2022
Last fall, when traveling for work and cruising for edits from the passenger seat, I happened upon a coffee shop that misused the "Name" section of their business - they made a cute little SEO grab. I corrected it, but in the process found an extremely active Google My Business profile, thoughtfully maintained with amazing reviews. I was intrigued, so I took the 10 minute detour off of the freeway to investigate what made this business so active and so unique.
When I arrived, I had trouble finding the location - it was totally nondescript in the line of storefronts. I actually drove past it twice. Eventually I parked a block up and walked down the street until I found it. Walking in, I was surprised by how quiet and serene the place was, but what surprised me the most was the enormous wall of educational literature about safe spaces, LGBTQ resources, cultural/ethnic resources, and homelessness/low income resources. In fact, the wall of resources was so large that it stretched from opposite the cash register, into a back room, and down the hallway towards the restrooms. There were numerous signs with affirmative statements, books and pamphlets with invitations to take them, photos from meetings held at the coffee shop, and a schedule of events. After being there a while, I noticed that TV's around the shop shared the same information. My first thought was that this location was some sort of a non-profit, but when I ordered my coffee, the owner, who was staffing the shop on a weekday afternoon, shared with me his personal dedication to the mission of safety and inclusiveness for people of all walks of life.
I grew up in Bozeman, MT in the late 90's and early 00's. Issues of preference, class and race were common themes for conflict, especially during high school, and at that time, it was even more of a battle that it is today. There were no "safe spaces." Now we have stickers to mark them - they can be seen in some of the schools, clinics and establishments in my town today. It is a trend which matters immensely, more so for those who are timid, quiet, and try to pass through life unnoticed than those who proudly proclaim themselves.
I've added this singular location to a list titled "#SafeSpaces : Pocatello, Idaho" I will be creating lists for cities and states with the hashtag #SafeSpaces in the title, comments, and reviews I write as I notice places like this in my travels. The individuals who need this type of information most are the ones least capable of finding it, and I firmly believe that it is in the best interest of all beliefs and viewpoints to help people help themselves - finding support and resources is one of the most important pieces of this puzzle.
If you would like to help mark #SafeSpaces in your reviews, would you consider creating your own lists for the cities or neighborhoods you frequent, and including those locations which have proclaimed themselves to be #SafeSpaces or resource centers for any population which might be at-risk in one way or another? Make sure to include the hashtag in your review, and if you have the time, thank these locations for their dedication, energy, and altruism.
If anyone has created a similar list, or starts one, would you like the list in the comments below? I know that lists do not always automatically suggest for places as I travel, and it would be amazing to begin accruing this information. Please add the hashtag #SafeSpaces and the name of the neighborhood or location to the list title.
If you know of a safe space to be added to a list you see below, @mention that user so they can expand their list!
#SafeSpaces : Pocatello, Idaho"
P.S. Mods if I put this in the wrong section let me know so I can move it!
Also - this place had amazing coffee and jelly-filled peanut-butter cookies. Amazing eats, amazing mission.
Thanks for sharing about Safe Spaces . Happy to learn something new. Hope many local guides hashtag #SafeSpaces in the future reviews.
- Nepal | 
