Acknowledgements and Community Guidelines

Community Guidelines

Respect and honor people’s experiences
Be open to learning and unlearning 
Share from experience using “I” statements”

Land & Labor Acknowledgements

Land Acknowledgement:

Cal Poly Humboldt is located on the present and ancestral Homeland and unceded territory of the Wiyot Tribe. Tribes and Nations in Humboldt County include Hupa, Karuk, Mattole, Tolowa, Wailaki, Wiyot, Yurok. We make this land acknowledgement in recognition that our words must be matched by action and approach. Please learn from Dr. Cutcha Risling Baldy's lecture "What Good Is a Land Acknowledgment?"

Labor Acknowledgement:

Today we recognize and acknowledge the labor upon which our country, state, and institutions are built. Remember that our country is built on the labor of enslaved people who were kidnapped and brought to the US from the African Continent and recognize the continued contribution of their survivors. We acknowledge all immigrant labor, including voluntary, involuntary, and trafficked peoples who continue to serve within our labor force.

  • NO ASSUMPTIONS — EXCEPT FOR BEST INTENTIONS.

    • People should not assume other people’s experiences or anything else. The only assumption people should make is that when other participants speak, they are speaking with the best intentions and do not mean to offend anyone.

  • CORRECT GENTLY, BUT DO CORRECT.

    • If participants say something that is incorrect or offensive, politely address what was said. Letting comments slip by only makes the space less safe and increases the difficulty of building successful partnerships.

  • DON’T “YUCK MY YUM.”

    • When group members share their likes and dislikes, respect their personal opinions and preferences.

  • USE “I” STATEMENTS.

    • Everyone should speak from his/her/hir/their own experiences.

  • AVOID MAKING GENERALIZATIONS.

    • Don’t make blanket statements about any groups of people. (In addition to members of the LGBTQ community, this also includes political parties, religious groups, socioeconomic classes, age ranges, etc.) If you’re not sure that something you want to say is factually correct, phrase it as a question

  • ONE MIC, ONE VOICE.

    • Only one person should speak at a time.

  • MAKE SPACE, TAKE SPACE.

    • Participants should be aware of how much they are speaking. If they feel they are speaking a lot, they should let others speak, and if they find themselves not talking, they should try to contribute some comments, ideas or suggestions.

  • RESPECT CONFIDENTIALITY.

    • Assume that stories and comments shared at meetings/workshops should remain private. Ask for consent before you share someone’s story or comment.

  • LEAN INTO DISCOMFORT.

    • Meetings and topics can sometimes be challenging. Be willing to experience some discomfort in discussions, and learn from it as a community!

  • PERSONALIZE THESE AGREEMENTS!

    • This is a placeholder for us if we would like to add anything.