On December 6th, 2009, the Adult Community Education Society was founded. One year ago today, JeZeBeLe Dagger, Jovial Denimore, and Rory Glenwalker embarked on a mission to bring our communities together through education. This is our story.
Rory commented that he hated sifting through the group notices to find classes and wished there was a group for educational events only. I told him it was a brilliant idea and to get started on that right away. Quiet, and stunned at my order for several long minutes, he finally confessed he had no idea how to begin doing such a thing. I told him he could get started on a name for the group, or an emblem, or the group charter- however it was he felt most comfortable.
A few days later he came to me with an idea for an emblem, a rose, and some ideas about what this educational group’s goals would be. During this time I myself started to become excited about the possibilities for this kind of group. I always hated segregation and competition between sims. I always hated sims who were so competitive and hungry for traffic that they would shun you from their “community’ if someone else saw you enjoying time at another sim. Now, don’t get me wrong, I have always understood that tiers are expensive and very difficult to break even on from parties, donations, vendors, etc. I understood that for many, their sim was their only source of income in FL. These things still did not in my mind justify people feeling like they had to stay at one single sim for fear of being shunned, banned, or worse! And do I really need to mention the abuse that was constantly going on all over SL due to the lack of education, support systems, and understanding of our Lifestyle?? I was excited about this group because it was based on something that was so fundamentally essential for building bridges between groups of people all while empowering them as individuals. Knowledge gives people strength and courage. Education brings us together and helps us appreciate one another, to say the very least!
After about a week or two of brainstorming with Rory, JeZeBeLe lets me know that she’s been thinking about starting an educational group. She had been a part of these kinds of collaborations before and even founded such groups like Teaching Without Boarders. JeZeBeLe, having experience in building education for many years as well as having extensive experience as an educational coordinator, wanted to bring the same into our adult community. I told her it was an amazing coincidence she had been thinking about the same thought Rory had been working on for a couple of weeks. Probably that night or the day after, JeZeBeLe gave me the name “Adult Community Education Society” A.C.E.S. and I was in love. Pretty much immediately after that, she generously invited me into the group as co-owner. The three of us were Founders and full of hope and inspiration, we had been born into this SL world.
JeZeBeLe, Rory, and I began working out a solid Mission Statement right away. We had several drafts we shared back and forth until we had something all three of us felt really good about. Then we started working on what it was we wanted to do and how to convey that clearly so that when we told others about who we were and what we were trying to do, they could understand and say, “That is wonderful and I want to be a part of that!” After many drafts we came up with this and what it is now:
“The Adult Community Education Society exists to provide and promote education for everyone, regardless of sexual identity, race, species, or lifestyle, and to build support systems, provide resources, encourage respect, networking, empowerment, and growth. A.C.E.S. seeks to expand and enhance knowledge, appreciation and respect for the ADULT Community in Second Life. We accomplish this by sharing our own knowledge and enthusiasm with those who are honestly and respectfully seeking the same through sponsorship, leadership or participation in educational opportunities such as lectures, seminars, presentations or discussions in SL focused on ADULT education regardless of SIM or group affiliation.”
In the mean time, I went to work spreading the word. At that time, I was already touring sims as an educator, visiting as many as I could. A.C.E.S. started with Isle of Shadows, Bonanza, and D/s Academy. There were also people who were holding regular discussion type chats who offered to put group joiners in their parcels to help support our mission. As more people heard about my classes, the more I would receive invitations from various sims all over SL to hold educational events. Sometimes it was at places where they had never held educational events, sometimes in random malls, sometimes in someone’s back yard. It was so much fun and I enjoyed what I was doing very much. I was busy 7 days a week! Pretty much every sim were I was a regular educator, the Adult Community Education Society was warmly welcomed. These sim owners were supportive and allowed us to place our group joiner- the lovely red ACE of Hearts card that JeZeBeLe designed for us. From then on, every discussion group or lecture I gave started with a small introduction to what A.C.E.S. was and an offer to join the group. Back then regulars of my classes were happy to join while those new to adult education in SL were not so interested.
Then I once again started to attend classes I saw postings for in the general BDSM notice groups and ones in the general SL calendar. I’d invite sims that I enjoyed attending classes at regularly and invited educators I felt offered good information and resources to others. I looked for educators who were community-positive and were passionate about helping others. I invited those who understood foundations of trust, care, informed consent, and respect. Sometimes I would get turned away, sometimes my IMs would go unanswered and notecards would get trashed (this still happens by the way). Most of the time though I was welcomed, even when people still were not quite sure this group and this idea would work (this too still happens by the way). JeZeBeLe was also busy spreading the word in the building/scripting education community and any other place she felt would be good as well. All three of us were balancing our FLs with our passion for what we were trying to do. It is true what is said that if you really love what you do, it doesn’t feel like have worked a single day.
The very first time I was attending a class were I saw people wearing our A.C.E.S. tags I was extremely delighted. I could not stop smiling and inside I was jumping up and down saying, “Thats US!!!!” It was a wonderful feeling to get IMs and notecards from members telling me how grateful and happy they were to find A.C.E.S. Sim owners and educational coordinators for sims would tell me how excited they were to see sim traffic increase and because of that, they planned on holding more educational events. Slowly and steadily we grew. As more people spread the word about A.C.E.S., the more members would join, the more educators/sim owners would ask to be a part of the group, the more our community felt like a community. We came together to share, to learn, to grow, and for friendship. One of my favorite things is going from one sim to another, seeing the same people and meeting new ones all the time. We get to know each other both as educators and as students eager to grow and feel connected to each other and ourselves. We are free and safe to explore and share who we are.
Of course there are always issues behind the scenes and I have always tried my very best to remain neutral while keeping the focus on education and reaching out to others and not being blinded by other people's (and mine for that matter) personal issues past or present. Yes, it is very hard but I will not give up what I believe in- everyone has something to contribute, knowledge brings us together, education empowers us and is for everyone, and that we are better when we come together and work as a community.
As of today, our 1 Year Anniversary this 6th day of December 2010, we are 665 members and growing.
We could never begin to express how much we appreciate every single one of you for believing in us and growing with us along the way. I cannot tell you how grateful I am to have learned all I have because of all of you. JeZeBeLe and Rory, you inspire me deeply and I am better person because of both of you- thank you for your guidance and love. We hope to see continued growth and collaboration between all people in the SL Community. I will leave you now with one of my most very favorite quotes of all time...
“If you have knowledge, let others light their candles with it.”- Winston Churchill
With deep respect and admiration,
Jovial Denimore
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