Together We Can Foster Diversity and Inclusion at the California Bicycle Summit

The California Bicycle Coalition intends to create a Summit where every attendee feels welcome, included, safe, and free to express their ideas. This requires an environment that recognizes the inherent worth of every person and group, that fosters dignity, understanding, and mutual respect, and embraces complex differences. For these reasons, CalBike offers this guide and asks everyone to adhere to this Policy For Diversity and Inclusion at the Summit. 

Self-Care

The California Bicycle Summit can be a challenging experience. We emphasize taking moments throughout each day to take care of yourself. While your self-care practices are entirely your own, we feel the following sample questions are helpful in taking account of your well-being:

• Have I had enough sleep, food, water, and time to relax/decompress?
• What mood, attitude, energy, and knowledge am I bringing into this space? Is it welcomed, challenging, hostile, permissive, etc.?
• Am I in a position to critically learn from the thoughts and experiences of others?
• Do I have the energy to not take things personally?
• Do I have the energy and resources needed to stand up for myself?
• If I can’t take time during the conference, do I have a plan or support in place for catching up on rest after the conference?

Making Space for Others and Celebrating Difference

We believe identifying differences is a way to embrace how we can all show up as our fullest, most authentic selves without shame. We hope the following questions and suggestions are helpful.

• Am I watching how much space/time/dialogue I’m taking up, and who might be excluded or silenced as a result?
• Am I giving those around me the opportunity and time to be heard?
• Am I engaging in dialogue, out of curiosity, instead of debating or arguing?
• Am I making assumptions about other people’s gender identity, background, ethnicity, values, abilities, or beliefs?
• Am I honoring differences, and having compassion for others’ varied journeys and perspectives?
• Am I accepting of discomfort, some of which is inevitable? 

Appropriate Speech & Behavior

While methods of self-care are individual, our efforts to build norms toward an equitable environment are social. We expect all attendees to foster a safe environment by avoiding the following behaviors. A violation of this expectation is grounds for immediate removal from the event, without a refund.

• Abuse: Any action directed at an individual that (a) interferes substantially with that person’s participation; or (b) causes that person to fear for his/her personal safety. This includes threats, intimidation, bullying, stalking, or other types of abuse.
• Discriminatory Harassment: Any conduct that discriminates or denigrates an individual on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, citizenship, nationality, age, sexual or gender identity, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.
• Sexual Harassment: Unwelcome physical and/or sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal/physical conduct of a sexual nature. Examples include (but are not limited to):
  • unwelcome advances or propositions, particularly when one individual has authority over the other;
  • inappropriate touching of an individual’s body;
  • degrading or humiliating comments about an individual’s appearance;
  • displaying or distributing sexually explicit images or messages;

Intervention & Reporting

What constitutes harassment is defined from the viewpoint of the target. It can be deliberate or unintentional. We ask that everyone act in good faith; however, harassment (and discrimination) often occurs alongside the best of intentions. What matters is whether others consent to your words and actions and if those words and actions are respectful in nature and reception.  

In any case, harassment and discrimination are immensely harmful: to the target, to the perpetrator, to the social group, and to the organization in general. Attendees are encouraged to file a report should they experience harassment or discrimination during their time at the Bicycle Summit. Doing so not only helps keep everyone accountable, they are a way to identify recurring issues or problematic individuals. You may file a report or suggest someone else considers filing a report via the channels listed below. You do not have to be the target of harassment to file a report.

How to Report Harassment or Discrimination

• Use our Online Report Filing System. Go to calbike.org/incidentreport. This will be available for at least one week following the event.

The California Bicycle Coalition intends to create a Summit where every attendee feels welcome, included, safe, and free to express their ideas. This requires an environment that recognizes the inherent worth of every person and group; fosters dignity, understanding, and mutual respect; and embraces complex differences.

Therefore, we ask everyone to agree to and adhere to our Guide to an Inclusive and Equitable Summit.