Hello LVRSNFRNDS,
Last week was the occasion to look back at our move on the new app 3 months later and how this is shaping our community. An important decision that coincided with this move was to make sub-communities at LVRSNFRNDS visible, giving to each of them a host and a dedicated space.
I would like to thank the group hosts for their past, present and future amazing contribution to our community: Aine, Ali, Amaia, Cheyenne, Grace, Jack, Jamie and Laura. I am sorry for the way the following decisions were presented to you and the community last Sunday, it didn't reflect how grateful I am for the energy, love and care you put in LVRSNFRNDS.
I believe that exclusive spaces are very much needed and do an excellent work bringing folks together around a shared identity or experience, this is not what I want to do. I want us to rather complement what these spaces achieve bringing folks together around shared values.
For this reason, the way sub-communities existed in the app, in closed spaces, clashed with my vision for LVRSNFRNDS to create a truly diverse, values-based and safe space where the focus is conversations for folks to learn from each other, develop empathy and strong bonds.
More about
🦋 What is new
👽 What I had in mind
In addition to the many feedbacks I gathered, it was key for me to:
- provide you with a safe experience, everywhere,
- welcome self-exploration, fluid identities, trial and error,
- encourage you to be curious and set boundaries in interactions,
- believe in the power of sharing our experiences, questions, etc. to develop our empathy and build strong bonds across identities.
I have listed in the page below my answers to concerns raised.
👀 How I see the future
I want our community to blossom. I want you to know that whatever major cities in the world you visit, you'll know that there is a support system for you out there.
Imagine jumping off the train/plane in Dallas ready to join Dove and a group of your fellow members for a social mixer.
At the same time, I want you to know that you can ask a question in the app at anytime and someone will be here to help you and make you feel understood and supported.
I want us to financially afford ASAP to build our own app and I expect it to fit us, our mission, values and vision like a glove, to accomodate the needs for exclusive spaces with an emphasis on being a truly diverse values-based safe space for folks to learn from each others, develop their empathy and build strong bonds.
On the shorter term, I am yet to define some sort of plan to our first 1000 members and the benefits that this would unlock for our community in terms of enjoying our own bespoke technology and hiring full time team members.
Thank you for reading and for supporting my decision. Sorry for the shitty communication and thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn and do better next time. Know that I am a message away if you need to talk about how the change is affecting you. I actually encourage you to reach out in the following weeks whether you love this or find it difficult.
Change is not easy, especially in those days when uncertainty is part of our day-to-day. I know first-hand how stressful that is and I don't want to be adding to your stress. It is, I believe, part of our journey as a community striving to support changing folks in a changing world.
One thing helped me go through the stress of thinking about all of this and coming forward with a plan: we are LVRSNFRNDS, this doesn't change and this is everything. I am just humbly leading with my vision (thank you Helen for the push) and I am grateful for your love.
Always happy to hear from you, remember that I consent to you sliding in my DMs!
Sophie