When Art Becomes Sanctuary: The Need for Creative Safe Spaces
Last night, Lucky Tree Coffee House became a sanctuary. An oasis. Even a hospital of sorts. It became a place intentionally designed for release, reflection, and restoration. The final Speak Your Peace event of the year, hosted by The House of Creatives in partnership with Lucky Tree, created space for people to do exactly what the name suggests. Speak their peace. Let go. Be seen.
What unfolded was more than an event. It was an experience that underscored the essential role creative and performing arts play in building connection and community, especially in times marked by division, uncertainty, and emotional exhaustion.
The evening opened with an open mic session that immediately set the tone. Local poets and spoken word artists stepped forward with courage and honesty, sharing work rooted in lived experience. Each performance created a thread of connection, reminding everyone in the room that art often speaks what ordinary conversation cannot.
Among the performers was Iconic Bond, a close friend and co-creator of The House of Creatives, and one of my favorite rappers. Yes, after CeeLo Green and André 3000. His piece resonated deeply with the audience, carrying both weight and intention, and reminding everyone present of the power of lyrical truth when it is rooted in purpose.
One of the night’s most powerful moments came from Michael “Tr1umph@nt!” Jenkins, one of the coldest spoken word artists I know. After being on hiatus for some time, his return brought a level of clarity, command, and presence that was undeniable. His performance served as a reminder that poetry is not only art, but advocacy. Not only expression, but testimony.
Later in the evening, I was honored to be featured as the highlighted artist and to participate in a Meet the Author conversation centered on the creative process behind Can I Just Write. The discussion moved beyond writing technique and into the realities of birthing creative work. Writing as release. Writing as healing. Writing as a way to give language to experiences often left unnamed.
Equally meaningful were the conversations that unfolded between performances. There was listening without interruption. Understanding without debate. A shared acknowledgment that art is not an accessory to community life. It is essential. In a world increasingly shaped by polarization, the creative and performing arts offer a rare space where people can gather without the pressure to agree, only the willingness to connect.
The House of Creatives exists for this very reason. As a nonprofit, it is intentionally designed to uplift underrepresented artists and create platforms where their voices are honored. Events like Speak Your Peace are not symbolic gestures. They are living expressions of the organization’s mission and a clear demonstration of what happens when creativity is treated as vital rather than optional.
Spaces like Lucky Tree Coffee House play a critical role in making moments like this possible. Safe, welcoming, community-centered environments are the backbone of meaningful creative exchange. Lucky Tree did more than provide a venue. It provided safety. A place where expression was protected, encouraged, and allowed to exist without constraint.
The evening also offered a powerful reminder of how art functions as a bridge. James V The Poet, a veteran and mission-driven artist, happened to be in town promoting his newly released poetry book, Purple Rose The Stars Carry Her Name Letters from Me to Her. Interestingly, his work carries a theme closely aligned with Can I Just Write. His presence in the space was organic, unplanned, and deeply fitting. The resonance between the two bodies of work added yet another layer of meaning to the night, reinforcing the truth that creativity connects people across paths that might never otherwise cross.
The event was thoughtfully hosted by Seriously Sarah, whose authenticity and care were felt throughout the room. Her ability to honor creatives across disciplines while centering humanity over performance helped cultivate an environment rooted in trust, intention, and respect.
What took place at Lucky Tree Coffee House was more than a closing event. It was a reminder of what communities need. Creative safe spaces. Art that invites honesty. Environments that offer healing not only for the mind, but for the body and soul.
Supporting the arts is not only about financial contributions, though those matter. It is also about presence, attention, and engagement. It is about showing up. Listening deeply. Consuming the content. Allowing the work to do what it was created to do.
As communities continue to search for ways to reconnect and heal, spaces like Lucky Tree Coffee House and organizations like The House of Creatives offer a clear example of what is possible. Art brings us back to ourselves. Art brings us back to each other.
Last night was a testament to that truth. And it was deeply needed.
More about Can I Just Write
If you haven’t had the chance to view the powerful video for Blue & Blue, I encourage you to watch it now. Directed by Joel Russell of JRuss Films, LLC, the video beautifully captures the essence of the poem and the powerful message it conveys. Also, catch up on our CBS 17 Feature as well. See below to purchase your copy of the book, learn more about the initiative behind it, or to simply support our organization. Thank you for being a part of this journey. Your involvement truly makes all the difference.
Love Is A Parable- an initiative and movement that later became an organization within itself. Love is A Parable is a DBA and subsidiary of Altar and Dwelling Place, Inc. We are a charitable and educational 501c3 organization, that provides character, social, and leadership development to those who have an aspiration toward unity, love, and kindness through a reflective thinking approach and sacred-box theory that involves value-based education.
J. Dwayne Garnett, BSRT, MHA, QP
Chief Executive Officer
Love Is A Parable
Available for Empowerment Speaking Engagements, Consultations, Uncovering Sessions, and Instruction.
Find out more about J by clicking HERE!