By Corey Best and Gabriela Hairston-Urbina
Trinity Times Correspondents

When Shaymar Higgs welcomes people into “The Space” in Greenbelt’s Beltway Plaza Mall, it may first appear as though he is ushering them into an eclectic store in the Washington metropolitan area.

They are, however, entering a haven for the marginalized to experience artistic expression, join art workshops, share in a wellness support group, connect with a financial mentor, or just browse in the shop.

Higgs opened “The Space” in 2018 as a three-week pop-up art space to give underserved communities access to high-quality art supplies, materials and lessons in entrepreneurship, career development and individualized growth.

Nearly five years later, “The Space” endures as a nonprofit organization in Maryland, which has provided more than 8,000 individual art-making experiences and countless outreach services to members of the community.

Higgs opened “The Space” to be a safe place for people to come together and to discover themselves without having their experiences judged or questioned.

“The Space” operates in many ways like an exchange. People donate art supplies and other services that are utilized by society’s marginalized, who are embraced by Higgs and his team of volunteers.

Since the medium annual income for the population in the western part of Greenbelt is $40,000 less than the average annual income for the entire city of Greenbelt, another part of the mission at “The Space” is to provide financial and economic education to help improve the quality of people’s lives, he told Trinity Times.

Identifying as a Black, queer man, Higgs grew up in Clinton, Maryland, the oldest of five children to a disabled veteran mother, which gave him access to a range of benefits and supplementary programs through the military.

Once he aged out of the military assistance program, Higgs discovered how difficult it was to navigate government aid programs – such as SNAP and health insurance – and he wanted “The Space” to help connect people with his network of volunteers, activists and professionals who could help them steer through the confusing red tape. 

Having an arts-themed area was an important component for “The Space” as a place of acceptance, creativity and empowerment, which speaks to Higgs’ talents and passion.

He’s always found a “happy place” within art, despite not always having access to artistic tools and resources. 

Higgs dabbled in a few different visual art forms, but he discovered a love for ceramics in his teens.

Art also helped him uncover his love of systems, primarily how and why things work the way that they do, and how he could make them better.

Visitors to “The Space” will find a vast array of books – ranging from children’s to adult’s literature – a plethora of art supplies, along with a warm and welcoming staff.

The mission of “The Space” is Higgs’ way of bringing the community together for the common good, which also serves as an inspiration for other young adults, said Hans Mosmplaisir, assistant professor of sociology at Trinity Washington University.

“Bringing together people who are often perceived as less in society presents them with opportunities of bringing their unique skills,” Mosmplaisir told Trinity Times.

It also imparts collective information about navigating the confusing governmental red tape often found in social aid programs to gain appropriate resources and positively educate people in financial literacy, he said.

Trinity students Kenia Coreas and Jasmin Villatoro are among the many moved by the mission of Higgs and “The Space.”

The creation of a non-profit that empowers groups marginalized by race, sexual orientation, or gender identity, allows more people to fully engage in society and fosters greater acceptance by the community, Coreas said.

“Bringing together those perceived as less in the society, helps them feel represented and not alone anymore,” she said.

“When (people) feel represented, they are able to gain confidence when interacting with the larger society,” Villatoro said.

Since Higgs actively posts the artistic accomplishments of those served by “The Space” on social media and has been featured in numerous news stories about the non-profit, Villatoro believes the exposure will help eradicate the feelings of helplessness and insignificance many marginalized groups adopt.

Personally, Higgs doesn’t believe that anyone’s race, gender or sexual orientation should be considered a strike against them, but as an opportunity to embody authentically and courageously who they are.

It’s important for people in the community to give their time, expertise and enthusiasm to the people who need it the most, he said.

“Give a f*** and show up,” Higgs said emphatically. 

“The Space” is open 12-7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.