Community Initiatives
We approach our community spaces and events with the goal of translating online education and discussion into offline action. From our Discord server to public panels, virtual Storyslams and small-group discussions, we create brave* environments where subject matter experts can share their work, engage in meaningful discourse, and offer tools for community members to make change a reality in their spheres of influence.
All of our events cover flow through this Educate → Engage → Activate model. With every new topic we tackle via our Resources Library or our Think Tank Initiatives, we also commit to a series of events within each of these categories for thorough end-to-end learning. Everyone is welcome to attend one-off events, but encouraged to attend the full series for deeper dive into each topic area.
We always provide free tickets for anyone who needs financial support, no questions asked. Please email us at hello@studioatao.org to redeem.
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Educate
Group learning events focused on learning more deeply about a specific topic or piece of work. These events are more theoretical than others, with a collective goal of leaving with a fuller understanding of the topic to springboard into future discussions.
Quarterly small-group discussions and author Q&As based on a specific nonfiction read.
Current Read: Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
Regular small-group discussions and director Q&As based on a mix of films, from documentaries to Marvel movies.
Last Film: Big Scary S Word
Engage
Small-group discussion spaces centered on collaboratively unpacking how a specific topic is interwoven into our everyday lives. The collective goal is to foster a productive space where difficult and uncomfortable questions can be addressed without judgement.
A private, discussion-based community for those interested in or working at the intersection of food, beverage, and hospitality and social justice to further conversations on creating equitable, systems-based change in their spheres of influence.
Activate
Coalition-building activities, events, and workshops where participants commit to activating within our own circles of influence. The collective goal is to increase each of our capacities to affect change in our communities.
A nation-wide series of open-forum Town Halls to discuss necessary changes for the hospitality industry. Our last event was held in Chicago, IL and will be expanding to more cities throughout 2023.
Topic Areas: Hospitality, worker rights
Past Events Archive
Educate
Conversations About Appropriation: Food / Beverage
A panel discussion, presented in partnership with General Assembly
Tokenism In Media:
A Case Study in Food
A panel discussion, presented in partnership with General Assembly
Activating Local Businesses Through Community-Invested Development
A panel discussion with stakeholders across the real estate development cycle, in partnership with the Urban Land Institute
Q&A with Dr. Marcia Chatelain of Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America
Available to view for our Patreon members
Engage
Moving Beyond the Trauma of Scarcity with Therapist Canh Tran
A group huddle complementing our first Under the Magnifying Glass newsletter and our Unlearning Scarcity, Cultivating Solidarity toolkit.
Unlearning Scarcity: A Virtual Storyslam
Featuring 5 Asian American storytellers. Presented in partnership with Slant'd Magazine.
Democratizing our Personal Spaces with Hope Williams of the Sustainable Economies Law Center
Available to view for our Patreon members
Activate
Practicing Accountability for Food & Beverage Media
Our first-ever Town Hall addressing crisis and accountability in the food & beverage media industry. Read the recap.
Navigating Media Coverage in the Context of Neighborhood Change: A Food & Beverage Media Town Hall
Our Town Hall addressing responsible coverage of hospitality businesses in gentrifying areas, in partnership with the James Beard Foundation. Read the recap.
Q&A with Dr. Shinhee Han of Racial Melancholia, Racial Dissociation
Available to view for our Patreon members
Q&A with Director & Actress Isabel Sandoval of Lingua Franca
Available to view for our Patreon members
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