The Case of the Missing Space: The Story of Dae Shields

There once was a little girl named Dae the Daring
Even though she was small, her heart was full of caring
As she explored this big world, she was filled with glee
But she couldn’t help but think, “Why does no one look like me?”

And so it began, the start of two problems
But Dae was daring and knew she could solve them
The first was the case of the missing space
The second was discovering her very own place

Dae thought, “there is nowhere to go where we feel safe”
“There is nowhere to be creative and proudly show our face”
Black art, Black music, Black thoughts, and Black culture
Were all pushed aside because of their colour

But there was one place
One single, small space
Where she found a way
To hear Black music each day

Sitting at the piano, playing out his heart and soul
Was Dae’s Granddad who inspired her brand-new goal
As his fingers flew over the black and white keys
His voice soared loud and clear with ease

From that moment on, Dae could clearly see
The sound of the music was who she wanted to be
But being music was impossible she thought
Find a real job, was what she was taught

And so it began, the start of her journey
To find a nice job that others deemed worthy
The case of the missing space was pushed away
And she thought she didn’t need her own place to be okay

“A pilot!” Dae exclaimed, “I’ll soar above the clouds”
“That’s a perfect way to make everyone proud”
So every day she practiced in the cockpit
Until she realized it was not a very good fit

“An artist!” Dae shouted, “I’ll create a masterpiece”
“That’s a perfect way to make everyone pleased”
So every day she drew bit by bit
Until she realized it was not a very good fit

“An Architect!” Dae bellowed, “I’ll design a skyscraper”
“That’s a perfect way to make everyone happier”
So, every day in architect school Dae would sit
Until she realized it was not a very good fit

Dae tried all those jobs, but none were quite right
And none of those jobs helped her fight her fight
They did not solve the case of the missing space
And none of those jobs were Dae’s very own place

So, she let the music in her heart be her guide
And hopped on a plane to Canada’s other side
In this new city she hoped her two problems would disappear
But when the plane landed, they were sadly still there

She saw concerts and shows and markets all the time
Yet everywhere she went, felt like she crossed a line
These were not places where Black people belonged
The feel of these spaces was just plain wrong

And so it began, the start of the solving
These problems were fixable, and they needed stopping
Dae was determined to bring Black people together
She wanted to make a space where they could gather forever

Dae made AfroVan Connect with the help of her team
If she couldn’t find a space, she’d have to make one it seemed
The whole city came together to help Dae out
After all, that’s what her goal was all about

Black Space Jam brought singers and rappers at night
Black Markets brought makers and artists alike
Black Space Symposium mixed everyone all up
And the Pop-Up events, were always a great shock

“Finally,” Dae thought, “the case of the missing space is no longer!”
For AfroVan Connect made sure no one else had to wander
Unfortunately, her fight was not quite over
As the pandemic crushed her plans like a big bad boulder

All of a sudden, the spaces were gone
And Dae knew that she had not yet won
The case of the missing space was once again open
But Dae and her team’s hearts were not broken

If they had to move online, then they knew they would
For a virtual space could be just as good
They streamed shows and concerts for everyone to see
And up out of nowhere popped problem number three

How could the people with no screens watch the show?
She was frustrated as she saw the problems grow
But Dae was daring, and would not let these problems get in her way
So she began to plan for what they could do the very next day

A mishmash of everything looked like it might work
Having online and real spaces would be a huge perk
No Black girls or Black boys would be left out
“We’ll do it both ways!” Dae began to shout

And so it began, Dae’s very own place
She had to create it, but now found her own space
Somewhere to move past the wrong spaces that were evil
Somewhere made by and for Black people

With music in her heart and vision in her eyes
Dae made a safe place for Black creatives to thrive
The missing space was found
And her own place was sound

It was then that Dae realized where her learning came from
Although she was thankful for the schooling she’d done
Her friends and family and city and team
Were really the ones who taught her what she’d need

Then Dae thought back to when she was a little girl
And wished she could tell her some things about the world
You are enough; You are powerful; You have everything you need
Go out into the world, and show them how to dream!

The End.

Who is the real Dae?

Dae Shields is the co-founder of AfroVan Connect, a company that is working to establish safe spaces for Black creatives to express themselves. Dae has been creating music ever since she was a little girl. As she got older, she noticed that there were no spaces made for Black people, and if there were, they were not welcoming. When Dae moved to Vancouver in 2017, she saw how badly the city lacked inclusive places. Thus, with the helping hands of her new community in Vancouver, AfroVan Connect was born.

About the author

name: Tara Kapoor

Tara Kapoor is a fourth-year Bachelor of Science student specializing in the field of Kinesiology. While her area of study is science-based, the arts have always held a special place in her heart. Her initial career aspiration was to be an author, which then changed to a librarian. She has been an avid reader since she could turn the pages herself, and her most prized possession is her overflowing bookshelf.