This is what we believe and know
A small plant in a teal-coloured planter, on a wooden desk. There’s a wooden chair to the left.
Hey Sweet Peep.
The biggest and scariest question when we closed our studio doors was — if we don’t have this, who are we?
Of course I knew we weren’t books and walls and chairs, but I needed something else to grip onto. So we started to talk about it. A lot.
And, amazingly. we figured some stuff out.
So, after dozens of drafts, late night edits, and the longest Google Docs comment stream in history… We have our fundamental beliefs.
We did this because building trust means letting ourselves be seen.
We did this because we want you to know we can walk far together.
We did this because wrestling with words is the heart of what we do, because it is hard in a good way, in the right way.
Firefly Fundamental Beliefs, Winter 2022, a work in progress.
1. If you love to write, or need to write, you are a writer.
Our job is to help you reconnect to that, and fuel it with vision, momentum and self-trust.
2. Creativity is messy.
Writing paths are full of fear and questions, periods of stagnancy and beautiful breakthroughs. It all belongs, it all matters, and you don’t have to hide any of it when you’re with us.
3. As part of the writing world, we work within a problematic legacy.
The writing world is chock full of homophobia, racism, misogyny, transphobia and other oppressions. We work to dismantle this at Firefly by making decisions that are rooted in feminism, social justice, anti-capitalism and anti-oppression. We do regular trainings to grow our awareness and sharpen our skills, and recognize that every person brings a different lived experience to our spaces. We grow together and welcome feedback at every stage. You can see our growing reading list on “Decolonization And The Writing World” here.
4. Creative community is built on care, trust and deep respect.
Our best writing comes when we feel nourished and connected. We co-create our groups from there, taking time to hear what each person needs and then working from there, to build conditions where belonging can flourish and writing can flow.
5. We aim to walk gently on the earth.
We deeply consider the ecological impact of our choices, including which businesses we partner with, which physical materials we use, and the carbon footprint of our programs.
6. Our work occurs on stolen land.
We are grateful to be able to work in the beautiful land of what’s now called Southern Ontario, but we never forget that it is stolen. We take a tangible action each season in solidarity with local Indigenous initiatives to make sure our territorial acknowledgement isn’t just words.
7. We support each other through the process.
We know that work and business can be the cause of significant harm. We lean away from that by refusing to idealize overwork, taking ample time off, prioritizing relationship-building over profit, gentleness over efficiency.
8. We are always working on opening our door wider.
Accessibility is an area of constant growth. We’ve come a long way, and the road ahead is even longer. You can read our full accessibility statement here.
9. We are not for everyone.
Our goal is not to prove our worth, but to show who we are, so that the people who will thrive with us can find us.
10. We come from a beautiful lineage.
We have grown this business through the mentorship and inspiration of many others, including Felicia Rose Chefez, Ronna Bloom, Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg, Deborah Barndt, Pat Schneider, Natalie Goldberg, Writing The Other, all our team members past and present, and every writer who has arrived at our table.
11. We have a great big vision.
We believe writing has the power to change minds, open hearts, and connect us deeply to ourselves, our world and each other. We believe that this is more critical now than ever. We are always holding this big picture while we take care of the little details that fill our days.
12. This is all a work in progress.
We are in a constant process of growth, renewal and deepening into the values that guide us. We are accountable to you and welcome your feedback as we keep moving forward.
Thanks for being part of this.
In it with you,
