signal group, or join us at their weekly meeting! RSVP here.
💻 Do you work from home and sometimes feel a little too isolated from others? Come Co-Work with us in Garden! We are a 24/7 drop in space for folks to join to co-work silently, listen to music, play a game or chat amongst each other in the chat box.
🏳️⚧️TRANS FILMMAKER OPEN CALL🏳️⚧️ Do you want to be part of the inaugural transcending film evening of shorts at the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center? We are seeking short films (new and old) for an evening this October celebrating trans filmmakers as part of the Queer Lens series. Curated by Daniella Carter & Harris Doran. Submission Deadline: Sept 12. Narrative films, Documentary films, Art films, Music Videos (20 mins max.) Seeking inspired film/video work by creators of all experience levels. Email links to films: QueerLensSeries@gmail.com.
🩺 HōttoCare is a company led by a physician that supports aging adults in Northern California. They specifically support individuals with dementia and cognitive decline and their caregivers in a wrap-around way. Currently, they are seeking dependable individuals to support their care team as a Virtual Assistant/Coordinator–no healthcare experience is necessary! Pay range is $18+ per hour. Applications are accepted until the position is filled.
🖊️ The Amy Lowell Poetry Travelling Scholarship pays a US born poet $76k to live outside of North America for one year. Applications are due October 15th.
🍉 Centering Palestine has a zoom every Tuesday at 5pm PT, along with other resources to show up for Palestine available here.
😷 World Health Network has a weekly call to organize community members against mask bans every Friday at 12pm PT.
📢 As a follow-up to the Anti-Blackness sessions GenDoc facilitated with us a few weeks ago, she has graciously provided this Notes on Anti-Blackness write-up which shares some key takeaways about how Anti-Blackness shows up in BIPOC spaces and what non-Black folks can be doing to support dismantling that.
🌻 We are continuing to open Garden up to more community orgs who would like to share space with us here. If you are part of an org that may benefit from office/event space here, please email info@meetatgarden.com
💌 Don't forget, we can design and host non-Garden virtual events too.
Until next our avatars meet,
🪄Al, 😻Gata & 🪻J Mase
PS: Have a one-time-event or a recurring event and need a place to host? Email us at info@meetatgarden.com!
Garden is a free 24/7 space, but it does cost money for us to maintain it on Gather.Town. If you'd like to donate to this work, consider throwing some money in the pot here. To send donations directly through our 501c3 fiscal sponsor, email us!