What is Kind Space?
Happy you asked. Kind Space is a community centre in Ottawa for Two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex, asexual, and other oppressed sexual and gender identities and expressions.
Like most community centers we have an accessible physical location that is open during the week for people to drop in, participate in programming, attend events, eat food, find thrift clothing items, make friends, and check out books. Watch the video below for more info!
All of our programs and services are currently offered in English.
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We give people a physical place where they can just be. That’s all. Just be. No pressure. No expectations. No demands, obligations, responsibilities. Whoever they are – even if they don’t fully understand who they are.
We give people personal and peer support to understand and inhabit their particular identities with confidence and courage, whatever kind of identity it is. We often do so when these people experience emotional crises and are most vulnerable physically and mentally.
We give people a range of information and resources they can use to help themselves or others appreciate and be who they truly are.
We support not only people who are right next to us, but also those who are far away. We bridge this distance digitally, engaging people through social media, comforting and encouraging them through online forums, and empowering them through a web presence that changes to mirror how they identify themselves.
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Kind Space is a community centre in Ottawa – unceded Algonquin territory – that offers resources, events, social and educational programming. Our work celebrates, supports, and prioritizes oppressed sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions.
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Co-creating a world where 2SLGBTQ+ people are supported, connected, and liberated.
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As part of our commitment to our communities, partners, and ourselves we have been reflecting, discussing, and examining what our values are, and how we live them in our work.
Communities of Care
Community Participation
Self-determination
Transparency and Accountability
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An asterisk is a symbol that writers use after a word or phrase to refer readers to an annotation for additional information. This omitted information—usually found at the bottom of the page in question—gives readers a more detailed and nuanced understanding of the presented matter. At Kind, we think every person’s name should come with an asterisk. After all, each of us is more than appears in a single word. Each of us is more than a name, more than a pronoun, more than a look, more than a person others choose to define us as. Each of us is special in our own unique way.
Our asterisk not only represents but also celebrates those differences, those things that make us unique in our own way-whatever they may be. Our asterisk expresses our belief that each of us is more than what appears in a single word or name or pronoun, more than what is visible in a look, more than meets the eye. For each of us, there is much more to the story.
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Kind Space is a community centre for 2SLGBTQ+ community members. This space is available to all that need rest, joy, kinship, and care. We are all responsible for ensuring this space remains enjoyable, affirming, and liberating for everyone. Being here means:
Cleaning up after yourself. If you eat, drink, play games, make art – ensure what you were using is appropriately cleaned and put away
No disrespectful, offensive, violent, or rude words or actions towards others (includes staff, volunteers, participants, and community partners)
If you borrow from Kind Space or from someone in the space, return it before you leave
No activities or actions that may result in police presence (help keep this a cop-free zone)
New to Kind Space?
Arriving at Kind Space for the first time can feel intimidating! If you’re visiting us for the first time during the drop-in you will be greeted at the welcome desk by a staff or employee.
During the sign-in the staff/volunteer will take you on a tour of the space and go over what it means to share Kind Space with others.