Space 12

I'll fess up right away - technically I went to Space 12 yesterday, but I'm writing about it today anyway. I know I'll return to Space 12 in the near future because it is a community space that's working towards providing more events/services in the East Austin community. Space 12 hosts everything from skillshares to film screenings to poetry slams to yoga classes. One of the things I appreciate about this space is that its wide range of events/services allows for varied types of interactions between people and therefore contributes to the development of a deeper and richer sense of community. There's still a lot of work to be done in attracting native/long-time residents of East Austin, but it appears that the folks behind Space 12 are trying to head in the right direction.

I'm really intrigued by this idea of having a co-working space, such as what Space 12 mentions on its website. Essentially, anyone can go into Space 12 during its hours of operation, use their free wi-fi, and work on whatever it is they need to get done. People can pay as much or as little as they can afford in order to use that space. It seems like the ultimate goal is for the space to serve as a resource to the community. I haven't visited Space 12 in that capacity, but I really want to try that now and just see who else is there and what the experience is like. I'm also just getting tired of the fact that Dominican Joe is packed all the time now that classes are back in session. I love DoJo and spend too much time there, so I also don't want to grow tired of that place. Now back to Space 12...

I saw a documentary at Space 12 last night, Race to Nowhere, that in many ways is the antithesis to Waiting for Superman because of the questions the film raises. Although I appreciate the film's critique of the high-stakes culture plaguing our schools, there are still a lot of points that the film misses because it was told from a white, middle-class perspective that doesn't problematize capitalism and our existing social order. The underlying philosophy of education should be the biggest focus because it guides the expectations that are normalized in schools. There is a discussion on the need to nurture children so that they are happy and healthy human beings, but I don't really believe that's possible in a capitalist society. There was also no mention of the people whose lives and landscapes the U.S. is ruining in order to strive for the happiness and well being of Americans.

One point the film stresses is the fact that many children are over-scheduled by their parents and involved in a million different activities. During the discussion following the film, someone expressed their worry at how under-scheduling of kids is just as big of a problem because it could lead to youth getting into trouble without the existence of structured activities. Something that I didn't think about until after my friend brought it up (and that I very much agree with because it reflects my parents' experiences) is that there are children from working-class backgrounds who have family responsibilities and obligations that don't allow for "structured activities" in the traditional sense. What about kids who have to babysit their siblings, help their parents run the family business, or help run other errands? Those children are just as "over-scheduled" even though they are not involved in activities that will help them become the kind of "well-rounded" individuals that college admissions officials are looking for.

This talk of over-scheduling and anxiety couldn't have come at a better time because the same is still true when you're in college and when you're an adult within this society. Case in point: my anxiety attack a few days ago. Granted, it was also a result of my coping mechanisms (or a lack thereof) when it comes to stress, but we live in a world in which people compete to see who can be the most stressed out, the busiest, the most accomplished. When I was talking to a friend about how stressed I was, she said that she had resigned herself to accepting that she was just going to be stressed out and would find a way to cope. I don't want to cope with being stressed out every day, I want to have the ability to breathe and enjoy my time on this planet and the company of others who also aren't stressed out. Shortly after my conversation with said friend I talked to my advisor and fiddled around with my schedule precisely so that I can take care of myself. If you don't have your health, what's the point in all of this? How healthy you are (physically, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually) determines how much of yourself you are able to give and your ability to engage with others. It's taken me a long time to learn this and put it into practice and I'm still a work in progress. And for me, something that brings me happiness is music - you can expect to see more of that here. I'm also just going to make more time for the people in my life. My friends, family, and loved ones make everything that I do meaningful.


Space 12
3121 E 12th Street
Austin, TX 78702

Tuesday to Fridays
10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Phone: 512-524-7128