CommonShore Collective is a platform for engaging in innovations that lead us to a more sustainable, diverse, equitable, and inclusive future. Founded in 22nd February 2022, the volunteer-run and queer-led Civil Society Organization envisions an informed, just, and inclusive society where all aspects of humanity are not just accepted but celebrated. The collective vision is further empowered by our purpose in empowering marginalized, diverse voices through arts, innovation, and engaging activities. This enables us to make a ripple effect of sustainable development with our collaborative, tailored interventions. We also provide scopes of partnership in order to form a collective and resonating movement for all kinds of organizations and individuals at different capacities.

The diverse youth led CSO, although very young, has already collaborated with national and international organizations in the year 2022. One of the major project is "Shorbonaam podcast: Tales of desire, belonging, and seeking justice". It is supported by the International Republican Institute (IRI) for developing an archive of stories and discussions by and for the LGBTIQ+ in Bangladesh. The podcast format of the discussions allow us an easy online access to address knowledge gaps with the segmented and diverse marginalized community. Themes explored in the podcast episodes include SRHR, mental health, grassroots organizing, intersex justice, Person Living with HIV (PLHIV) as a subject, as well as community and societal dynamics that affect the diverse SOGIESC minorities' lives.

Another such creative project from CommonShore is "Shundortoro: A story of healing" which is a short-film based on queer storytelling. It addresses complex societal and organizational dynamics that lead the youth to mobilize for their needs as an activist for equal rights in Bangladesh. The creative storytelling explores themes of mental health, SRHR and sustainable community-initiative building for the gender diverse youth. The film is supported by Bandhu Social Welfare Society (BSWS), Possibility, and Mama Cash and premiered in June 2022.

CommonShore Collective is set to securely release "An Intimate Analysis of Diverse Youth-led Entrepreneurship in Bangladesh" in September 2022. It is a research project analyzing the scopes and differences in queer-led initiative building in the existing social and communal landscape in Bangladesh. The project pays homage to queer methods ion this research, where the CommonShore Collective and the founder A. H. Chowdhury Pantho become the means to documenting and understanding the different factors and variables at play when it comes to realizing an LGBTIQ+ community initiative in conservative Bangladesh.

Respecting volunteerism and producing common good by knowledge generation and sharing is embedded in the DNA of CommonShore Collective. In the "Co-create" page, which resembles a typical join us page on websites in general, we say, "The platform is for those who are passionate about initiating change - whether as a volunteer, academic, activist, Community Based or Civil Society Organization, entrepreneur, or through CSR activities. At CommonShore Collective we believe in constant innovation by transforming community based initiatives with our resources." We have different partnership programs for partners who are volunteers, organizations, entrepreneurs, as well as on Patreon for those who simply want to support the movement with donations. The donations or profit is re-invested not just within CommonShore Collective itself, but also within other organizations who can benefit from easily transferable and shared assets such as digital memberships, venues and spaces, online courses, etc.

CommonShore Collective has already produced easily accessible resources for advancing SRHR and SOGIESC advocacy. The scopes for using the resources include:

Enhancing Livelihoods and Skills with Community Initiatives:

• Methodologies for sustainable initiative building

• Moral leadership and ideation with your team

• Pitching, proposal writing and management

• Identifying gaps and taking action

• Fundraising and accountability for social initiatives

Gender Equality with SOGIESC Advocacy:

• Feminism and the gender equality movement

• Queer theory and research

• United Nations Mechanisms

• Media, journalism, and digital security

Building Momentum on Digital Media for Social Justice:

• Media, digital security and journalism

• Storytelling for change

• Content creation with accessible tools

• Campaign strategy and implementation

Inclusive and Sustainable Social Business:

• Human centered design

• Social entrepreneurship and business models

• Designing for environmental sustainability and social impact

• Social impact analysis

• Inclusive business: Redefining success and key operations

And a module for enhancing community based activism with art-initiatives called "Artivism".

More information can be accessed at this website or email us at commonshorecollective@gmail.com.

Access all our publications and initiatives at commonshorecollective.org.

Access the “Shorbonaam podcast: Tales of desire, belonging, and seeking justice” project supported by the International Republican Institute (IRI).

Themes explored: LGBTIQ+ community in Bangladesh, mental health, SRHR, social justice and reform, gender based violence, gender equality movement, grassroots organizing, sustainable community initiatives.

Access the autoethnographic storytelling project “Shundortoro – A story of healing” short-film supported by Bandhu Social Welfare Society, Possibility, and Mama Cash.

Themes explored: LGBTIQ+ community in Bangladesh, mental health, SRHR, social justice and reform, gender based violence, gender equality movement, grassroots organizing, sustainable community initiatives.

Access the “An Intimate Analysis of Diverse Youth-led Entrepreneurship in Bangladesh” research paper.

Themes explored: LGBTIQ+ community in Bangladesh, mental health, SRHR, social justice and reform, gender based violence, gender equality movement, grassroots organizing, sustainable community initiatives.