TheCollabSpot is a brand new business being built between four inspiring folks that will be one part coworking space and one part community hub, all focused on the Black community and creating safe space!
They've just launched their website and crowdfunding campaign and would love to get support from more communities outside of Virginia.
Taneasha White lives at the intersections of Black, Queer, and woman and is
passionate about words, community, reproductive justice, and mass incarceration. She
has used her decade of time within Richmond to make room for folks who are often cast
aside, aid organizations in increasing their visibility, and support projects in building
power th rough digital communication. She is the Founder and Editor of UnSung Literary
Magazine, a flash fiction and poetry publication focused on offering artistic space for
marginalized voices.
Brooke Taylor is a Black, queer, non-binary, social justice advocate who has dedicated their
life to serving marginalized communities. Brooke is a proud Bison (Howard), Panther
(VUU), and Ram (VCU) alum, and has called Richmond home for almost a decade.
They have facilitated hundreds of trainings, conversations, and classes within various
demographic groups and has worked directly with persons facing incarceration,
discrimination, homelessness, and poverty; they also specialize in creative problem
solving in professional settings. Brooke is passionate about creating inclusive spaces
for BIPOC folks and is committed to breaking down barriers within the community.
(From left to right: Nana Abena Pierce Williams, Nana Korantema Pierce Williams, Brooke Taylor, Taneasha White)
For over a decade, Nana Abena Pierce Williams has brought the art of healing through traditional drumming, lecture, and teachings on Akan spirituality. Bridging the gap between
science and spirituality, Nana Abena has leveraged over 25 years of Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) leadership to co-found Applied DEI,
a consulting strategies and auditing service, that helps move good intentions into
actions that matter. Nana Abena holds an MBA, and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), a globally recognized designation offered by the Project
Management Institute.
With an MS in Mind-Body Medicine, Nana Korantema Pierce Williams is a qualified Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) practitioner and consultant, offering mind-body meditation, movement work and Healing for Healers facilitation. As a licensed therapeutic massage & body worker, Nana Korantema provides therapeutic massage and bodywork, focusing on emotional holding pattern release, yogic movement, and a host of other offerings rooted in mind-body holistic wellness. Nana Korantema is also a founding member of The Wind & The Warrior, which is a collective dedicated to the amplification and
integration of activists and spiritualists.
When asked about what their work means to them, they share the following:
“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” — Coretta Scott King
"This is one of the quotes we feel describes the motivation behind our work. Our collective goal revolves around community and how we can collectively support each other. This space that we’re building is multi-layered and intended to fill several gaps that we’ve seen in the city.
"We are going to be a coworking and office space, but also a community hub, a place where ALL Black folks can come and be their full authentic selves without fear of rejection or being asked to mute who they are."
To follow and support TheCollabSpot, you can visit their website, Indiegogo, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
They are also accepting donations through Venmo and CashApp (@TheCollabSpotRVA)!
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