How Special Gathering and Third Space Action Lab are Creating Meaningful Change Through Collaboration

2025 was a busy and exciting year for Special Gathering. As a leading event planning company, we measure our work by the meaningful connections we help create. One of the organizations we had the privilege of collaborating with this year was the Cleveland-based, Third Space Action Lab (TSAL).

This Q&A story highlights how our collaboration with TSAL resulted in a highly successful event that raised significant awareness of their mission. From creative ideas to detailed and intentional aspects that drive our mission, discover how collaboration brought TSAL’s vision to life. 

Could you describe the initial challenge or need that led you to seek a solution like ours, and how Special Gathering’s services ultimately addressed that need? 

In 2024, ThirdSpace Action Lab first began researching event planning firms because we have a small staff that was tasked to host specific field-building events in multiple parts of the country. However, working with a mission-aligned firm dedicated to social justice was just as important to us as having extra staff capacity. 

As a Black-owned, women-led firm with experience in curating uplifting events, Special Gathering fit the bill for us in that regard. 

What specific features or aspects of our partnership have you found most valuable or impactful, and why?  

Special Gathering’s extensive experience working on all types of events in different geographies added value from the start to our event planning experience. The staff members are very flexible and nimble. Dani Johnson and her team have a “can-do” attitude that makes it a particularly positive experience.  They have helped walk us through various scenarios and logistics considerations that we may have overlooked had we been planning the events on our own. 

Can you talk about your experience partnering with Special Gathering for your Regional Action Planning Convenings? 

We’ve had the pleasure of working with Special Gathering in two distinct regions of the United States as part of our Regional Action Planning: Jackson, Mississippi and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Both of these experiences were very different, but in both instances, Special Gathering rose to the occasion to help us execute robust multi-day events for 40-60 people. The venue that we used in Minneapolis, in particular, was very bare bones. Special Gathering brought in vendors such as furniture rentals, audio-visual technology, IT support, and full-service catering in addition to supporting registration, facilitators, and on-site logistics. 

Special Gathering aims to prioritize accessibility and wellness during events. How was this implemented during your convening? 

Special Gathering staff have provided meaningful wellness components in our events. They have guided our participants through mindfulness and breathing exercises, yoga and stretching, and activities to honor ancestors. They have also created meeting environments where our participants have had a dedicated wellness room and prayer space. Additionally, accessibility is factored into the venues selected and the information gathered from participants in advance.

Special Gathering has been able to ensure individual needs are met such as mobility considerations, visual impairment, and dietary needs. 

Looking ahead, how do you see our partnership evolving, and what future goals are on the horizon for your organization? 

This coming year, we’re planning a follow-up convening in Minneapolis, our next Regional Action Planning event together in Central Appalachia, and planning a national convening with Special Gathering’s support. These next few events will also have unique logistical considerations. For example, when working in Appalachia, we’ll see what it takes to execute an event in a more rural area compared to the previous two regions. For the national convening, we’ll be working with a larger group of people in a new city. We feel assured that Special Gathering will be a great thought partner from the beginning to the end of our planning journey.

We look forward to what the year holds for our work together in the form of intentionally designed, impactful events.