IndieSpace’s Deep Breath - Our plan for January and February
Dear friends,
I hope you’ve been staying dry and warm and are preparing for a restful holiday season. We’ve been in an absolute whirlwind and I think we could all use a little peace and quiet and time with loved ones.
I wanted to update you on a few things. First, the IndieSpace “offices” will be closed for the holidays from December 23 until January 6. We are doing an extended office closure for the whole team so we can be fortified for what the next year will, undoubtedly, bring. But I also wanted to let you know about some additional reflection time we are building into the calendar.
IndieSpace will be taking a Deep Breath for all of January and February. We’ve been going, non stop, for 12 plus years. There hasn’t been real downtime in all of those years, but especially since the beginning of Covid. It has been long days and nights, working on the weekends and more. We know you understand, as this is the case for most workers in our field. We love our work and feel so deeply committed to being there for our community, whenever the community needs it. But we need some time at a slower pace. I really knew we needed to work on boundaries when my therapist had to help me draft my out of office email last December. HA!
During the IndieSpace Deep Breath, the team is just going to go slower. We are going to take this time to reflect on the last many years and think about what has been working and what needs to shift. What can we shed? What do we need to prepare for with this incoming White House regime to be sure we are agile and are showing up in the best way possible for you? We are going to take real time to evaluate our programs and dig into what you’ve been telling us you want and need. And we are going to think about what IndieSpace needs to look like for the future we are trying to co-create. We have a big, new space coming down the pipe. Who do we need to be and what do we need to have ready so that the space is welcoming and warm and affordable and accessible and sustainable and is the place you all want to be? I feel big changes coming, structurally. I am trying to listen to my gut and push through any scarcity mindset and fear and instead get into flow and roll with it (be ready of course, but roll with it). We plan to be on the ride with you all, together. I hope you will join us.
Some practicals:
We are still working during this time, but we will likely be slower to respond to you and will try and push meetings that aren’t urgent etc out until after the Deep Breath
There will be no outward facing programming in Jan and Feb (no Growing Small Budget calls, no coworking, no Give and Gain etc)
Mental Health grants will still go out during this time, each month, as always
Emergency grants and loans will still be available during this time, if needed
Real Estate Advisory and Consulting work that is time sensitive will lean into our partnership with Plot for their support and we will be there for questions. New orgs that are looking to join our program will be picked up in March, unless the need is extremely time sensitive or can be fully handled by Plot
Discord will still be up and running for you all to connect with one another
Please fill out the 2024 End of Year Survey so that we can think about what you all have to say during this special time for reflection.
And reach out if you have any questions or concerns about this before December 20.
Love you,
Randi
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