Community Agreements

• Speak from Personal Experience:
Use “I” statements and share from your own lived perspective.
This honors our own stories and each person’s truth without assuming or generalizing others in the community.

• Acknowledge Each Person’s Lived Experience:
No shaming, policing, or invalidating someone’s experience. - We recognize that adoptee journeys vary widely, and each person’s truth deserves respect.

• Assume Good Intent While Acknowledging Impact:
We show up with compassion and curiosity. We understand that even with good intentions, words can have impact and we hold space for repair, reflection, and growth.

• Confidentiality Share ideas, not identities:
Protect the privacy of community members by keeping conversations private and never sharing them outside the group.

• Be Present | During Community Zoom Calls:
Engage fully in our brave space. This is a time for connection, reflection, and mutual support.

• Be Generous with Yourself and Others:
Offer grace, patience, and compassion. We are all on unique journeys, and our feelings and experiences may differ.

• Take Space, Make Space, Share Space | During Community Zoom Calls
Balance speaking and listening. Share when you feel called to and make room for others to do the same. This space is for asking questions, sharing experiences, and building community.

• We Are Allowed to Change Our Minds When We Learn Something New:
Growth is part of this journey. As we learn more about ourselves, our histories, and each other, it’s okay to shift perspectives, update beliefs, or change how we show up. This space encourages curiosity, reflection, and evolution- not perfection.

• We Acknowledge Adoptees of All Identities, Backgrounds, Intersections and Diasporas:
Our community includes adoptees across cultures, races, genders, sexualities, abilities, life experiences, and Latine diaspora communities. We acknowledge the full spectrum of adoptee identities.

• Practice Self-Care & Community Care:
Your wellbeing matters. Take breaks, step away if needed, and return when you’re ready.

• Activation / Content Warning:
We acknowledge that conversations in this space may touch on trauma, identity, oppression, adoption, race, gender, and lived experiences. When sharing content that may activate others, please offer a brief content warning AW/ or CW: abuse, AW/ or CW: racism AW/ or CW: homophobia.

• Zoom Link Safety:
Please do not share the Zoom link with anyone. To keep this a safe and protected space, all attendees must fill out our Google form before joining.