The Art of Creating Space

Over the last eight years you could say that I have been employed to “create space”. That has looked different in the jobs that I have held; from working with students in different capacities, being a barista, bar tending and now consulting; the metric of success has been to create space. With a metric so broad how do you move forward with confidence knowing the hard work you are doing is paying off even when money isn’t rolling in. Not to say I was not getting paid in these jobs,, but lets be honest, 2nd graders aren’t rolling in cash to compensate me for creating space for them. So what does creating space look like? And why do I keep stepping into rolls where the biggest metric of success lies in this phantom idea of space.

I am defining space as a place, a people, a community where the target audience KNOWS they belong. When we know that we belong we are more willing to be vulnerable and honest; we are more willing to be loyal in the midst of hardship; more willing to have conversations with people you disagree with. In a space where you know you belong you are able to grow in skills like empathy for others and confidence in yourself. I think we can all agree to the need to have a space to belong to is crucial. The question lies in where are these spaces and how can we create them.

In my experience we all to some degree or another recognize our need to belong. We can point to the incredible feeling that comes with belonging to something that isn’t based on something I do, but revolves around who I am. For example. When working with elementary students creating space looks like this: verbally affirming the kids in my after-school program that they are good. Just good. When they play games with each other, when they color a picture, when they read a book, when they help with cleanup, when they ask good questions. I am not advocating for the “everyone gets a medal” mentality that sometimes crops up, I firmly believe that we need to teach kids that there are winners, that there are consequences for not meeting the requirements in an activity. BUT this does not take aware a child’s inherent goodness. And that is how we created space for kids to try new things, and FAIL. Each kid knew that no matter the outcome of their endeavor, they were good. Just good.

I believe that one of the most important things we can do in society is be a person that creates the space for people to belong. No matter their walk of life, political beliefs, or self identify. If we belong to a community that affirms the goodness in us regardless of our success or failure, we will have the confidence to pursue passions, to dig our heals in when times are hard and fight for the goodness of others, to create beautiful things. That is the goal behind partnering with local baristas to form the Indiana Coffee Alliance. We want to partner with local baristas to create a space where no matter what shop you work in, what your palette preference, your ideal brew method; you are good. You belong. The outcome of a space that does this well? Baristas in the community are able to see coffee as a community rather than competition. We can celebrate the success of someone else knowing that it doesn’t take away from ourselves. That is why I love the coffee industry. I have been a part of multiple local coffee communities that have embodied this and have had the pleasure of participating in creating some of them.

So what? Why be a part of creating a space for the coffee community? What could it look like to be a part of an industry where you aren’t looking over your shoulder for someone to take your job, or what it would be like to have other professionals in your industry celebrate the art you create even if they had no part in? I believe that the coffee you craft will be more excellent, more beautiful and more fulfilling because you are a part of something bigger than yourself.