Safety.
“I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence.” - Frederick Douglas
While being in community with one another our physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual safety is the top priority.
We recognize some of the impacts of racism are internalized oppression and work to identify and release all that comes with this form of trauma.
We are mindful of the presence and impacts of Whiteness, such as code-switching, in our dialog and seek to create a welcome authentic space.
Respect.
“The most essential ingredient for harmonious relationships is mutual respect.” - Karen Garvey
We honor and respect each other as unique individuals.
We invite multiple perspectives into our dialog, by doing so we acknowledge Black excellence as anti-dote to the pervasiveness of the anti-Blackness we often experience.
The RTB committee and it’s constituents reserve the right to refuse individuals and groups participation in its forums to uphold these practices.
We are mindful and work to address not only the impacts of racism but also it’s intersecting forms of oppression while in community with one another.