Safe Spaces vs. Brave Spaces: Belonging Through Risk-Taking

For many, the idea of belonging is tied to safe spaces—places where we feel accepted, validated, protected, and free to be ourselves without fear. But as we begin Black History Month, we are reminded that safe spaces alone do not dismantle discrimination and inequality.

What if cultivating true belonging also requires brave spaces—where we engage in difficult conversations, challenge biases, and take risks for collective growth?

From the abolitionist movement to the Civil Rights Movement to the ongoing fight for racial equity, Black history is a testament to the lesson that progress towards liberation has never come from comfort—it has come from courage.

In the workplace, fostering brave spaces isn’t just about making employees feel supported—it’s about building trust, accountability, and a culture capable of real change, where all employees can thrive. Retaining diverse talent requires more than safe spaces; it requires environments where people can speak openly, challenge inequities, and be heard without fear of retaliation.

In their 2013 article From Safe Spaces to Brave Spaces, Brian Arao and Kristi Clemens challenge the idea that safety should mean protection from discomfort. They note that many people conflate safety with comfort, which can lead to shutting down necessary discussions when discomfort arises. But if we are serious about addressing systemic oppression and inequities, we cannot promise safety from discomfort—only a commitment to honesty, respect, and accountability.

This Black History Month, consider the Black leaders, activists, and communities who have cultivated brave spaces to challenge injustice and demand change. Let’s honor them—not just in reflection, but in action—by stepping into bravery together.

Safe Spaces: A Foundation, Not a Destination

Safe spaces are designed to be environments where individuals feel secure being their authentic selves, free from judgment or harm. These spaces can be essential for healing, especially for marginalized communities who have historically been excluded or harmed in dominant spaces. They allow for rest, deep breaths, a chance to gather strength, and to exist without constantly feeling the need to defend or explain oneself.

However, Arao and Clemens argue that too much emphasis on safety can lead to avoidance of critical conversations. They share a case study from their diversity training work, where students participating in a privilege exercise felt so uncomfortable that they invoked the idea of a "safe space" to shut down the discussion.

"The expectation of safety can actually reinforce privilege by allowing dominant group members to retreat when conversations become uncomfortable."

This reaction underscored a critical point: we cannot equate safety with an absence of discomfort. In response, Arao and Clemens decided to experiment with a shift:

"We have found that the simple act of using the term ‘brave space’ transforms the conversation, helping participants understand that courage—not comfort—is key to meaningful dialogue." 

Similarly, history has shown that real change happens when people lean into discomfort rather than avoiding it. Consider the Freedom Riders of 1961—Black and white activists who risked their lives riding buses through the segregated South to challenge unconstitutional Jim Crow laws. Their safety was never guaranteed, but their bravery forced the nation to confront the violence of segregation. Their actions transformed the civil rights movement and reshaped public policy.

Brave Spaces: Embracing Discomfort for Growth

Brave spaces invite us to step into conversations that challenge our perspectives. They require:

• Courage: The willingness to speak up, even when it feels uncomfortable.

• Vulnerability: A recognition that learning and unlearning require openness.

• Trust: A commitment to accountability, where mistakes are part of the process.

• Challenging biases rather than protecting comfort

• Acknowledging injustice rather than pretend neutrality exists

• Taking responsibility for growth rather than expecting others to do the work

Arao and Clemens echo Robert Boostom's (1998) sentiment when critiquing safe spaces that “learning necessarily involves not merely risk, but the pain of giving up a former condition in favor of a new way of seeing things.” This is why brave spaces prioritize engagement over comfort, ensuring that all participants understand that challenge is an inherent part of growth.

Black activists have long embodied these principles. The lunch counter sit-ins, bus boycotts, and student protests of the 1950s and 60s were all acts of brave resistance to demand justice and a better world than what the dominant powers dictate. Today, movements for Black Lives Matter, racial equity in the workplace, and educational justice continue this tradition.

how might cultivating brave spaces impact employee retention?

Demonstrating that the voices that make up your organization aren’t just welcomed but meaningfully engaged with opens more avenues for all employees to feel valued and invested in their workplace.

Maintaining environments where all employees, especially those from marginalized groups, feel empowered to share perspectives, have courageous conversations, and challenge the status quo can be a part of your retention strategy. Retention efforts can include building trust, accountability, and nourishing a culture where effective communication leads to real change.

Our most marginalized employees especially need brave spaces in workplaces. Employee retention efforts must go beyond diversity statements—they must ensure that employees feel empowered to voice concerns, challenge inequitable structures, and be heard without retaliation. Companies that foster brave spaces can build trust, accountability, and long-term commitment among employees.

belonging isn’t about making everyone comfortable—it’s about sustaining the courage and intentionality to co-create spaces where everyone can thrive.

Reflection Questions

• How do you define and envision a safe space versus a brave space?

• In your workplace, community, or relationships, do you feel more comfortable or more challenged? Why?

• Have you ever witnessed a conversation becoming braver? What factors led to that transformation? How did the key players behave to facilitate the process?

• How can we uplift and amplify voices that are often silenced?

• How can you contribute to making a space braver?

A Call to Action

This Black History Month, let’s honor the legacy of those who fought for justice by embracing the necessary risk of being brave. Bravery isn’t about perfection—it’s about trying. This week, commit to one action that will help create a brave space in your workplace, community, or relationships. Maybe that means initiating a tough but necessary conversation, advocating for racial or gender-based equity in an approach you haven't tried before, amplifying a voice that often goes unheard, or setting a boundary that fosters honest dialogue.

Share your commitment with a friend, colleague, or small group. Growth happens in community, and Black History shows us that courage leads to transformation. How will you step into brave space this month?

Sources:

Arao, B., & Clemens, K. (2013). From safe spaces to brave spaces: A new way to frame dialogue around diversity and social justice. In L. Landreman (Ed.), The art of effective facilitation: Reflections from social justice educators (pp. 135–150). Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Read the full article here!

Boostrom, R. (1998). "Safe Spaces": Reflections on an educational metaphor. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 30(4), 397-408.

Read the full article here!