Making a Space to Feel Safe

By Isaiah Joseph

Being comfortable in your environment is a vital factor in many aspects of work and life. 

Apartments, parks, and libraries usually serve as personal spaces where an individual can find safety and comfort.

Kean University introduced an event that discusses the significance of safe spaces in a professional setting and how to establish them.

Dr. Rebecca Vicente of the department of counselor education gave a presentation on LGBTQIA+ and the importance of having a safe space established in a work environment.

Vicente is a member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, and the Coordinator of the Community Wellness and Counseling Center (CWCC) at Kean University. 

She introduces why it is crucial to establish safe spaces at work among employees in the LGBTQIA+ community.

What is known about safe spaces is that everyone gathers together to share their experiences with marginalization, meaning how they are treated in certain circumstances.

In work environments, Inclusivity is very important in the language individuals may choose to use, such as using pronouns that someone has identified themself with.

“When someone asks you to use their pronouns they are asking you to respect their identity,” Vicente said.

During the presentation, Vincente brought up a chart known as the Wheel of Power and Privilege illustrated by Sylvia Duckworth, an award-winning teacher from Toronto, Canada, and Google Certified Innovator, Trainer, and Apple Distinguished Educator. 

The chart helps to get a more detailed visualization of the term “marginalization;” the further you are from power, the more ignored and unimportant you feel.

As community members of Kean, students have probably witnessed uncomfortable situations where they have seen someone of the LGBTQIA+ community being misgendered and they don’t have the voice to speak up.

The community established at Kean has a purpose to prevent situations like that and it includes speaking up for the oppressed and showing that they have a safe environment to retreat to if things get rough for them.

“We can do a great job at creating inclusive safe spaces,” Vicente said.

Many can make a powerful community on campus knowing that students and staff have a place to voice their concerns, and learn more about what it means to establish a safe place in their work environment and community.

“We are the change-makers even if we don’t want to be,” Vicente said.

---