Shawanda Mason & Jennifer Holder, The Chattery’s co-founders
photo by Zoe Lent-Bews
Local learning nonprofit, The Chattery, is celebrating eight years of providing a variety of classes and workshops for lifelong learners in Chattanooga and beyond. While they aren’t celebrating with a big bash, like in previous years, they are looking back on their accomplishments thus far and preparing to launch a new program called Human Development.
Officials said, "Since 2014, The Chattery’s two-person team has cultivated a community of adult learners by providing fun, affordable and accessible classes and workshops.
The classes range from cocktails and calligraphy to financial literacy and business planning. As The Chattery recognizes its eighth anniversary, the team is reflecting on meaningful milestones and preparing for more growth in 2022."
“Even though the last eight years haven’t been easy, they sure have been a lot of fun,” says Shawanda Mason, creative director and co-founder of The Chattery. “Jennifer and I are lifelong learners ourselves, so creating a platform where learning is fun and encouraged has been mutually beneficial for us and our learning community.”
Since The Chattery started, the team:
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became paid full-time employees after five years of being volunteers;
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received over $250,000 in grants to help support their mission;
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hosted over 1,300 learning experiences;
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upgraded their 300 sq. ft. studio for a 2,500 sq. ft. learning space;
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partnered with over 300 small businesses, nonprofits and instructors;
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raised over $30,000 using the crowdfunding platform, IFundWomen (in four weeks);
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created a go-to resource for adult learning in the Chattanooga area; and
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cultivated a community of over 15,000 curious adults.
“We are certainly proud of the work we’ve accomplished over the past eight years, but we’re excited to make an even bigger impact in our community,” said Jennifer Holder, operations director and co-founder at The Chattery.
On the horizon for The Chattery this year is hiring their first permanent part-time employee to help with the growth the organization is experiencing, as well as the launch of their Human Development program.
“Our Human Development classes and workshops allow students to commit to being overall better humans,” said Ms. Holder. “This particular subset of classes will complement our current calendar and also offer a different lens for lifelong learners to invest in themselves.”
Examples of classes within this program include colorism in different communities, historical and cultural considerations as it relates to hair, food history and the sociological and economic impact it has on various groups of people.
“The first year of the program will focus on history and mental health,” said Ms. Mason. “We believe that without history, conversations cannot move forward and without proper mental health support and resources, these lessons cannot be processed in a healthy way.”
While The Chattery is still in the beginning phases of planning the calendar for these classes, the program has already received support from Humanities Tennessee and the Footprint Foundation.
Canva 101 class at The Chattery
photo by