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Code of Conduct

Our commitment to a safe and inclusive community

Community Safety

JuneteenthConf is a strongly guarded community. The safety, dignity, and full belonging of every member — particularly those who have been historically excluded from tech — are paramount above all other concerns.

Bigotry of any kind will not be tolerated here, whether explicit or covert. This includes — but is not limited to — racism, sexism, misogynoir, homophobia, transphobia, and ableism, expressed verbally, in writing, or through action. Microaggressions, "ironic" prejudice, and comments that punch down are held to the same standard as overt hostility.

"It was just a joke" is not a defense, and will not be treated as one.

Violations of this policy result in immediate removal from the event and a permanent ban from all JuneteenthConf spaces — online and in person. Depending on severity, violators may be formally trespassed from future events.

Our Pledge

We as members, contributors, and leaders pledge to make participation in our community a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of age, body size, visible or invisible disability, ethnicity, sex characteristics, gender identity and expression, level of experience, education, socio-economic status, nationality, personal appearance, race, religion, or sexual identity and orientation.

We pledge to act and interact in ways that contribute to an open, welcoming, diverse, inclusive, and healthy community.

Our Standards

Examples of behavior that contributes to a positive environment for our community include:

  • Demonstrating empathy and kindness toward other people
  • Being respectful of differing opinions, viewpoints, and experiences
  • Giving and gracefully accepting constructive feedback
  • Accepting responsibility and apologizing to those affected by our mistakes, and learning from the experience
  • Focusing on what is best not just for us as individuals, but for the overall community

Examples of unacceptable behavior include:

  • Racism, sexism, misogynoir, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, or any other form of bigotry — overt or covert, verbal or written
  • The use of sexualized language or imagery, and sexual attention or advances of any kind
  • Trolling, insulting or derogatory comments, and personal or political attacks
  • Public or private harassment, including repeated unwanted contact
  • Photography or recording of attendees without explicit consent
  • Publishing others’ private information — such as physical address, phone number, or social handles — without their explicit permission (doxxing)
  • Retaliation against anyone who reports a violation or assists in an investigation
  • Other conduct which could reasonably be considered harmful, demeaning, or inappropriate

Reporting an Incident

If you experience or witness a violation of this Code of Conduct, report it immediately:

  • At the event: Find any staff member wearing a JuneteenthConf badge and ask for a safety lead.
  • By email: safety@juneteenthconf.com — reviewed within 24 hours, faster during events.

All reports are confidential. We will never reveal your identity to the subject of a complaint without your explicit consent. There is no penalty for good-faith reports, even if no formal action results.

Enforcement Responsibilities

Community leaders are responsible for clarifying and enforcing our standards of acceptable behavior and will take appropriate and fair corrective action in response to any behavior that they deem inappropriate, threatening, offensive, or harmful.

Community leaders have the right and responsibility to remove, edit, or reject comments, posts, and other contributions that are not aligned to this Code of Conduct, and will communicate reasons for moderation decisions when appropriate.

Scope

This Code of Conduct applies in all community spaces — conference sessions, workshops, social events, hallway conversations, online channels, and social media — and also when an individual is officially representing the community in public. Conduct outside of JuneteenthConf spaces may be considered when it directly affects the safety or experience of community members.

Enforcement Guidelines

Community leaders will follow these impact guidelines in determining the appropriate response to any violation:

1. Correction

Community Impact: Use of inappropriate language or other behavior deemed unprofessional or unwelcome in the community.

Consequence: A private, written warning providing clarity around the nature of the violation and an explanation of why the behavior was inappropriate. A public apology may be requested.

2. Warning

Community Impact: A violation through a single incident or series of actions.

Consequence: A warning with consequences for continued behavior. No interaction with the people involved, including unsolicited interaction with those enforcing this Code of Conduct, for a specified period of time. Violating these terms may lead to a temporary or permanent ban.

3. Temporary Ban

Community Impact: A serious violation of community standards, including sustained inappropriate behavior.

Consequence: A temporary ban from any sort of interaction or public communication with the community for a specified period of time. Violating these terms may lead to a permanent ban.

4. Permanent Ban + Trespass

Community Impact: Any instance of bigotry, harassment, or targeted harm — including racism, misogynoir, transphobia, homophobia, or ableism — or a pattern of serious violations.

Consequence: Permanent ban from all JuneteenthConf spaces and events. Depending on severity, a formal trespass notice will be issued prohibiting physical presence at any JuneteenthConf event.

Attribution

This Code of Conduct is adapted from the Contributor Covenant, version 2.0.

Community Impact Guidelines were inspired by Mozilla’s code of conduct enforcement ladder.