Community Guidelines Regarding Language, Hate Speech, and Terminology

In order to foster an enriching conversation among our community, we expect all participants to abide by the following terms:

Our conversations will be free of hate speech regarding race, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, ability, religion, national origin, and socio-economic class or background. The use of slurs and epithets by either speakers or participants will not be tolerated and will result in removal from the webinar.

Following the expertise and guidance of scholars in Black and African American studies, we will adopt the preferred language that addresses the racism of historically used terms. This includes enslaved person/worker/mother/child rather than “slave”; enslaver vs. “master” or “mistress”; mixed-race person vs “mulatto,” “quadroon,” etc. We will also name rape and other forms of sexual assault as such, particularly when referring to the rape and other sexual assault of enslaved people or literary characters, rather than using euphemisms such as “sexual affair” or “sexual intercourse.” We acknowledge that for some this may be new terminology, but we ask that you strive to follow best practices as we embrace anti-racist practices as an organization.