04/17/2017
Just a reminder to all the members of the MG community that in September 2016, we approved this Anti-Harassment Policy. You can also find this in our notes. Direct any concerns or violations of this policy to any Mental Graffiti organizer.
"Mental Graffiti Poetry Slam is dedicated to maintaining a positive and egalitarian artistic space free of violence and coercion and threats, suggestions, and fear of the same. To that end, Mental Graffiti is committed to the following:
1) maintaining an open mic and slam free from personal attacks, body shaming, hate speech, misogyny, homophobia, racism, and religious-based harassment.
2) creating a space free from sexual harassment and violence. Mental Graffiti takes seriously accusations of sexual violence, values survivors’ accounts, and does not book features who are known sexual predators. If you experience harassment by poets at the show, to the degree that you are able, you are encouraged to report it to organizers. All organizers are committed to being allies and taking proactive steps to eliminate sexual violence.
3) promoting responsible alcohol use. Our venue is 21+ and serves alcohol, but performers will not be called up and may be removed for excessive drunkenness.
4) showcasing diverse talent in our featured poets by seeking and welcoming poets from across the country who represent different gender identities, sexual orientations, faith traditions, racial and ethnic groups, and socioeconomic backgrounds. We seek to create a local experience that represents the broad national diversity of spoken word poetry.
Mental Graffiti maintains full discretion to take actions necessary to maintain a safe space, including the permanent banning of those deemed to pose a safety risk or consistent violators of our artistic community values."
