For nine years, Refresh DC has been a collegial community of design professionals gathering on a monthly basis to share their interests and their work with others. All of us—the organizers, speakers, attendees, hosts, and sponsors—have worked hard to foster this atmosphere of inclusivity at each of our events. Every month, I’m amazed and invigorated by the community’s enthusiasm, passion, and diversity.

Beginning today, Refresh DC has a Code of Conduct. The Code is clearly-written and outlines what we consider unacceptable behavior. It is our hope that we never have to enforce the Code of Conduct. But, we felt it necessary to make it clear to everyone organizing and attending our events what is appropriate and inappropriate behavior.

We’re taking this proactive step at the beginning of the new year to demonstrate the value we place on diversity and inclusivity in our community. I want every single person interested in web design and development to feel at home when they attend Refresh DC. I want every single person interested in web design and development to know that their voice and opinion matters and will be heard.

Again, I’m constantly encouraged and excited by what we’ve been building together since 2006. It’s a testament to the strength of the Refresh DC community that we can implement this Code of Conduct in a proactive, rather than reactive, manner. I look forward to seeing what 2015 has in store for Refresh DC.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about the Refresh DC Code of Conduct, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Resources

In her September post on the topic, Erin Kissane linked to several helpful resources we used while creating our Code of Conduct:

• The Ada Initiative’s How to design a code of conduct for your community
• Codes of Conduct 101 and FAQ by Ashe Dryden