7 Apr
2024
7 Apr
'24
1:03 a.m.
Hey everyone,
Earlier today I've met with several Omni volunteers and touched on this
topic.
After meeting with volunteers I initiated a conversation with Trevor. Our
chat was mutual and it helped us understand the situation more.
*I have requested to Trevor that he temporarily stay away from Omni and
take that time to process and reflect on his reaction for assaulting Ian.*
*Trevor was receptive to leave and stay away from Omni for a one week
period begining today.*
*(April 6 - April 13)*
For clarity - this is a modified safer space ban and I did not include any
mediations nor did I felt the need to escort him out of Omni.
This ban was initiated as an individual Omni volunteer and not on behalf of
East Bay Food Not Bombs.
Thanks,
Toan
On Mon, Apr 1, 2024, 10:25 PM Yardena Cohen <yardenack(a)gmail.com> wrote:
I am still shaken, but after some reflection I want to
say this:
I've felt that Ian was harassing, abusing, gaslighting and boundary
pushing people at omni for a long time, but was reluctant to say or do
anything about it because I didn't feel like it would be taken seriously.
Then last night he yelled some absolutely horrible violent and sexualized
threats, making the entire building very unsafe.
In his few months at omni, Trevor never witnessed any safe space bans
happen, but DID witness attempts to use the safe space policy end in
failure. From his perspective, it was reasonable to believe that nobody at
omni actually took safe space seriously, the policy was a toothless joke,
and the only way to address the intense levels of harm coming from Ian was
to slap him in the face.
Honestly, Trevor made the wrong decision to do this, but his heart was in
the right place. Any restorative justice process needs to show great
compassion.
After thinking it over, I want to rescind my call for a safe space ban on
Trevor. I made a rash call in the heat of the moment. I think our community
failed him, and many others, by allowing Ian to remain for so long. I think
a ban on Trevor would be disproportionate and needlessly punitive. I
encourage the community to figure out a way to welcome him back asap.
This is bigger than me and I'm not the boss of omni. I don't think it
should be my decision. But I just wanted to say how I'm feeling now.
On Mon, Apr 1, 2024 at 1:18 PM Yardena Cohen <yardenack(a)gmail.com> wrote:
I am calling for safe space bans on Ian and
Trevor.
Trevor physically assaulted Ian, and then Ian called OPD on Trevor and
let them into Omni. I think both of these things were dangerous escalations
and violations of our community agreements. I also don't feel they were
equivalently dangerous, but they both meet the threshold for at least
temporary bans on both people while we figure out what repair and justice
look like.
Trevor is not in the building, but Ian still is. I'm currently waiting
outside for Ian to collect his things. After he leaves, I will accompany
Trevor to collect his things also.
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