In keeping with the core values of Cornell University, Big Red Toastmasters strives to be a safe and supportive environment for guests to develop public speaking and leadership skills.
We are committed to the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, welcoming guests from all walks of life. In order to maintain a safe supportive environment, we are committed to interrupting acts of racism, oppression, and harassment within our community.
We support and encourage consensual conversations regarding race, gender, gender identification, LGBTQ+ status, and countries of origin, as well as privilege, power, and oppression. However, we must all recognize the appropriate boundaries within these conversations and refrain from engaging in actions or words that can be interpreted as insensitive, oppressive, or harassing in nature.
As a member or guest of the Big Red Toastmasters community, we ask that you uphold these values when engaging in our spaces both in-person and virtually.
Repeated and willful failure to uphold these values could result in removal from our community.
We understand that it can be difficult at times to navigate unfamiliar territory and the fear of inadvertently causing harm is real.
We also understand that mistakes happen. A benefit of Toastmasters is the opportunity to practice speaking in new ways and learning how to adapt to changes while maintaining professionalism.
We have included links to videos that can provide further information on maintaining a safe, equitable, and inclusive environment for all of our members and guests.
Please contact us with any concerns you might have. We are here to provide support.
Resources
Microaggressions
Responding to Microaggressions
Gender Identity and Pronouns
Preferred Gender Pronouns: What are they?
Gender Identity and Pronouns – Onlea – What Will You Teach The World?