Founders of the Rise Bridge Project outside their Nicol St. safe space on opening day. (submitted/Amanda Steele)

By Spencer Sterritt

rise up

New women-led non-profit opening doors and listening to all who need it

Aug 5, 2021 | 5:55 AM

NANAIMO — A welcoming space on the ground floor of a downtown Nanaimo landmark is now open for all those looking for someone to talk to.

The Rise Bridge Project, spearheaded by women focused on empowerment and outreach, officially opened its doors at Unit 4, 34 Nicol St. in the old fire hall on Aug. 1.

Nina Charley, one of many lead directors with the project, said the Rise Bridge Project will connect a vast group of people, from BIPOC to LGBTQ and newcomers, in a low-barrier way through their own lived experience.

“Having people within an organization who can truly understand those who are coming to us, who can explain what they’re going through, is so crucial in building that connection with people. Understanding what another person is going through and something they’re currently experiencing, hardships, trauma or even joys of their lives, is so important to us.”

Charley is focused on anti-racism work in Nanaimo, having taken part in organizing the 2020 Black Lives Matter protest in Maffeo Sutton Park. Others are focused on empowering women or providing outreach to substance users.

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“Each one of us has our own thing we’re focused on as our main pillars, but we will support each other in the acts we do as well,” Charley said.

Covering a broad mandate without pushing group leaders into many different directions will hopefully avoid burnout and keep the Rise Bridge Project thriving in Nanaimo.

While there are many non-profits in Nanaimo and a significant amount of provincial money flows into the city, Charley said their 25 projects aren’t focused on long-term change for quickly evolving issues, such as homelessness.

“All of our goals right now are for this moment. We don’t want to focus on what’s going to happen in two, five or 10 years. We want to provide the community with something they can grab onto right now and run with. That then transcends into long-term goals.”

Work to create the Rise Bridge Project began nearly one year ago, built on ideas which swirled in the heads of leaders before becoming a concrete initiative.

Charley said a group with a focus on anti-racism and BIPOC work is sorely needed in Nanaimo.

“There’s always been a bit of resistance for anti-racism work because not a lot of people understood how prevalent racism was in our community. Coming from my years within the school system here in the mid-Island, I was constantly shut down about how racism was affecting me, which is heartbreaking.”

Charley is one of many BIPOC women leading the Rise Building Project.

“It’s so beautiful to see so many women come together and want to show we want to make a change because it’s so necessary. It’s so overwhelming in a way. For me, I never thought I would get to be part of something like this on the Island.”

Schedules of events and get-togethers can be found online as they become available.

A GoFundMe for the project, which is currently supported by T-shirt sales, donations and leader’s personal bank accounts, has a $50,000 goal.

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spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @SpencerSterritt