Healing, Communication, & Inclusive Practices

A work-in-progress action plan that outlines a clear path for reopening our organization, emphasizing the importance of healing, transparent communication, and a strong commitment to building a more inclusive and equitable environment. 

Key Principles:

  • Healing: Prioritize open communication and restorative justice practices to address past challenges and build trust within the community.

  • Communication: Maintain clear and consistent communication with staff, volunteers, and the broader community throughout the reopening process.

  • Inclusion and Equity: Implement strategies to ensure all voices are heard, valued, and represented.

  • Programming: Develop a programming schedule that reflects the diversity of our community and allows for innovation.

Phase 1: Laying the Groundwork

Step 1: Individual Restorative Conversations 

  • Action: Secure a facilitator trained in restorative justice practices.

  • Action: Schedule individual restorative conversations with key stakeholders

  • Action: Affinity Group creation

Step 2:  Outreach to Booked Acts

  • Action: Identify acts or events booked on the calendar through the summer. 

  • Action: Develop a communication plan for reaching out to booked acts. email template that includes CTA for replying all + booking email.

  • Action: Reach out to booked acts to discuss options and next steps. Focus on open communication and understanding their needs

Phase 2: Continuous Improvement (Ongoing)

  • Action: Hold regular staff meetings with a clear agenda and commitment to transparency. 

  • Action: Analyze feedback received through restorative conversations and the feedback form. 

  • Action: Develop and implement a plan for ongoing DEI training and improvements to our organization.

For continuous consideration:

  • Budgetary implications for restorative justice facilitator and DEI training.

  • Communication channels for ongoing updates with the community.

Continuous Relationship Building and Trust Restoration

  • Continual Feedback Loop: Ensure ongoing collection and integration of feedback to refine and improve processes.

  • Equity and Inclusion: Maintain focus on developing practices that support diversity and inclusivity with the staff through trainings and reset of norms and procedures

  • Learning and Training: Incorporate lessons from external examples to improve processes.

  • Staff and Patron Agreements: Revisit and set a regular review cadence to maintain relevance and effectiveness.

  • Monitor Feedback: Keep an eye on social media to gauge public sentiment and respond appropriately.

  • Impact Assessment: Evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies in improving your relationship with the community and in achieving business stability.

How We Field Feedback & Concerns

We take the feedback and concerns shared by the community seriously as individuals and as a team, and we are making substantial efforts to address them.  With the help of external facilitators trained in restorative justice, we are reaching out to set up conversations between people who have voiced that they have been hurt by the actions of members of our team and the 10 Forward staff members in question. Several staff members will be taking steps back from public facing roles to focus on these restorative processes and healing work. If you feel that you could benefit from a mediated conversation with someone on staff, please let us know. 

We are always iterating on our staff roles and responsibilities to continue to move towards collective and horizontal leadership. Co-operatization has been the long term goal of 10 Forward. That entails making the space profitable for artists and employees, building revenue and trust, and then applying to be a cooperative when the business and its community recognize that they are equipped to make that decision.  

We have worked very hard this last year to make 10 Forward financially self-sustaining.  In order to implement the changes we know need to happen, we have to have the space in which to practice them. The unfortunate truth of this hellish capitalist reality is that if we don’t reopen now, we will close, and the potential to make this space better is extinguished. 

While the actions of individuals do not represent our views as an organization, we recognize there is always more we can do to implement policies of accountability and practices informed by the most marginalized members of our communities. In an attempt to remedy this, we are seeking sensitivity training for our entire staff, reaching out to and collaborating with community members to create events that lift up, and are safe and fun for, the most marginalized among us, and seeking appropriate facilitators to set up affinity groups. 

We want and need to hear any feedback that you wish to give.

Thank you,

10 Forward