General Policies and Community Guidelines
What is GEEX?
GEEX (the Glass Education Exchange) is a non-profit online educational platform that centers on voices that have been historically marginalized in the contemporary field of glass art. GEEX produces artist talks, community-building programs, and resources for professional development for glass artists. GEEX builds new archives and spaces that center BIPOC and queer voices, prioritizing accessibility, respect, and value retention.
GEEX creates an alternative artist-run and artist-initiated space for discussion and communal learning. We welcome participants from a wide variety of backgrounds (lifelong learners, the self-taught, those new to the field, educators, students in higher education, etc.) to bridge the glass art community to a broader ecosystem of contemporary craft, fine art, design, material science, history of science, community organizing, and more. These community guidelines apply to GEEX staff, facilitators, board, participants, and audience members.
GEEX programs encourage discussion of sensitive and difficult topics that are important to the field today. These programs offer members of the glass field a chance to support one another and problem-solve together. As a participant, you are asked to acknowledge your responsibility for yourself (along with your intentions, words, and actions) and accept that your choices shape and impact the community you are engaging with.
We ask participants to trust that others are entering and engaging in discussions with positive intentions. If someone says something incorrect or harmful, GEEX suggests following The 4-Part Nonviolent Communication (NVC) Process. Share your observation (“When I hear/see…”), name what you are feeling (“I feel like…”), explain what you need (“because I need/value…”), and express a clear and specific request (“Would you be willing to…?”)
Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. Report hateful or violent comments/actions to GEEX staff and facilitators.
Participants cooperatively build GEEX programs through their contributions and engagement. If you are comfortable, speak up to add to the conversation. Be mindful of your total speaking time, and give everyone a chance to speak without unnecessary pressure. Allow space for people to share their experiences, and listen to them.
GEEX continues to adapt and improve through your perspective and participation. As GEEX staff receive feedback from the community, we will implement changes to help this platform mature. Your perspectives have made this community possible. Thank you for your trust and patience as GEEX grows.
Policies for Group Discussions
Listen, ask questions, and connect.
In online meeting spaces, GEEX encourages all participants to keep their cameras and microphones on to support relaxed and genuine discussions.
If you are uncomfortable speaking on camera, feel free to use the chat function to participate in the conversation! Meeting facilitators will share comments from the chat throughout the meeting.
Privacy Policy
GEEX believes protecting privacy is essential for building an open and trusting community. All discussion groups require registration in advance to ensure that all participants have read this agreement and to protect meetings from disruptive and intrusive activity.
- Keep discussions confidential. Participants agree to respect each other’s privacy. No specifics from conversations, screenshots, recordings, or posts should be shared outside the group without the express permission of all those involved in said content.
- Participants can not make audio or visual recordings of virtual meetings. Only GEEX or its representatives have permission to record and may publish these recordings via social media or any other means. If a meeting will be recorded, this will be explicitly stated by a GEEX staff member or facilitator at the beginning of the call.
Guidelines for Group Discussion
GEEX encourages honest and difficult discussions and aims to not censor certain topics or opinions barring direct attacks on individuals/groups and disrespectful comments as deemed by GEEX staff and facilitators.
- Consider the common goal of the group. Trust that others are engaging in the discussion with positive intentions towards a shared goal.
- Listen actively. If needed, take a moment to write down your thoughts.
- Ask for clarification — do not assume or project.
- Recognize and embrace friction as evidence that multiple ideas are entering the conversation. Acknowledge your positionality (i.e. race, class, gender, experiences, etc.) as a relevant part of your contribution to the discussion.
- Prioritize building trust towards the shared goal of building community. Part of building community means respecting differences of opinion. Attempt collaboration before conflict — but recognize that it’s okay to respectfully disagree.
- Understand that we are all learning. Stay open and accountable. Fumbles are a necessary part of learning. Support each other by modeling humility and compassion.
- Give credit where it is due. If echoing a previously stated idea, give credit. Recognize each other’s comments, take time to thank each other, and pay it forward when you can.
- Speak for yourself. Use “I” statements and do not share others’ lived experiences.
- Share mindfully. We encourage you to share experiences and relevant resources but ask you to be aware when sharing sensitive information.
