Safety & Community Guidelines

Introduction

Arlington WA Pride is mindful that we are transitioning through a historic time when our country is politically divided by increasing polarization, decreasing connection, and difficulties in communication. These are the difficult growing pains toward a more just and compassionate nation, which make those in our community wonder about safety during public gatherings. Here at Arlington WA Pride, we are committed to bringing us all together: LGBTQIA+ persons, allies, nonprofits, businesses, government representatives, and diverse religious and cultural communities, in the relentless pursuit of equal human rights for all. We have learned that as a community we keep ourselves safe when we act in partnership with individuals, community organizations, businesses, elected officials, and local law enforcement agencies, to develop Safety & Community Guidelines. We believe most Americans want to live in a safe, respectful community. Arlington WA Pride is committed through supportive education and open and honest communication to put on a family-friendly Pride event that encompasses the intersectionality of safety, wellness, accessibility, and sustainability. These actions are steps in the path of transformation, which requires transparency for how community members can be safe, as we care for ourselves, our communities, and our environment, to ensure that future Pride events are safer for everyone. These shared values of peace, respect, and love for all are what will make our cities exceptional.

Our Mission

Arlington WA Pride is a 501(c)(3) organization that strives to build a safe, fun, connected community for LGBTQ+ people and allies of all ages. We envision a future without discrimination where members are free to express their sexual and/or relational orientation(s), gender(s), and identity intersections. We provide resources and events that help raise the community’s awareness of relational and gender diversity, and we work to create a safe space for LGBTQ+ individuals and their allies. In order for our mission to be successful and safe, we as a community strive to be mindful of our community guidelines.

Anti-Racist and Discrimination-Free Environment

We believe the stories of our Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) siblings and the realities of the racism they face, including here in Western Washington. We understand our role as a Pride organization is to support a discrimination-free community and to support the organizations that are committed to the same ideal. We commit to learning and unlearning the chokehold of institutional racism and other oppressions that run rampant in our country. We commit to examining and addressing any biases we may find in ourselves, in our leadership, and in our organization. As an organization, we will not tolerate in our community discrimination based on someone’s race, color, nation of origin, age, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, political affiliation, or any other ground prohibited by Washington State and Federal law.

Land Acknowledgement

Arlington WA Pride honors the first peoples of these lands by acknowledging that the area in which we gather is within the traditional territory of the stuləgʷábš, People of the River, Stoluck-wa-mish River Tribe, the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians. The Stillaguamish people have inhabited these lands and waters since time immemorial and their descendants remain in this territory to this day. The Stillaguamish people have continued to practice the traditional ways of their ancestors of fishing, hunting, and gathering. The Stillaguamish Tribe has had these lands and cultural traditions passed on to them by their ancestors who believed that everything has a spirit and that they are caretakers of these lands and waters. Arlington WA Pride wishes to express our gratitude to the Stillaguamish People. We see you, we respect your right to sovereignty and self-determination, and we are committed to being better listeners and learners, and to lifting Indigenous voices.

Pride Safety Guidelines

While it is not possible to eliminate all safety risks, Arlington WA Pride is committed to reducing their likelihood and minimizing the chance of harm to attendees, community members, and local businesses. We strive to discourage agitators from causing harm or disruption to the event and to the community. The keys to a safe, family-friendly event is in the training, planning, preparation, and staying vigilant at all times. Arlington WA Pride Safety/Security Team along with Arlington WA Pride, is committed to having a safe family-friendly environment and event.

Proactive Training

Members of Arlington WA Pride, including our safety/security team and our on-site volunteers, will be trained in de-escalation skills with an emphasis on Trauma Informed Care. Arlington WA Pride is committed to building a just and nonviolent community and wants to help make events safe for all.

Event Safety/Security Team

Arlington WA Pride will have an unarmed Safety/Security team, who will be identifiable by their Red Unicorn Security shirts, colorful radios, and a name sticker with their name and pronouns on it. The Safety/Security team is composed of volunteer community members, who have military and law enforcement experience and are dedicated to ensuring a safe and family-friendly environment.

