safe space

"historically, safe spaces were 'safe' because they represented places where Black women could freely examine issues that concerned us. by definition, safe spaces become less 'safe' if shared with those who were not Black and female. Black women's safe spaces were never meant to be a way of life. instead, they constitute one mechanism among many designed to foster Black women's empowerment and enhance our ability to participate in social justice projects. as strategies, safe spaces rely on exclusionary practices, but their overall purpose most certainly aims for a more inclusionary, just society. as the work of Black women blues singers and Black women writers suggests, many of the ideas generated in such spaces found a welcome receptions outside Black women's communities. but how could Black women generate these understandings of Black women's realities without first talking to one another?"

*excerpted from "Black feminist thought" by patricia hill collins, pg.110