*WHY is the NEFOC Network members-only?

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color’s voices have historically been marginalized; we experience micro and macroaggressions, stereotyping, and other forms of racialized violence in “mainstream” spaces that leave us depleted, erased, and silenced. BIPOC Safe(r) spaces offer a brief, joyful, and healing respite. We appreciate that not everyone understands why BIPOC-only spaces exist. We suggest that if you have questions, that you refer to the following articles and educational resources for support.

• “Why People of Color Need Spaces Without White People” by Kelsey Blackwell

• “Dismantling Racism: A Resource Book for Social Change Groups” by Western States Center

• “How to Show Up in BIPOC-Only Spaces Without White Centering” (paid course) by Layla F. Saad

• “No, Black-only Safe Spaces Are Not Racist” by Cameron Glover

• “Me and White Supremacy” (book) by Layla F. Saad

• “Why Environmentalists Must Make More Space for BIPOC, and How We Should Do It” by Leesa Ko

• “Why there’s nothing racist about black-only spaces” by Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff

• “5 Reasons We Need Black-Only Spaces (And No, Reverse Racism Isn’t One of Them)” by Michal 'MJ' Jones

• Racial Equity Tools: Caucuses and Affinity Groups (aggregated list)