Culturally Travel is committed to maintaining an environment that encourages and fosters appropriate conduct among all persons and respect for all individuals.
This list consists of principles that we, Culturally Travel, have collectively agreed to follow and hold each other accountable.
Respect Each Other Fully - you don't have to understand someone's identity or experience to respect them.
Be aware of your power and privilege - Our identity and background give us different levels of power and privilege in society. For example, your ethnicity, gender, ability, sexuality, citizenship status, income, age, (and more) are all elements that give us more or less power and privilege in society. We must be aware of our power and privilege and how that shows up in a group setting.
Use I statements and speak from personal experience - we cannot speak for others' personal experiences; we can only speak for ourselves. Never assume another person's experience is the same as your own. Therefore, we should not use generalizing statements or speak for others.
Make space, take space - All of us have different comfort levels with taking up space. If you speak a lot in group conversations, try to focus on listening. If you are quiet or shy, try out being more outspoken. This is a helpful practice in intentional conversations as well as informal spaces.
Assume positive intent and lean towards impact - We may make mistakes as we build a greater understanding of justice and inclusivity. While that is understandable, we want to acknowledge the harm we have done. When others make mistakes, we should hold folks accountable and treat them with empathy, as we are all at different places in our learning.
Ask for a person's pronouns before assuming (He/ his, she /hers, or they/ them/theirs) - Gender is fluid, and therefore we do not accept a gender binary world (male or female). Before assuming someone's pronouns based on their appearance, ask.
Meet people where they are and call each other "in" - Culturally Travel is an inclusive learning environment. When someone makes a hurtful, racist, sexist, transphobic (or other) comment, we must address it head-on and call each other "in" to acknowledge the harmful impact, learn from it, and take action to repair any harm caused, and incorporate it into future behavior.
We do not tolerate ~isms and Microaggressions: People come from different backgrounds and are at the intersections of many identities. We have zero tolerance of ~isms (racism, ableism, gender discrimination, transphobia, etc.)
Sexual harassment is a crime: No means no. Don't pressure anyone into romantic encounters or sexual relationships. If what you do makes the other person uncomfortable, stop what you are doing.
Accountability Mechanisms
If you experience problematic behavior or are made uncomfortable by other people's actions or behaviors, please report this behavior by texting Culturally Travel number at 206-900-8981.
If you have questions about this Code of Conduct or appropriate conduct at Culturally Travel, please let us know by texting at 206-900-8981.
