A Community for the Keepers and Makers of Black Space

Homeplace holds space for public and community scholars, activists, and practitioners in community development to discuss why they do the work they do and their vision for just, equitable, and nurturing communities.

 

What We Do

We bring together humans committed to exploring the built environment and how and why identity, race, place, equity, and culture inform our work to transform it.

Why We Do it

We aim to disrupt narratives in community development that have long been shaped by white supremacy. We believe that this serves as the foundation for conducting research, producing scholarship, and activating community-based learning opportunities that are rooted in a deep understanding of the historical inequities that have existed in community development, and specifically those that have more severely impacted Black communities.

How We Do It

  • Connection and Conversation

  • Community Based Learning Experiences

  • Public Research and Scholarship

  • Storytelling

  • Faciliation

“It was there on the inside, in "homeplace," most often created and kept by black women, that we had the opportunity to grow and develop, to nurture our spirits”

bell hooks, Homeplace (a site of resistance)

In 1990 bell hooks published her essay Homeplace (a site of resistance). She explored how black homes were safe and affirming spaces for black people who regularly confronted the cruelties of racism and white supremacy. Inside of our homes, Black women were the makers and keepers of these places that allowed us to nurture ourselves and our spirits. The spirit of homeplace embodies and reflects a collective commitment to community. We must hold to reflect on how we show up to work to create and preserve communities that nurture and heal

Will you be a part of telling our stories? Let’s Connect.