- Do not question or challenge participants’ stated identity or chosen labels.
Facilitators (Hosting and Moderation)
Facilitators are volunteers collaborating with the GEEX team to offer timely and relevant discussions throughout the calendar year.
The facilitators’ roles include:
- designing discussion topics;
- introducing participants;
- encouraging robust discussion of the agenda;
- maintaining a friendly and respectful environment for conversation;
- and ensuring that the discussion applies to the identified theme.
When facilitators receive reports related to their discussion group, they are empowered to take appropriate action including removing parties violating policy and/or promptly escalating to the GEEX team for review (see: Violations, Reporting, and Enforcement).
After meetings, participants will be provided with a feedback form. Comments will be shared with the GEEX staff to improve and adapt future meetings.
Social Media Policies
On GEEX social media platforms, GEEX staff aims to encourage constructive conversations relevant to the subject matter presented to build a supportive environment for ongoing learning. GEEX online spaces are moderated to fulfill these shared goals.
When responding to a post on GEEX social platforms, please consider:
- How does your comment encourage constructive conversation?
- Is your comment relevant to the subject matter that has been presented?
- Does your comment build a supportive environment for ongoing learning?
Comments that violate this Code of Conduct may be deleted. For serious offenses, the user may be temporarily suspended or permanently (e.g. blocked on social platforms and restricted from participation in GEEX online meetings).
If you wish to appeal a moderation action, please contact the GEEX team for assistance.
Content Notes
In consideration of the audience, some GEEX productions include content notes for sensitive material (including violence, nudity, sexual content, suicide, and mental illness) per YouTube’s Community Guidelines.
There is no consensus or universal typology for content warnings in the arts or higher education. GEEX believes that content notes prepare the audience with detailed information about the material they are about to engage with. Content notes are not intended to censor featured speakers or dissuade the GEEX audience from engaging with what could be considered challenging subject matter.
GEEX productions may also include content that is upsetting or offensive to members of the audience that does not strictly fall within YouTube’s guidelines for sensitive material. The GEEX team will make a conscious effort to provide content notes, video descriptions, and relevant resources when possible.
Violations, Reporting, and Enforcement
GEEX structures accountability through the community, facilitators, and staff to collaboratively uphold the Code of Conduct.
GEEX staff will not tolerate the following behaviors and actions:
- threats of violence*
- deliberate intimidation*
- stalking or following
- sustained disruption of discussion
- unwelcome sexual attention
- patterns of inappropriate social contact, such as requesting/assuming inappropriate levels of intimacy with others
- continued one-on-one communications after requests to cease
- doxxing and invasion of privacy
- spam
- other conduct that could be considered inappropriate in a professional setting.
* This could include: personal attacks; hate speech; and negative comments or slurs against race, sexual orientation or gender, mental health/illness, ability, or other identity markers including but not limited to transphobia, anti-Indigenous/Nativeness, and anti-Blackness, as determined by GEEX staff.
Contacting GEEX Staff
If someone’s behavior within GEEX-run online events violates the Code of Conduct, contact support@geex.glass or use the contact form on our website. The GEEX team will review your message promptly and intervene accordingly.
As a small team with limited resources, the GEEX team is unable to mediate past behavior or situations outside of the online events hosted through the platform. We encourage you to file complaints with any relevant organizations/institutions and will strive to connect you with additional resources when possible.
Enforcement
The GEEX team believes that each case requires a different approach, and we will tailor responses to meet the needs of the situation. GEEX staff and facilitators will review all concerns on a case-by-case basis.
In each case, the GEEX team will investigate the content and surrounding context and use this Code of Conduct to guide the outcome or response.
Responses may include, but are not limited to:
- Verbal and written warning
- Content removal/ejection
- Temporary suspension
- Permanent banning
Disclaimer
The values, views, and opinions expressed by featured voices, facilitators, and participants on this platform are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the values, views, or positions of the GEEX platform.
The information on this page may be updated periodically to better reflect how participants, facilitators, and staff engage with this platform. This is a living document intended for regular consultation and evaluation both internally and externally. We welcome and encourage your feedback as this platform matures.