Event Code of Conduct

All attendees, speakers, performers, and staff are required to comply with the following Code of Conduct.

Our Code of Conduct applies to all participants behavior surrounding the event, both publicly (including on social media) and through private correspondence. Our staff, including the Diversability team, production staff, front of house staff, security, and volunteers, will coordinate enforcing this Code of Conduct. We expect cooperation from everyone to ensure a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment.

Harassment

Diversability is dedicated to providing a harassment-free experience for everyone. Harassment includes offensive verbal comments related to gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.

Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are required to comply immediately. If a participant engages in any of the aforementioned behavior, Diversability reserves the right to take any action deemed appropriate, from issuing a formal warning to immediately expelling the offender without a refund.

Reporting and Enforcement

If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a member of our staff immediately.

Our staff will be happy to help participants contact local law enforcement (if requested), provide escorts, or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe for the duration of the event.

If you can’t or don’t wish to speak in person, please call or text 646-783-9593 or email hello@mydiversability.com and a member of our team will respond to you as quickly as possible. All reports will be handled in the strictest confidence.

Thanks

This document was inspired by Bond. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.

Cities

  • Chicago, IL (new)

  • Los Angeles, CA

  • Montgomery, AL

  • New York, NY

  • Philadelphia, PA (new)

 
A map of the U.S. that highlights Diversability's locations in Chicago, Los Angeles, Montgomery, New York, Philadelphia, Portland, San Francisco, and Washington, DC
 

Starting Diversability in Your City

Thank you for your interest in starting Diversability in your city. Local Diversability events are run by passionate volunteers.

Connecting with others is a powerful thing—whether it's sharing your own ideas, connecting two people, or empowering someone to make their dreams come true. We are part of a grassroots movement that is much larger than ourselves. Note that each chapter is an independent chapter, unaffiliated with any other organizations.

Diversability is entirely volunteer—and peer-run. You are here because you believe in our mission of inclusion and bringing people of all abilities together. No one is turned away, everyone feels welcome, and everyone feels valued. The intent is that everyone is included.

If you want to start Diversability in your city, starting small is perfectly fine! It can be 2 people grabbing coffee or 3 people in a living room! You can even host it online if you are unable to meet in person. Just make sure that everyone has an opportunity to speak and share their stories.

Don't be afraid to leverage the Facebook group or Leadership Collective if you need help with anything. Post your questions, and we can all chip in to get a sense of what the group feels is good for everyone in the best possible way.

So you want to lead a local chapter?

Leading an event is an amazing responsibility. You'll make a huge impact on yourself and others in your community and you'll gain some great leadership skills.

Your role is to:

  1. Lead with vulnerability. Lead by example.

  2. Show commitment.

  3. Facilitate conversation. Create and maintain a safe space for honest conversations.

  4. Represent Diversability. Always represent our mission and what it means to be a part of our community.

  5. Communicate. Be in contact with your members on a regular basis.

  6. Have a vision. Lead your chapter and members in a positive direction and dream big.

  7. Be a peer mentor. Be there for your members and encourage them to be there for each other.

You are in charge of all the details of your local event such as:

  1. Securing a venue

  2. Determining the event structure (see below for ideas)

  3. Finding sponsors to help cover event costs

  4. Leading the local team

  5. Marketing for the event

As you continue to grow and Diversability members want to get involved, feel free to empower them to take leadership on to the next event!

Structure

You can modify your own event format and do your own thing, provided that members of the local group agree on it. Also leave room at the beginning/end where people can talk to one another. We suggest an event of 1.5-2 hours (15-30 minutes for people to settle in, about 45-60 minutes of programming, and the remaining time to close the event).

Some structures that have worked well in the past:

  • Diversability Unplugged: anyone is invited to give a 5-minute lightning talk with no videos or slides (NY)

  • Events centered around an activity or meal (LA hosts a writing club)

Depending on the sensitivity of the event, whatever is said in the event is confidential and must not leave the room. Confidentiality allows all of us to feel safe and share our deepest vulnerabilities. Keeping the events confidential is a sign that we are willing to be altruistic, and ready to create a safe space for everyone.

Cost

Make the event as accessible as possible. Feel free to meet in public spaces or ask venues if they would be open to donating the space. Otherwise, charge a small ticket fee to cover your costs and lower the number of no-shows.

Chapters cover their own event costs, usually through ticket sales and local sponsors. All local event and sponsorship money stays with the chapter. Some chapters establish organizations (LLCs or non-profits) to keep finances in order or apply for certain types of funding.

Not ready to host an event or don't want to? Feel free to engage in our Facebook group, Leadership Collective, or attend an upcoming event!

What's Next?

Contact us to get started. When your event is scheduled, we will add it to our calendar!