Day-of Volunteer Crew

In addition to our Pride Safety/Security Team, we will have a number of volunteers on-site at Pride. They will be identifiable by their Arlington WA Pride Shirts, volunteer badges, and a name sticker with their name and pronouns on it. All volunteers are dedicated to helping the Safety/Security Team ensure that the event will remain a safe and family-friendly event.

Pride Community Guidelines

Love is a verb. We keep each other safe when we remember this and keep community guidelines close to our hearts-whenever we come together as diverse people. We strive to affirm the principles of democracy, freedom, and equality. We request that people please use de-escalation skills rather than engage in confrontation. If you wish to learn or practice more de-escalation skills, various leaders in our organization are happy to help you. Our goal, desire, and hope for our future organizing work is to collaboratively create a diverse community of individuals whose critical thinking and curiosity remain engaged, who feel more deeply, and who interact compassionately and respectfully. The first step towards this goal is understanding shared guidelines about public gatherings.

Anti-Racist and Discrimination-Free Environment

We believe the stories of our Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) siblings and the realities of the racism they face, especially here in Western Washington. We understand our role as a Pride organization is to support the work of anti-racism and anti-supremacy in our region. We commit to learning and unlearning the chokehold of institutional racism and other oppressions that run rampant in our country. We commit to examining and addressing any biases we may find in ourselves, in our leadership, and in our organization. As an organization we will not tolerate discrimination in our community based on someone’s race, color, nation of origin, age, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, political affiliation, or any other ground prohibited by Washington State and Federal law.

Consensual Content

Arlington WA Pride asks our event volunteers, vendors, attendees, and those following along online to please be mindful of sharing and tagging content that is consensual among those captured in photos or videos. Please be sure your content is thoughtful, respectful, and unlikely to cause harm. Please do not make assumptions about fellow Pride attendees, their identities, and/or comfort with appearing in photos publicly. Please do your best to ask for consent before taking, posting, sharing, and tagging on social media, or group chats. Arlington WA Pride does not approve of any content captured in photos or videos being used in an unkind way that is hurtful to individuals or our community. Please especially be mindful of laws such as the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA). We ask that any photos of children under the age of 18 not be shared on any social media platform without the express consent of their parents or guardians.

Respect

Please affirm the dignity of your fellow LGBTQ+ people, community members, city officials, and members of law enforcement through kindness, respect, and being compassionate to everyone, and follow the three rules of respect: Respect Yourself, Respect Others, and Respect Our Space!

Environments That Affirm the Identities of All People

We believe in the collective power of every LGBTQ+ identity. We believe Black lives matter. We believe Trans lives matter. We believe Black Trans lives matter. We affirm all of our intersectional identities, including people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, Two Spirit, and more, as those identities and experiences interact with our other identities including race, color, country of origin, ability status, religion, age, and socioeconomic class. We believe the experiences of people from the full human range of sexual and gender identities deserve the space to express themselves at Pride, be represented in Pride, and be affirmed in their lived experience through Pride. We envision a healthy, thriving LGBTQ+ community with the space to heal and belong. We believe Pride, and every program offered in collaboration with Pride, is a pathway toward the well-being of our community. Therefore, we are committed to identifying resources, developing a holistic programming approach, and creating spaces that encourage safe, intentional, and healthy engagement.

Harassment-Free Environment

Arlington WA Pride events have no place for fear, abuse, intimidation, or violence to be used as a means to silence, restrict, or control people, or to illicit power. A harassment-free environment calls for all participants attending Arlington WA Pride events to approach and engage other participants with respect for individuals and their boundaries. Every participant or entity involved in Arlington WA Pride events deserves the ability to interact free of verbal harassment, religious harassment, sexual harassment, domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual misconduct, and slander. Participants under the age of eighteen deserve the right to a Pride experience that is respectful and free of predatory or harmful behavior.

