What it means to be awesome - according to a hackerspace in LA

Off Topic Maker Matters
#1

Straight found this when I was looking at a place called Crash in LA http://blog.crashspace.org/about/code-of-conduct/

What it Means to Be Awesome:

We treat others as they would like to be treated, acting from an assumption of mutual respect and good will.
We clarify misunderstandings, apologize for harm caused, and assume ignorance before malice.
We offer our sincere help and support to those who request it. We remember what it’s like to be a beginner, and therefore offer the kind of help that benefits the learner, not our egos.
We allow others to speak without interruption, and resist the urge to “Well, actually…”
We encourage a diverse technical community where each person is welcome to choose their own tools, programming languages and techniques without fear of insult or judgement.
We welcome and encourage diversity, and work diligently to keep subtle -isms out of our communication with each other.
We work to create an environment free of microagressions, which can be detrimental to the growth of diversity in our space.
We ask permission from others. We accept “no”s without arguing, and say “yes” when we mean yes.
We stand up and watch out for each other. Maintaining a respectful and safe community is everybody’s responsibility.
Remember: We all make mistakes. If you get called out on something: apologize, learn from it, and be better next time. That is the awesome thing to do.

What "being awesome" might be discussion - stolen and restating this from a '17 post
#2

That would look nice, framed in the lobby

4 Likes
#3

I really love this… :blankspace:

2 Likes
#4

Dump the line about “microagressions” and maybe you have something.

#5

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@tmc4242 I’m not sure how striving to not accidentally be racist or sexist is something one wouldn’t see as an ideal behavior anyhow? This statement should be taken together as a whole, not bits and pieces.

This part, several lines before the part about microaggressions implies that if behavior is being exhibited by a person, the affected party is to give them the benefit of the doubt and approach the afftecting party to clear the situation up.

#6

I feel like that definition is inherently flawed, I find it hard to believe someone can be unintentionally aggressive towards another.
It doesn’t line up with the two words that make it up either.

It also doesn’t go with the definition I’ve always heard attached to it. Which is a person, usually a victim of some sort using “micro agressions” against someone else to try and turn the tables on them. Something like “you did this because I’m XYZ”

let’s look at an example from my retail experience where I someone tried to use “micro aggressions” against me. I saw a person literally take a shirt off my merch shelf and stuff it in their shirt. I approached them and said, “I’m going to need the shirt that you just put in your shirt back.” The person immediately escalated the situation by yelling “you’re saying I’m stealing because I’m black!” (Here’s the micro aggression) I followed up with “no I just need my shirt back that you put in your shirt” the person then tried another MA by again shouting to raise attention to the situation “your just trying to get me to take my shirt off to see my tits” both of these were to try and make me feel uncomfortable in the situation and make it look like I was in the wrong, hoping I would drop it and just tell them to leave.

Whatever definition you want to use let’s not go running them into our guidelines. And let’s not ruin this thread with a debate on the topic.

I suppose I could flag myself on the way out.

After thought, my retail experience was fucking weird.

2 Likes
#7

That’s a fair assessment. I don’t think the mission statement from the LA HackerSpace would lose anything by remkving the part about microaggressions. I guess I’m thinking more along the lines of a case where Person A doesn’t know they do it, but they make comments and or act in such a way that they constantly make another person feel like they are thought of as less than another.
I don’t think your comment deserves a flag. And yeah, retail is generally wierd.