Ìpàdé is changing the co-working landscape, for good

Co-working spaces have gained popularity as people, tired of their work-at-home environments, seek places to reconnect and reunite with a like-minded community while also being productive. People might turn to companies like WeWork and their more “progressive” competitors like The Wing, Cove, and Industrious. But these spaces are no longer our only options. 

Ìpàdé is a Black woman-owned co-working and community space designed for Black women, femmes, and nonbinary people of color who are creating change through their entrepreneurship, professional work, and creativity. It’s a place where women and people of color do not have to worry about office environments or shared workspaces where they encounter race and sex-based discrimination. 

More women-focused co-working spaces that have gained popularity in the past two years promise inclusive diversity but create environments that do the opposite. Many Black women wanting to participate in these spaces are excluded because of their membership fees that attract mostly wealthy and white people. And the Black women and women of color who can afford it are met with microaggressions, harassment, and the white gaze.

The racism and sexism arising in co-working spaces not only affect the individuals using the space but also the employees. Employees have reported experiencing pregnancy and gender discrimination and then, once replaced, their male counterparts receive far much more pay than them. Some women are forced to endure invasive and unlawful questions during their interviews to the point that they are scared to announce their pregnancy when it happens. In other instances, women employees have faced sexual assault from the male employees and been dismissed while the perpetrators faced no consequences. In addition to the discrimination they face on a daily basis, these women are also forced to work for lesser pay and under uncomfortable, unsafe conditions.

We refuse to go back to that. This is why more spaces that center, prioritize, and meet the needs of people of color, and especially Black women who exist at the intersection of both racism and sexism, are critical. Ìpàdé is proud to be one of those spaces. 

Ìpàdé is a DC-based sanctuary where Black women, femmes, and they/thems of color can come together to build connections and be part of a community that supports, inspires, and encourages each other. We strive to be a brave space free from racist and sexist discrimination. Our shared workspace is different and we’re committed to creating the change our members and our communities need.

Learn more about how to join the Ìpàdé community here and be welcomed into a safe space designed just for you.