Anti-Discrimination & Non-Harassment Policy

It is the Reclamation Collective’s policy to prohibit intentional and unintentional discrimination or harassment of any individual by another person on the basis of any, but not limited to, protected classification including, actual or perceived race, creed, color, religious or non-religious affiliation, alienage or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex, disability, pregnancy, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, arrest record, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. The purpose of this policy is not to regulate individuals’ personal morality, but to ensure we are upholding the Reclamation Collective’s shared values, ensuring that every individual who participates in our community in any capacity is treated with dignity and respect, free from any form of harassment.

Sexual Harassment

It is the Reclamation Collective’s policy to prohibit harassment of any individual on the basis of sex or gender. The purpose of this policy is not to regulate personal morality within the Reclamation Collective. It is to ensure that at the Reclamation Collective all individuals are free from sexual harassment. While defining precisely what types of conduct could constitute sexual harassment can be nuanced and there is a wide range of behavior that may violate this policy, even if such behavior does not violate the law, examples of prohibited behavior include: Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, obscene gestures, displaying sexually graphic magazines, calendars or posters, sending sexually explicit e-mails, text messages and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, such as uninvited touching of any kind or sexually related comments. Depending upon the circumstances, improper conduct also can include sexual joking, vulgar or offensive conversation or jokes, unsolicited commentary on someone’s physical appearance, graphic details about your own or someone else’s sex life, or teasing or other conduct directed toward a person because of their gender identity or expression which creates a hostile environment.

Grievance Reporting Procedure

If an individual feels that they have been subjected to conduct which violates this policy, they are encouraged to submit a grievance form: RC Grievance Form

In an effort to promote clarity and fairness throughout the grievance process, we have established the following processes to review reported grievances:  

• The grievance form will be received by the Executive Committee on Reclamation Collective’s Board of Directors, through Google Forms.

• If the person toward whom the grievance is directed is a member of the Executive Committee, the person submitting the grievance form should follow the instructions in the Google Form to send it to the Representation, Reciprocity, Accessibility, & Accountability Committee instead.

• If a grievance is filed against a participant in a support group, a group facilitator, an employee, or any other independent contractor, the grievance form will be reviewed by the Board of Directors. 

• If a grievance is filed against a board member, the grievance form will be reviewed by the rest of the board members without the presence of the reported party.

• The person who submitted the grievance form will be contacted within 10 business days to be informed of the grievance process. A member of the Executive Committee will provide updates on a biweekly basis until the means of response and repair has been seen through to fruition by the Board of Directors.

Our Commitment

The receiving committee commits to holding an emergency committee meeting within 10 business days of a received grievance report. The Board of Directors will emit an initial response within 10 business days of the committee meeting.

All grievances will be kept confidential to the extent possible, but confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. In addition, Reclamation Collective will not allow any form of retaliation against individuals who report grievances or who cooperate in the investigation of such reports in accordance with this policy. If an individual feels they have been subjected to any such retaliation, they should report it in the same manner in which the community member would report a claim of perceived harassment under this policy. Violation of this policy including any improper retaliatory conduct can result in the discharge of an individual’s relationship with this organization. 

Bad Faith Reports

The Reclamation Collective believes and stands with survivors. We will always review a grievance report recognizing the valid concerns survivors may have regarding systemic injustice, which may deter them from coming forward. We also acknowledge that reporting and policing practices are often weaponized against marginalized communities, especially Black and Indigenous groups. In order to act in alignment with our values and this policy, the Reclamation Collective reserves the right to not hold space for reports made in bad faith that, intentionally or unintentionally, discriminate against an individual or party that is in collaboration with this organization. The Reclamation Collective is prepared to invest in the repair process of those impacted by a false report by way of refunds for services rendered and other forms of reparation deemed necessary for repair.

