GREENFIELD — Race, identity, gender and sexuality are often difficult topics to discuss, and one Greenfield resident wants to provide others with a safe space to do so.

Keyedrya Jacobs is holding a year-long series with monthly meetings on a wide range of topics — from racism and police brutality to the legalization of medical marijuana — at the Franklin Community Co-Op, where she works. The first discussion, on racial tension and sensitivity, will be Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Co-Op meeting room.

“It’s basically a social group that I got permission to hold at the Co-Op,” she said. “I just want to do a 12-month, once-a-month session where we can sit down and talk about the issues that are affecting the community, which on a bigger scale, I feel like affect the world.”

Jacobs grew up in Springfield, where there are large black and Hispanic populations, but when she moved to Greenfield four years ago, she noticed her family was one of very few black families in town. Once she started working at the Co-Op, Jacobs said she realized through the conversations she’d have with customers that some people don’t understand how to talk to people of color.

“I would get these little comments on and off from people regarding race — not necessarily racist comments, but things pertaining to my skin color,” she said. “People would ask me where I’m from or what language I speak. Those things come off as insensitive, for one … I speak perfect English.”

Jacobs added she’s never been shy about talking about race, but feels there’s a more appropriate way to have those conversations. She said she wanted to give people a safe space to do so, in which they can ask questions and share their thoughts without fear of judgment.

As she spoke with more people, Jacobs said she realized there’s a wide range of issues on people’s minds that could benefit from more open discussion, such as sexuality, culture and gender identity.

She plans to bring in a facilitator for each discussion who has personal experience with the topic at hand. She will facilitate the first meeting on race and plans to reach out to the police chief to find out whether someone from the department would be interested in facilitating an upcoming meeting.

Although the meetings aren’t Co-Op-sponsored events, Jacobs said her general manager has been working with her closely and the organization has been very supportive.

“I get a lot of positive feedback,” she said. “I feel like it’s something a lot of people have been wanting but have never even thought about.”

Jacobs stressed that the meetings will be respectful, no matter what points of view are shared.

“It’s an exciting thing. It’s a little nerve wracking,” she said. “I didn’t think it would be such a big deal, but I’m kind of glad it is because I think it’s overdue — just open conversation about things.”

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