“The idea is getting people out of their homes, making sure they have somewhere to go to do their work but also to be able to build their careers as well,” Executive Director of Freelancers Union Rafael Espinal said at the grand opening on Tuesday in the company of freelancers and local elected officials.
The free coworking space in Brooklyn features a large coworking space lined with rows of desks, rooms to host workshops, and isolated spaces for meetings.“I love the interior design… it's very open, I feel like it really motivates your creative flow with nice pops of color that make me feel calm and happy,” said entrepreneur Calandra Griffin, who recently moved to New York from Phoenix, and read about the space online.
“It actually really motivates me and lets me know that New York is here for their freelancers, and that makes me feel good to just know that I’m appreciated and that I am important,” Griffin said. “The pandemic has really shined a light on the struggles freelance workers face because of the lack of social safety net that exists for them, because of the lack of resources that exists for them,” Espinal said. “Because you work independent doesn't mean that you don’t deserve to have similar protections to other workers. It’s important to ensure that there are no workers falling through the cracks.