Big Beef and Beyond: Working with harm and conflict in our communities

Registration closes at 9am the day of the event. Join our (sparsely sent) newsletter here. 

In this afternoon workshop we’ll explore definitions and practical ways of working with 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. 

Is it a disagreement, conflict or abuse? Is this punishment, or are those consequences? How do we hold slippery terms like ‘accountability’ to account and resist their weaponisation and capture, moving away from disposability culture whilst staying rooted in our values? What structures and shared lenses can help us navigate difficult interpersonal situations in more discerning, caring and less destructive ways?

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?

https://bigbeefandbeyond.cc/

This may be for you if...

...you're interested in learning and practicing ways of being in and with community that honor our multiplicities, wholeness, 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.

Registration, reciprocity and financial transparency

There are 20 spaces for this workshop, registration is required so we can manage the capacity. As reciprocity for the time and experience shared, we are offering this on a pay-what-you-can basis, with a suggested contribution range from 30€ to 150€, and No One Turned Away for Lack of Funds (NOTALOF). You can pay via "donation" option on this ticket page digitally or in cash on the day of the event. This income goes towards defraying our travel costs and costs-of-living as independent facilitators, as well as venue and materials costs. 

As ever, sliding scale is not about offering discounts or savings, it's a (fumbling) attempt to make these offers financially accessible while still being able to pay our own bills each month. We'd kindly ask you to consider a contribution based not on what sounds good, but rather based on your own access to financial stability and other types of resources/access/stability. 

Due to administrative limitations, all contributions for 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 hosts

Bryony (she/her) is from Wales and has been a gender-based violence prevention educator in frontline services, schools, nightlife and community settings for nearly twenty years. In her political life she is interested in building power through massive resilient revolutionary coalitions. A co-founder of Good Night Out Campaign (since 2014) and DIY Space for London (2015-2020) she loves making radio and hunting for spirals.

Sarj (they/them) is a very curious facilitator, participation designer and community care organizer from so-called Texas. A cofounder of aequa (2016), the aequa Workshops Collective (2020), and Berlin Collective Action e.V. (2020) their work and play explore the ways we can practice abolition in our relations, by creating loving alternatives to the systems of empire.

Read more on our lineages and a list of resources here.
Check out a radio programme about Big Beef And Beyond here.

Access Info

📍 The workshop is hosted at Au Kalme, Rue Fransman 118, 1020 Bruxelles.
⏰ We'll open the room 30 minutes before start, with the workshop starting at 13:00. 

Thank you to locals feros for sharing this venue recommendation with us, and for this access info they have shared about the venue:
"The venue was selected to meet as many neurodivergent accessibility criteria as possible (sensory sensitivities, type of lighting, ambient noise, multiple rooms, etc.). The venue is mostly accessible for people with reduced mobility, but the toilets are not. Depending on your disability it might be possible to use the toilets with the support of someone from our team. We have to verify how wide the doors are. A very small quiet space is available for isolation or you can take some air outside. There are some different types of chairs and sofas available. The venue is on a street in a busy part of Brussels. There might be some noise from traffic etc."

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🖍️ There will be slides and posters 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, including moving around or changing seating during the workshop. 
🌀 We will set group agreements at the start to give everyone the chance to voice needs and we'll do our best to negotiate meeting as many of them as possible.
🧸 Stimulation toys and food are very welcome in this workshop. 
✨ All exercises are invitations.

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🍎 Food
We advise eating lunch before you join, and invite you to bring some snacks to share for the workshop, if that's possible for you (we will as well). There will be at least three breaks (one longer), more to be negotiated at he start of the workshop as needed.

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😷 Health protocols
Depending on participant needs we might implement a safety protocol for respiratory virus’ which means you need to be present at 12:45 — we will let  you know if this is needed. If you are someone who needs such a protocol implemented to be able to join, or if you have any other needs you'd like to ask. if we can work towards meeting, email hi [at] bigbeefandbeyond.cc

🗣️ Language
The workshop will be facilitated in English. If something is not understood, we can do our best to tap the knowledge in the room to get the meaning across as thoroughly as possible. 

Questions? Contact us via at hi [at] bigbeefandbeyond.cc