Junior High’s Community Agreements

Last Revised: 4/30/21

Junior High is a reset. It’s unlearning hate, bias, and judgment. It’s an experiment in empathy, generosity, and community. We are all part of this project together.

PHYSICAL SPACE + PROGRAMMING

  • Practice inclusion. Programming should be done with intention. Identities and their intersections are considered when curating events and exhibits. Invite people in, no one likes feeling left out.

  • Representation is vital. Consider race, class, ability, sexuality, economic status, etc. when programming, curating, and collaborating.

  • Respect the staff, volunteers, and organizers. Act with kindness, particularly to those performing labor in the space.

  • Respect the physical space. Damages and trash left in Junior High’s physical space will have to be cleaned by a volunteer on our staff. To that end, make sure to clean up after yourself.

    • Acknowledge that donations and money that go towards fixing damages are taken away from funding that would otherwise go towards paying artists and ensuring Junior High’s longevity.

  • Make everyone feel welcome + included. And feel welcome yourself, you’re meant to be here!

CONSENT + AUTONOMY

  • Ask for consent. Practice consent with friends and strangers alike. Recognize the fluidity of boundaries, consent is constant, enthusiastic, and can only be given if sober. Harassment — whether physical, verbal, or emotional — is never tolerated.

  • Respect boundaries. Be cautious that people can be sensitive towards particular language and particular topics. These topics can include — but are not limited to — sexuality, assault, religion, and bodies. If you are unsure if a topic might be sensitive, ask the people you are speaking with. Recognize that no one needs to explain their boundaries.

    • Prioritize your own needs. If a conversation is difficult and/or triggering, feel free to excuse yourself from it and come back if/when you feel able — no questions asked.

  • Assume confidentiality. The specifics of conversations should stay within the group. Feel free to share lessons learned, but not names or identifiers. If someone shares an experience that gives you perspective, take that with you, but be sure to respect the privacy and feelings of the person who shared.

LANGUAGE + BEHAVIOR

  • Hate speech is never okay. Hate speech can be directed towards an individual, a group of people, or a physical space. If you have a question about what “hate speech” is, look it up or ask a Junior High staffer.

  • Don’t be mean. :)

  • Use content warnings. Some experiences may be sensitive for other folks in the space.

  • Honor people’s pronouns. If you don’t know someone’s pronouns, just ask. If you misgender someone — apologize, correct yourself, and move on.

    • Here are some gender-neutral collective terms that we like (instead of “guys”): party people, y’all, folks, buddies, friends, comrades

  • Prioritize communication during conflict. Here at Junior High, we have a common goal of collective growth, which means we call people “in,” not out.

    • Never resort to violence.

    • No one needs to argue for the sake of argument. Playing “devil’s advocate,” for instance, generally does not help progress conversation and has been instrumentalized by people to promote values that perpetuate inequality.

  • Avoid statements such as “i hate that” or “eww.” We all have different experiences and struggles. While we may have discrepancies of taste or experience or opinion, we can still validate each other.

  • Be aware of how much space you are taking up. Be mindful of any privileged identities you may hold and help to create an environment for everyone to contribute. Speak up when you have something to share, but also create space for others. Be aware of the impact you are having on others’ ability to contribute.

  • No shaming and/or belittling each other or ourselves.

  • Use “I” statements. Speak from your own experiences rather than generalizing.

GROWTH + ACCOUNTABILITY

  • Sharing a personal experience can be difficult. When someone shares something vulnerable,  acknowledge and believe their experiences, even if they don’t align with your own.

  • Be a good ally. Be on the look-out for ways in which you can make people feel safer and more included. Do your own research, it’s not the responsibility of marginalized communities to educate you 

  • Don’t act defensively. Listen politely to critiques when being called in.

    • Your feelings are not more important than anyone else’s

  • Getting “called in” is an opportunity. When being called in, it is helpful to practice the following:

    • Take responsibility for your actions.

    • Acknowledge the impact of your actions.

    • Apologize for your actions.

    • Commit to a resolution moving forward.

  • Assume positive intent. Not everyone shares the same set of experiences and knowledge, so assume that people have good intent. Act with positive intent yourself.

    • Be accountable for the impact of your words and actions


Thanks to the following orgs for helping inform our community agreements and setting such a wonderful precedent:

questions, comments, concerns, feedback?

Email hi@juniorhighla.com with your thoughts on how we can improve.