BIPOC Adoptees Code of Conduct Policy

Rooted in Care, Boundaries, and Collective Healing

Our mission is to create a safe, inclusive, and supportive space for BIPOC Adoptees to share stories, build connections, and access adoptee-centered programming and resources to address the systemic disregard of adoptees and build power through innovative approaches to community, education, and care.

This Code of Conduct outlines our shared expectations for how we move together — in care, in complexity, and with commitment to safety in all in-person and virtual spaces.

Our Commitments

We believe:

• We are not a monolith. Each of us holds our own lived experience, history, and beliefs. We honor this truth and commit to respecting each other across differences.
• Adoption is political. So are race, healing, land, and lineage.
• Rupture and repair are part of the community — but only when safety is present.
• Boundaries are care. They are not exclusion — they are protection and sustain relationships.
• Healing justice means we do not replicate carceral models, but we do protect our people.
• We are not neutral, and we are not here to be palatable. We are here to be free.

What We Expect from Everyone in This Space

All attendees, organizers, facilitators, vendors, speakers, and guests agree to:

• Honor the humanity, dignity, and identities of everyone in the space
• Respect stated boundaries, access needs, and pronouns
• Hold disagreement without dehumanization
• Refrain from public or private targeting, harassment, intimidation, or escalation
• Be open to accountability and repair if harm occurs and if safety is still possible
• Do not record, screenshot, or share private content or conversations without explicit consent

What Is Not Welcome in This Space

We do not allow:

• Harassment, stalking, doxxing, or sustained misrepresentation of our organizers or attendees
• Gaslighting, personal attacks, or tone-policing of BIPOC Adoptees in distress
• Sexual assault, unwanted sexual contact, or sexually coercive behavior
• Behavior that creates emotional distress or safety concerns, especially patterns of harm
• Weaponization of outside platforms or institutions to target or discredit our community
• Demands for "debate" in spaces meant for healing or identity processing
• Attempts to bypass or ignore community-set boundaries

If Harm Happens

We approach harm through a healing justice lens — not through punishment, but through care, containment, and reflection. When harm occurs, our team may:

• Hold an internal reflection and safety review
• Offer a chance to pause or repair when appropriate
• Block comments or access on social media platforms or at events if misinformation is spread or harassment occurs and persists despite repeated attempts to address the issue
• Revoke or deny participation if this policy has been violated
• Decline to engage when attempts at repair have failed or been weaponized
• Engage other options and/or remedies as appropriate

This list is not exclusive, nor is it outlined as a step-by-step process. We reserve the right to enforce any and all of the options set forth above at any time, as we deem necessary in our sole discretion. We do not owe engagement to those who repeatedly cause harm.

Grievance Process

If you experience or witness behavior that violates this Code of Conduct — including harassment, discrimination, or sexual assault — we encourage you to reach out to a member of our team or submit a report using our Incident Reflection Form: https://bit.ly/bipocadoptees_incident_form

Our team will:

• Reach out within 2–5 business days to follow up
• Meet internally to review the situation and determine appropriate next steps
• Prioritize safety, confidentiality, and care throughout the process
• Communicate decisions when and where it is safe and appropriate to do so

We take all reports seriously. While we are not a crisis center or investigative body, we will do our best to respond with integrity, protect the community, and uphold our values.

Our Container of Care

At our conference and events, we provide a Container of Care that may include:

• On-site or virtual therapists and peer supporters
• Deactivation room, a quiet room or grounding space
• Trained de-escalation team members
• A pathway to ask for support without retraumatization

This space is not a crisis center, we do not provide therapy on site, but it is a place to be held, not judged.

If You Can't Abide by This

If you do not agree with BIPOC Adoptees Code of Conduct and cannot adhere to the expectations and requirements set forth herein, this may not be your space. We reserve the right to exercise our independent judgment in upholding and enforcing this Code of Conduct.

We are building something that centers healing, not harm — and we reserve the right to take actions we deem appropriate to protect the organization and the community we serve.