Article content Quietly tucked away on one of the back pages of a graphic novel called PAWS: Priya Puts Herself First, is a thank you to OneSpace, an East Vancouver coworking venue that lets parents and children spend time together, but stay far enough apart that the work actually gets done. “Without a space like this I wouldn’t have my agency and identity as an artist,” said series co-creator, comic-book artist Michele Assarasakorn, who is a mother to three-year-old Kiki. When Assarasakorn has a project on the go, she books a desk, while her daughter Kiki is cared for in a dedicated child-minding space upstairs.
She and her partner were crammed into a one-bedroom apartment, both working from home, stuck on daycare waiting lists, and struggling to balance it all when she saw flyers for OneSpace. OneSpace, a 4,000 square foot coworking space with childminding located at 1187 Odlum Dr., was cofounded by Elizabeth Fisher, along with Victoria Koby and several female friends to solve a need they all shared.
“We saw such a huge need during COVID. Daycares were shut down, and we saw mothers taking on a huge domestic burden along with their work burden,” said Fisher, who has an eight-year-old son and a four-year-old daughter. She noticed mothers were struggling with mental health trying to manage it all — something she felt strongly motivated to address.
“I had just launched my first non-profit when I had my son, I was living in a basement suite, working in a closet und.
