The Importance of Fat Community
The Launch of Fat Business Owners PDX
Last night was our first meeting of the Fat Business Owners PDX group. This idea had been in my mind for a while and finally became real. I wanted a group where fat business owners could meet monthly to network and work on projects. Most of us work better with someone else in the room so why not body double with other fat people? Plus, I always have so many ideas in my head, that I wanted some dedicated time to get organized.
Community organizing has been a passion of mine for years, and the time has finally come to create a dedicated space for fat business owners. Most of the other business networking groups I have been involved with are not affirming for marginalized groups. This group lets us build both professional and personal relationships and there’s something greatly empowering about being in a room with people who share similar experiences and challenges.
Our new group meets monthly in a time-blocked event. Half the time, we network and brainstorm. The other half is quiet, personal work time. This helps us tackle tasks we’ve been putting off, like updating social media, organizing budgets, or working on spreadsheets.
Living in Portland, Oregon, I'm fortunate to be part of a community rich in fat-positive spaces and supportive networks. Organizations like Chub Hub PDX, with over 2,800 Facebook members, and events like the Fat Joy Summer Celebration, which features the Big Splash Sunset Pool Party (think the pool party scene in Shrill on Hulu) Body Positive Block Party, and the Sizable Shenanigans Comedy Show, make this city special. We are all working to create a large network of safe spaces for fat people and other marginalized groups.
I hope to build a community where we support and motivate each other to help grow our businesses and celebrate our shared identities. I look forward to watching this group thrive and enrich the community of fat professionals in Portland.