Bravespace

#bravespace is a channel on the Noisebridge Discord for discussing community dynamics, raising concerns, and surfacing patterns. It's where "is this just me?" often becomes "no, others have noticed that too."

The Campfire Metaphor

Think of #bravespace as a campfire - people gather, share what they've noticed, and stories start to connect.

Someone says "I keep seeing X happen." Someone else says "Oh, I noticed that too." A third person adds context. What felt like an isolated experience becomes a visible pattern. That's the magic of the campfire - things that seemed like "just me" turn out to be "us."

The value is in the gathering itself. Most of what happens at the campfire stays at the campfire - resolved through acknowledgment, context, or just knowing you're not alone.

Sometimes a conversation needs to move somewhere more private - a walk away from the fire, a smaller circle. That's fine. But the campfire is where you discover whether that's needed, and often where you find the people to have that conversation with.

What Belongs in #bravespace

✅ These Topics Can Stay

Questions about norms and practices:

• "Why is this like this?" - Questions about norms, practices, or patterns that seem odd or unclear
• "Is this normal here?" - Calibration questions when you're unsure if something is expected NB weirdness or actually a problem
• "Where do I even take this?" - Meta-routing questions when you have a concern but don't know the right channel

Pattern observations:

• "I noticed X keeps happening" - Pattern observations that might resonate with others (or might just be you)
• "Has anyone else experienced...?" - Checking whether something is isolated or shared
• "People keep moving my cheese" - Low-grade recurring friction that isn't about a specific person so much as a systemic annoyance

Concerns and safety:

• "There's something fishy happening in [place] and I'm concerned" - Possible safety issues, could be an individual or group you don't feel safe confronting, or a pile of dangerous junk that seems hard to deal with

Vibes and suggestions:

• General vibes check - "The energy in [area/time] has been [off/intense/weird] lately"
• Suggestions for improvement - Ideas about space, norms, or practices that don't require consensus process but deserve airing

⚠️ These Topics Can Stay But Need Judgment

Power dynamics and social justice topics that are appropriate for #bravespace but start to skirt edges sometimes:

• "Who actually decides X around here?" - Questions about where power lives and whether it's visible
• "I've noticed [group] tends to get talked over / overlooked / deferred to" - Pattern observations about whose voices carry weight
• "Are we living our values around [accessibility / inclusion / openness]?" - Calling attention to gaps between stated principles and practice
• "The vibe feels unwelcoming to [X kind of person]" - Climate observations that aren't accusations but flag something worth examining
• "Why do the same people always end up doing Y?" - Surfacing informal power concentration
• "Is this gatekeeping or is there a real reason?" - Questioning barriers that may have calcified past their usefulness

The key: These are observations and questions, not accusations. They invite reflection and discussion. If the conversation starts to become about specific individuals and their behavior, it may be time to move to a more private channel.

What Should Go Somewhere Else

🚶 Walk Away From the Fire For These

Some conversations need a smaller circle:

• Specific interpersonal conflicts - "X did Y to me and I'm upset" → DMs, Mediation, or in-person conversation
• Accusations against named individuals - Even if true, public accusations escalate rather than resolve
• Sensitive personal details - Yours or others'
• Ongoing disputes - If you're in active conflict with someone, don't litigate it at the campfire
• Anything you'd be uncomfortable with the person seeing - They're probably sitting at the fire too

The Test

Before posting in #bravespace, ask yourself:

• Would I be okay if the person I'm concerned about read this?
• Am I seeking resolution, or am I venting/seeking validation?
• Is this a pattern/system question, or is it really about one specific person?
• Could this be resolved with a direct conversation instead?

If your answers suggest a private channel would be better, use one.

How #bravespace Connects to Conflict Resolution

The campfire is where pattern-surfacing happens - it connects to Conflict Resolution by helping you figure out what you're actually dealing with:

If you're experiencing...	#bravespace is for...	But go elsewhere for...
General friction	Asking "is this just me?"	Working out specifics with that person
Concern about a pattern	Naming the pattern, seeing if others notice it	Accusations or demands for action
Confusion about norms	Getting calibration from the community	Litigating a specific incident
Safety concern	Flagging something for visibility	Detailed discussion of individuals
Not knowing what to do	Getting routing help	The actual resolution process

Forum Threads for Deeper Discussion

Sometimes a campfire conversation reveals something that needs more focused attention. Discord forum threads let you spin off a dedicated space where:

• People choose to join
• Discussion stays threaded and contained
• The conversation can go deeper without taking over the main fire
• There's a clearer record of what was discussed

The campfire often reveals when a forum thread would be useful - and who might want to join it.

See Also

• Conflict Resolution - Main entry point for handling conflicts
• Conflict Escalation - Understanding when different interventions are appropriate
• Mediation - For structured conflict resolution
• Restorative Communication - Communication framework for difficult conversations

Source

This guidance was developed through community discussion. See the original Discord thread for context.