Reasonable Accommodations

At the Reclamation Collective, we want to honor the capacity of all the individuals collaborating to make this organization’s existence possible. Under federal and state laws in the United States, employers with 15 or more employees working 20 or more weeks a year are required to provide reasonable accommodations to the known disability of a qualified disabled person, unless it can be demonstrated that the accommodation would impose an undue hardship to the employer (for more information, please refer to the Minnesota Department of Human Rights). Although at this time we are not bound by these laws given our total employee size, we understand that our offerings would not be possible without the labor of everyone involved in the Reclamation Collective. Hence we encourage volunteers, facilitators, and contractors to request reasonable accommodations if needed. Individuals requesting reasonable accommodations may contact the Executive Director. Your accommodation will be reviewed by the Executive Committee, and you will be contacted once a decision is finalized. Please allow up to two weeks for an initial review. In the event that a request is not approved, you can request an appeal which will be reviewed by the Board of Directors. The Reclamation Collective is committed to approve requests in good faith and will strive to approve as many requests as possible within our capacity. In the event that a request is not approved, we strive to find a way to continue collaborating in the capacity that is possible for all parties involved. 

Last revised: 5/31/2024

Ethics of Engagement

At Reclamation Collective, we acknowledge the inherent complexities within our work that often lead to gray areas. These guidelines serve as a compass to assist our staff, volunteers, advisors, and board members in navigating ethical conflicts, overlapping relationships (including personal and professional roles, advocacy efforts, or social media engagement), as well as other situations where a definitive "right answer" may not exist. These guidelines are not rules, but rather agreements designed to adapt to the evolving culture of our organization and the unique circumstances of our work.

1. Respecting diversity: We recognize that there is no one “right” way to communicate or learn. We commit to working to understand and adapt to one another’s communication needs, including different cultural and neurodivergent styles.

2. Leading with curiosity: When we’re unclear about what someone means, we ask for clarification before making judgments or decisions.

1. Instead of debating to “win,” we engage in dialogue for the purpose of learning from one another. We challenge ideas and assumptions rather than attacking people.

2. During disagreements or conflicts, we start from a place of assuming best intentions unless evidence suggests otherwise.

3. We approach challenges and conflicts with a problem-solving mindset and provide constructive criticism.

3. Zero tolerance: We know that the humanity of others is never up for debate, especially when it comes to marginalized groups. We can agree to disagree so long as people’s humanity is not being denied, threatened, or harmed.

4. Lived experience: We value lived experience, evidence-based research, and professional experience when making decisions about RC policies, procedures, and conflict resolution.

1. When considering an issue, we prioritize the perspectives of the people who are most at risk of direct impact and harm.

2. We recognize that we may all have areas of ignorance or bias and work to actively practice self-reflection, humility, curiosity, and a commitment to expanding our perspectives.

5. Impact and intent: While we appreciate good intentions, we recognize that our words and actions can sometimes have negative impacts. We take responsibility for what we say, do, and feel.

6. Respecting privacy: When sharing our personal experiences or lessons from our work with Reclamation Collective, we avoid including details of personal stories or the identities of people we do not have consent to share. We recognize that not all of us are ready or able to be open about our current relationship to spirituality and religion, or our status as survivors.

Reclamation Collective Statement of Values

Reclamation Collective is committed to holding space for folks navigating Religious Trauma and Adverse Religious Experiences.  This work is informed by our many partnerships and collaborations with trauma-informed clinicians, community leaders, and activists who validate the wide spectrum of experiences and symptoms that may present following an Adverse Religious Experience.  We aspire to honor diversity of thought and validate the countless paths that lead to healing, inner peace, and relational harmony through deconstruction and reclamation.

1. We value diversity of thought, expression, and spiritual practice, and intend to validate all who identify with religious trauma regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, faith identity, mental health, physical or cognitive ability, or any other marginalized identity. 

2. Religious trauma is real, as are the negative outcomes that often result from Adverse Religious Experiences. Regardless of clinical distress, diagnosis, or treatment of symptoms, everyone’s experience of religious trauma is valid.

3. We honor the many paths to inner peace and relational harmony, which may or may not include a reclaimed spiritual practice or community. We value holding space in which all participants are safe from personal attack and proselytization. 

4. We value honest conversations surrounding colonization, homophobia, patriarchy, and white supremacy. We aspire to boldly name connections between these oppressive themes within the church. 

5. We value freedom from shame and believe that shame is never a healthy or ethical tactic to inspire change.  

6. We value mental health and prioritize self-love and self-care in the daily maintenance of all brains and bodies. We celebrate when people are able to access mental health treatment and professional support to seek healing and relief. 

7. We value sex-positive language that both celebrates and mandates enthusiastic consent.   

8. We value lifelong learning and openness as we continue to expand on our understanding of trauma-informed care for the wide spectrum of Adverse Religious Experiences.