Focus/Time is a dedicated virtual space for LGBTQIA folks to work on their personal and/or work projects in an accepting environment. It’s the perfect place to work on projects you’ve been putting off or to start the projects that have been incubating in your mind. This is a space for you to focus on the things you want to do but struggle to do. 

The Format: 

We begin each guided session with short introductions, who we are, where we’re tuning in from, and what we’ll be working on. We mute ourselves for two 40-50 minute blocks of focus-time with a short bio-break in between. We wrap up the session with updates on what we did and didn't accomplish.

We ask that all participants adhere to our Code of Conduct: http://bit.ly/ftcodeofconduct

The Platform:

We use Zoom for our guided Focus/Time sessions. You will receive the login details in a separate email after registering through Eventbrite. 

Who is this for? 

This space was created for those who identify as LGBTQIA. Why? Even though there are many other co-working spaces out there for the general public, we wanted to create a space where we can feel comfortable being ourselves. Many of the people who join these sessions navigate life with ADHD/ADD and the structured time has increased their ability to focus. 

Some of the folks who join us include:

- freelancers

- students

- people who work from home

- business owners & entrepreneurs

- artists, writers, musicians, craftsters, creative types of many mediums

Why does it work?

Body Doubling (doing a task in the presence of another person) has proven to be a successful productivity strategy. It is especially effective for those who navigate life with ADHD/ADD and the structured time and social accountability has increased their ability to focus.

Schedule (all times are based on NYC time)

• Mondays 11am-1pm ET

• Tuesdays 1pm-3pm ET

• Wednesdays 11am-1pm ET

• Thursdays 1pm-3pm ET

• Fridays 3pm-5pm ET

For those of you who are wanting more or different time options, please let us know which days/times work best for you.

The Moderators

Each session will be facilitated by one of our Focus/Time Moderators:

• Casper (they/them) is the creator of Focus/Time and the Homoground podcast which elevates LGBTQIA musicians. Casper is a certified professional coach who helps creative-minds overcome internal & external blocks that hinder progress on creative projects and life goals. Follow their instagram for their creative process.

• Honey LeFleur (she/her) is a queer artist, Movement Practitioner and Empowerment Coach. With a lifetime of experience in movement as meditation and healing, she's your guide to a loving and caring relationship with your body. She's also a disruptive and innovative choreographer using the body on stage as radical political protest.

• Carla Ferrer (she/her, they/them) helps organizations and communities imagine new possibilities and ways to realize them. Carla honed their skills as an administrative professional in the private sector, and is now actively involved in work that centers liberation for racialized, disabled, and 2SLGBTQ+ communities.

• Riss (she/they) is a Newark, NJ community member interested in creating and sustaining Black queer safe spaces. She is currently working as a Contact Tracer and is serving an Americorps year as a Digital Program Coordinator for Literations. In their free time, they like to write poetry, read horror books, and practice yoga.

• Melissa Forbis (she/her, they/them) is a queer femme educator and researcher. They’ve been active in organizing and solidarity projects in the US and beyond the borders since the 1980s. She is also a competitive powerlifter and coach who uses strength as a tool for personal and community resistance.

• Connie Colvin (she/they) is interested in learning more about how we can work towards a more just and equitable society while having fun and not burning ourselves out. What's our relationship to work and to leisure? How do we know when to stop? People love working with Connie, as you can read in LinkedIn testimonials, and you will too!

The Cost

Starting January 1, 2022 we are establishing a sliding scale drop-in rate to keep this space accessible to people of different financial situations.

Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) get free access to this space. Use promo code: BIPOC

If you plan on attending 4 or more sessions a month, we suggest you become a monthly member at $20 per month at the Creative Space tier of our Patreon for unlimited access to all Focus/Time sessions plus 24/7 access to our virtual cafe. Join at https://www.patreon.com/join/homoground

Profits from ticket sales go towards our Zoom account subscription and to compensate moderators (albeit very modestly!) for hosting sessions.

Event Sponsors. This space is made possible by

• Homoground, an incubator for queer creators. In addition to holding creative space during Focus/Time, Homoground produces a podcast elevating LGBTQIA musicians through personal stories and songs. http://homoground.com

With Support From:

• Brooklyn Community Pride Center, providing services and support to the NYC borough’s LGBTQ+ community through original programming and partnerships with other organizations.
• Composites Collective, transforming organizations at the intersection of design & technology, behavioral sciences, and society.