The community education non-profit seeks a permanent home
Education is a prized jewel of modern society. The ability to seek expanded knowledge—to diversify our horizons with new skillsets, trades, methodologies, and philosophies—is perhaps the greatest achievement of humankind.
Yet often this ideology, which could be viewed as our most preeminent gift to ourselves, gets lost as a formality required of children until they are old enough to join the workforce. Thereafter, they are pushed into jobs which are meticulously orchestrated to fulfill the dreams of rich business moguls lustily eyeing new vacation homes.
As a society, we have unfortunately devalued education. Rather than a cherished achievement, it has transformed into a basic necessity essential for job placement, which we hope will lead to monetary success. Where along the line have we lost our ability and desire to learn merely for the sake of learning?
Thankfully, there are still people who embrace this communal value.
The Chattery started in 2014 with a class about creating a terrarium. In the past five years, they have grown from offering three classes a month into a full-fledged organization that hosts around 35 classes monthly.
A simple mission statement summarizes the organization: “The Chattery exists to build community. First and foremost, building it through education. Our tagline is to enhance the community through learning.”
“We exist to provide fun, affordable, and accessible education for adults,” says Jennifer Holder, the Operations Headmaster of the non-profit. “We are for the community, by the community. Because of that, we provide classes that the community wants.”
The educational project offers a wide variety of lectures.
“We have done everything from flower arranging to embroidery, mastering Excel, personal marketing, creative ownership, meditation, practical skills development, and more,” says Shawanda Mason-Moore, the Creative Director of The Chattery.
The two are a dynamic team and their immense passion for their work shines clearly. They seem to find joy in every step of their lives, and they are happy to share that jubilation and curiosity with Chattanooga’s community.
In March, they will be celebrating The Chattery’s five-year anniversary. The carnival-themed party, which they joke will be “just an excuse to eat cotton candy and corn dogs” will act as a launch pad for a crowdsourcing fundraiser with the intent of finding a new and permanent home for The Chattery.
“We’re in the process of figuring out where to move so we can do classes all in one space and not be so scattered,” says Jennifer.
They will host the fundraiser on www.ifundwomen.com, a website specifically designed to raise money for women-owned or involved businesses. The platform has never been used in Chattanooga, and the Chattery team is excited to be its premier intro into the city.
Visit thechattery.org to take a look at upcoming classes, suggest a class, or apply to teach. A full-fledged interview is required in order to teach, a responsibility that isn’t taken lightly. If you have a valuable skill set to share with the community, this may be the spot for you.
Embroidery teacher Sarah Olivo shares her passion: “The Chattery offers a chance to share passions and hobbies, something that becomes harder as we get older. Embroidery for me is very therapeutic and relaxing. Having the opportunity to share with others makes me feel like we are sharing methods of self-expression and self-care.”
Information about the five-year anniversary party will be available on the webpage by the end of the week.
When asked for closing thoughts, Shawanda perfectly mingles her passion with her humor. “Take a class, teach a class, give us money”—to which we all had a good laugh.