First of all, we would like to thank YNSG for financially supporting “Craft Night” as we were able to host the event.
Since the two of us were both co-presidents of a highschool’s Gender Sexuality Alliance Club, we wanted to create an event that would allow youth to feel safe and connected with others. We began with brainstorming what “Craft Night” would be: an after-school workshop. Originally, there would have been discussions related to the 2SLGBTQ+ community. However this idea was removed as there would not have been enough time. We spent countless hours preparing and organizing the event to ensure its success through late-night calls and in-person conversations. One of us designed social media posts as advertisements, while the other purchased the required supplies: embroidery thread, clipboards, and food products. We were finally able to host it on March 7, 2022 at Brighouse Park.
Since only eight individuals completed the RSVP form, we did not expect much. To our surprise, there were more than eight attendees. Craft Night allowed participants, specifically youth of the Lower Mainland, to connect with one another. Within the 150 minute session, over fifteen attendees learned how to use embroidery thread to design beautiful accessories. To encourage participants, we used the grant funds to purchase food and drinks. As a result, Craft Night felt like a memorable group activity.
One of the challenges we encountered while preparing for this event involved finding a location. Due to the ongoing pandemic, many indoor public spaces were closed and did not allow rentals. To overcome this obstacle, we decided to host it outdoors in a local park: Brighouse Park. This area provided a quiet and calm ambiance, perfect for spending time to design friendship bracelets.
Although Craft Night did not actually occur during nighttime, the two of us felt as if it was a perfect way to end the day. We hope to host this event again and increase the number of participants. Once again, thank you to YSNG and Richmond Care Richmond Gives as this event would not be possible without their aid!
