Better Together: care-based strategies for tending to conflict and harm in our movements and communities

Registration closes 90 mins before event start. See all upcoming events and workshops here.

After years of watching the far-right organize and gain power in Europe and beyond, we have to continue to ask ourselves: how can those of us standing against authoritarianism in all its forms stick together against the systems that harm us all, even when we hurt each other? Especially in times of great repression, our movement’s resources, bodies and tempers tend to be stretched paper-thin. This often means that we not only end up harming each other more than we might in less repressive times, but also that our reactions to those harms might jump the quickest and often the most severe consequence, rather than the strategic or right-sized response.

On the long-term scale of organizing, if we are fighting for other worlds and ways of being in relation with other people and planet that we think are possible, how might we practice these worlds already within the contexts in which we are organizing?

In this workshop we’ll explore definitions of harm and its consequences in the context of movement and cultural organizing, as well as practical frameworks and tactics for dealing with different levels of conflict and harm in ways that strive not to reproduce the very violences we are fighting against.

This workshop is a politicized space, rooted in my own lineages and commitments. The space is is intended for folks who broadly identify with these ethics.

For everyone's safety,  please do not join if you are sick. 

This may be for you if...

...you're interested in learning and practicing ways of being in and with community that honor the sacredness of our multiplicities, wholenesses, and experiences, while not negating accountability when harm does happen.

...you work with/in collective structures, especially in cultural or social movement spaces, or you want to do more of that.

...you believe that we have the responsibility to cultivate strong communities with ethics rooted in care if we want to both topple and replace the current violent systems we find ourselves within.

If you're not sure if this space is for you, feel free to write me and ask.

Registration, reciprocity and financial transparency

There are 30 spaces for this workshop, registration is required so we can manage the capacity. 

As reciprocity for the time and experience I'm sharing, I'm offering this on a pay-what-you-can basis, with a suggested donation range from 0€ to 50€. You can pay via donation on this ticket page or in cash on the day of the event. This income goes towards defraying my travel costs and my costs-of-living, as well as a percentage of earnings over 200€ going back to the venue (on top of 40€ I have already offered and paid). 

As ever, sliding scale is not about me offering discounts or savings, it's a (fumbling) attempt to make these offers financially accessible while still being able to pay my own bills each month as an independent facilitator working mainly in lower-income communities. Please don't choose a price based on what sounds good, but rather based on your own access to financial stability and other resources. Need help reflecting? Check out my sliding scale page.

Due to administrative limitations, all contributions/donations this workshop are final. In case you cannot make it, you can still receive the aftercare email with resources and notes from the workshop. 

About your host

Hi, I'm Sarj. I'm a seasoned facilitator and community care organizer who has worked with in and with many collectives to help tackle these issues. I also co-run a popular education program on conflict and community accountability — Big Beef and Beyond — with Bryony Beynon. 

Learn more about me and my praxis at https://sarj.cc

Access Info

One Field Fallow (OFF) is a queer-run collective and workplace, located at Onderrichtsstraat 60, 1000 Brussels. Sprouted from a disused night shop, OFF serves as a space for political organising, weird (artistic) research, knowledge sharing, and community building.

OFF is located at the ground floor of a residential apartment building. When standing on the pavement, you will recognize OFF by its old nightshop lightbox attached to the building and its big window full of drawings. To access OFF, you cross a small outdoor entrance that leads to a glass door. The entrance can only be accessed when the shutter has been opened. To enter OFF, there are two PRM ramps available. One needs to be put down after the shutter has been opened. Once inside, the space consists of one open space that is fully wheelchair accessible.

There will be slides used as a language and visual support. You are very welcome to join the space in whatever way helps you feel most comfortable to participate actively, and we will check in at the beginning to make sure can meet as many group access needs as possible. Stimulation toys and food are very welcome in this workshop. All exercises are invitations.

Questions? Write me here.