Our Community Values and Code of Conduct Agreements

Last Updated: November 1 2025

The vocabulary we are using in this document are aligned to the definitions and explanations mentioned in Tatiana Mac’s Self-Defined, “a modern dictionary about us.” Please reference it if you need clarification on the words and language that follow.

Who do our Community Values and Code of Conduct Agreements apply to:

Our Community Values and Agreements apply to everyone working with Choose Courage Inc. or taking part in any Choose Courage Inc. event or course, like The Walkout.

Choose Courage Inc. employees, contractors, volunteers, speakers, attendees, clients, exhibitors, sponsors and vendors are protected by and expected to align themselves to Our Community Values and Code of Conduct Agreements. 

We are all accountable in how we treat one another.

The Values We Want to Live Out in Our Events

  • Be supportive. Encourage and support your fellow attendees. No one here is looking for your criticism, cynicism, or heavy advice. (We can get those things on the rest of the Internet). Be curious, not judgmental. 

  • Share generously. Your stories and experiences may be exactly what another attendee needs to hear today to solve a problem or seize an opportunity.

  • Be constructive. We’re here to push each other forward and lift each other up. Find ways to help each other think bigger, reframe challenges, and stay open.

  • Respect confidentiality. If and when someone shares sensitive information on a personal or professional level, please do not share it outside of our events and other communal experiences. Being both vulnerable and safe is essential to our mutual success. 

  • Don’t spam, denigrate, or troll. Choose Courage Inc. exists to help you learn how to grow with humility, openness and courage. It’s not a place to spam, judge, or bully anyone else. Please read the “Behavior we will NOT tolerate” section of Community Values and Code of Conduct Agreements for additional guidance.

  • Be mindful of the difference between informing and selling. We're all doing exciting things from time to time, and as community members we'll want to know. It's perfectly cool to share what you're up to, and our ask is that there not be specific sales links, offers, or pitches from attendees.

Behaviors we will NOT tolerate: 

Choose Courage Inc. will not tolerate harassment - direct or indirect - under any circumstances. We will not and do not tolerate any form of bigotry or hatred within any Choose Courage Inc. course, channel, event, or platform. We expect cooperation from all those involved to help ensure a safer space for everybody.

We will not tolerate:

  • Intimidation, violence or threats of violence toward another person

  • Incitement of violence towards any individual, including encouraging a person to commit suicide or to engage in self-harm

  • Deliberate misgendering or use of "dead" or rejected names

  • Deliberate “outing” of any aspect of a person’s identity without their consent except as necessary to protect other attendees or other vulnerable people from intentional abuse

  • Offensive comments, discriminatory jokes or language related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, mental illness, neurotype, physical appearance, body, age, race, ethnicity, nationality, language or religion

  • Unwelcome comments regarding a person’s lifestyle choices and practices, including those related to food, health, parenting, drugs, and employment

  • Conversations, presentations, or offensive commentary that demonstrate racism, ableism, misogyny, misogynoir, transphobia, xenophobia, transmisogyny, transmisogynoir, homophobia, biphobia, classism, fatphobia, body shaming, or colorism; aggressive or offensive commentary based on one’s faith will also not be tolerated

  • Deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, taking pictures or recording without permission

  • Inappropriate or unwanted physical contact, simulated physical contact (e.g. textual descriptions like “hug” or “backrub”) without consent or after a request to stop) or sexual attention

  • Inappropriate social contact, such as requesting or assuming inappropriate levels of intimacy with others

  • Sharing another attendee's contributions without permission (e.g. screenshots of their group chat messages, private messages, etc.)

  • Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior

Attendees asked to stop any harassing behavior should comply immediately. If anyone engages in harassing behavior within our events, Choose Courage Inc. may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or immediate removal from the Choose Courage Inc. event with no refund. If you are removed, you can not enter again.

If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact Vivianne Castillo (hello@choosecourageinc.com).

Community Values and Code of Conduct Agreements | Violations by Choose Courage Inc. Staff

If a Choose Courage Inc. staff or guest speaker engages in harassing behavior, please do not hesitate to contact another member of the Choose Courage Inc. team. They will take the appropriate action including warning the offender, expulsion from the event or immediate withdrawal from their Choose Courage Inc. duties.

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Credits and Acknowledgements

Portions of this Community Values and Code of Conduct Agreements were significantly derived from the Codes of Conduct of UK Afrotech Fest, Geek Feminism, Flip Brown and the XOXO Community Code of Conduct.

Content at the links remain the sole property of content authors.

Feedback

This Community Values and Code of Conduct Agreements is a living document. If you think anything is missing, or could be made clearer, please contact hello@choosecourageinc.com.