EPIC2018 is dedicated to creating a welcoming, respectful, safe and harassment-free conference experience for everyone.

EPIC values and promotes the inherent worth of every person and group; fosters dignity, understanding, and mutual respect; and embraces diversity. We have had this commitment since our first EPIC conference and it makes our community and conferences safe environments. When you attend EPIC2018 you are also making a commitment to these principles.

We invite you to help make EPIC2018 a place that is welcoming and respectful to all participants, regardless of race, gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, national origin, ethnicity, political affiliation, or religion. We gain strength from diversity and welcome new ideas in a complex field by fostering collaboration among groups with different interests, needs, and skills.

By creating an inclusive environment, we can focus on our program—the informative talks, dynamic salons, fascinating films, exciting networking and community richness that is characteristic of EPIC. 

What is Harassment?

We will not tolerate harassment of conference participants in any form, in person or online, including but not limited to:

• Verbal comments that reinforce social structures of domination related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, religion
• Verbal threats or demands
• Sexualized, discriminatory, and/or exploitive images in any conference space, including presentations, sponsor exhibits, or public areas
• Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following
• Harassing photography or recording
• Sustained disruption of talks or other events
• Inappropriate physical contact
• Unwelcome sexual attention
• Advocating for, or encouraging, any harassing behaviors
• Slights and negative messages based on appearance

Enforcement

By participating in EPIC2018, all attendees, speakers, sponsors, and volunteers at EPIC2018 commit to following this code of conduct at the conference and conference-related social events at off-site locations, as well as in related online communities and social media. Participants asked to stop harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. Conference participants violating this code of conduct may be expelled from the conference without a refund at the discretion EPIC and the conference organizers.

Reporting

If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or experience or witness any violation of this code of conduct, please contact conference co-chairs Dawn Nafus or Scott Robertson immediately. You may ask a conference volunteer at the registration table to locate Dawn or Scott for you or email conference@epicpeople.org.

Thanks to Geek Feminism, O’Reilly Media, and Ubuntu, whose Codes of Conduct informed ours.