See Something, Say Something

In the event of an incident that requires the immediate attention of law enforcement or paramedics, please call 911. The City of Arlington Police Department will be on-site and ready to help. In addition, we will have designated Security Officers on the Pride volunteer team who will be identifiable by their Arlington WA Pride Security Red Unicorn Security T-shirts. We will also have a designated safety/first-aid tent. Any observations you may have about the behavior of someone who is troubling, potentially harmful, or in violation of our community guidelines should be reported to a member of security, one of our volunteers, law enforcement, or at the safety/first-aid tent immediately.

Zero Engagement with Counter-Protesters

In the event of a counterprotest, we request that people please use de-escalation skills rather than engage in confrontation. Do not engage in negative dialogue or debate at an event, online, or at a City Council meeting. If counter-protesters become more aggressive, please report it to the Safety/Security Team or law enforcement. Engaging with them negatively may serve to reinforce their beliefs and negatively impact our safe space, rights, freedom, and dignity. If you turn your focus and your energy toward the community and celebration rather than toward those attempting to distract us from the purpose of our event, it may take away the power that counter-protestors believe they have over our community. Let us create an appearance of total indifference to their presumed positions of authority and hate while being watchful and aware but not engaging. We strive to live an initiative-taking life, not a reactive one. Please remember the first part of our mission statement: Arlington WA Pride is an organization that strives to build a safe, fun, connected community for LGBTQ+ people and allies of all ages and the well-being of our community. Therefore, we are committed to identifying resources, developing a holistic approach, and creating spaces that encourage safe, intentional, and healthy engagement.

Our Part

Arlington WA Pride volunteers will run operations on site with highly visible branded shirts or credentials.
Our Safety/Security Team will be there before, during, and after the event.
A designated Safety/Security team member will consult with Arlington WA Pride staff and government agencies.
Safety/Security team and volunteer personnel will be required to undergo de-escalation training with an emphasis on Trauma Informed Care to keep everyone safe.
Safety/Security team, Volunteers, will have training on evacuation exits and communication plans in partnership with Arlington WA Pride leadership.

Your Part

Consider your power and privilege; consider supportive ways that you can be helpful to others around you.
Please do not engage with counter protestors.
Notify a volunteer or the staff at the Arlington WA Pride booth of any act of harassment or anything else that makes you uncomfortable.
If you witness or experience an act of violence, discrimination, threat, or any other unsafe behavior, including unattended bags and children, notify Arlington Police and Pride Safety/Security Team immediately, and/or call 911.
Avoid attending events alone, when possible. Designate a "Pride Buddy," and do not leave your friends alone.
Advise someone who will not be with you of your whereabouts and of any change of plans.
Keep electronics charged and bring additional battery power.
Write down your emergency contacts in the event your phone dies.
Trust your instincts. Remove yourself from situations where you feel unsafe.
Speak up and be loud to alert bystanders to identify violence and deter it.
Record what is happening - take videos on your phone, if possible. Stay safe.
Keep your money in a safe place.
This is an alcohol and drug free event. Please do not drive if you have been drinking or taking anything that can impair your decision making.
Designate an emergency meet up spot in the event you are separated from your group.
In the event of an active shooter or any other violent act please get to safety as soon as possible. If you are able, please also offer support to the injured or survivors to the best of your skills, knowledge, and abilities.

Regional Resources & Partnerships

The need for our community members to interact with inclusive and affirming resources, organizations, businesses, people, thoughts, ideas, and the like, is crucial to the movement of Pride. We are committed to creating access to information and involvement through intentional connections and interactions. We have established relationships and partnerships with the Western States Center, Change the Narrative, LINC Northwest, Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians, Snohomish County, City of Arlington, Arlington Police Department, Arlington School District, Sno-Isle Libraries, Cocoon House, Planned Parenthood, Dawson Place, Red Curtain Foundation, PFLAG, Free Mom Hugs, GLSEN, Anacortes Pride, Lake Stevens Pride, Snohomish Pride, Everett Pride, Stanwood-Camano Pride, Seattle Pride, as well as other elected officials, local student groups, local businesses, local churches and other religious organizations, and local public safety agencies. We have synthesized their advice, insights gained from past experiences, and recommendations into an organized safety plan for Pride season 2023 and beyond.