Bailey’s Cafe, contrary to the name, is not actually a cafe but definitely gives off the calm setting that most if not all cafes have. A sense of peace and serenity that anyone who walks in will feel. It’s funny how when I first came to Bailey’s I was so nervous. Not only was I late, I was also new. I even lost my way coming and felt like I’d messed up so badly I wouldn’t be able to fit in. Only to be proven wrong from the moment I saw Stefanie with her welcoming voice asking me what I was here for and my working paper. From there the group of people I worked with became my friends, all of them being very open and welcoming people. I was introduced into the circle, the community and for the first time in my life I craved for the summer to continue on with all the fun I was having. Bailey’s Cafe became a safe place for me to be me and just be able to speak up without any sense of judgment. I started my journey of seeing the person everyone else sees within me, my potential that I kept hidden for so long.
Now here I am at Bailey’s for another year and I couldn’t be more grateful to be back. This year though the group is much smaller making the moments more intimate. I’ve gotten to know some people better and have met new people that always make me smile with their goofy faces and jokes. All those in this community are such wonderful people that I wish more people could see everyday. So they can see the changes being made everyday, whether they are big changes or small ones, the brains that are being challenged and cultivated seem to thrive in this environment. Bailey’s thank you for the past year and the years to come for all the hard work in creating a safe place to expand the youth’s lenses of this world.