Welcome to our Guide to YAS4US: outlining what it is, why it exists, and how to engage with it, whether as a staff member, a first-time participant, or anyone just curious about its roots and mechanics. You don't need to read this or have any prior experience before stepping into your first session, only an openness for how people and communities can grow together.
The word "YAS4US" is a three-part mash-up of "YasVille," "Forum," and "Torus": a playful name signaling something that may be both familiar and new. Without a prescribed pronunciation, it could be vocalized as YAS-for-us, yas-FOR-us, yas-for-US, or even in two syllables (Yas-Fruss), like "chocolate" or "family."
YasVille's influence brings the intent of accessibility, with a heightened awareness for People of the Global Majority ("PGM," aka BIPOC: Black, Indigenous, People of Color), LGBTQIA2S+, and all systemically marginalized individuals. "Forum" points to traditions of structured, courageous conversation-spaces where people bring what might otherwise be unexpressed into the light. And "Torus" suggests a universal energy pattern seen throughout nature and reminds us that human interaction is not flat or linear but alive, multi-dimensional, and continually flowing.
Together these inspirations create a kind of social gumbo. Each ingredient brings its own flavor, and combined they form something nourishing and unique.
A message within the name itself speaks to bringing an effective container-focused (Torus) interpersonal process (Forum) to a de-colonized and more widely accessible "Full-Spectrum" audience (YasVille): a "Forum for the Rest of Us."
When talking about YAS4US, we use some words that may be unfamiliar, including those borrowed from Tribal and scientific languages. We also use more common words, such as "Eye" and "Field," within a specific context applied to this process. We've provided a Glossary to help with these context-specific terms.
As mentioned earlier, YAS4US is designed for people to fully participate and enjoy without any prior experience or preparation. In your first session, and perhaps even in reading this guide, you may notice a mix of feelings: perhaps curiosity, excitement, or even discomfort. We encourage you to allow whatever is alive and emerges.
Most importantly, you won't be alone in navigating this. Our facilitators are trauma-informed and bring years of experience in brave-space settings where people can explore sensitive material. If a Player's experience begins to rise beyond what the group or container can safely hold, the session may be slowed down, or even paused, to protect and care for the Player's state of being.
Just as YAS4US sessions seek to peek beneath the surface of our thoughts and emotions, this guide aspires to look a bit deeper into the process itself, and perhaps in doing so bring a little more context into your own YAS4US experiences.