Principles of Use

The Toolkit supports mutual aid-based, anti-oppressive organizing around disasters.

Users of the Toolkit recognize that those most marginalized by capitalism and colonization are the worst affected during acute disasters and that top-down models of providing aid rountinly disenfranchise survivors in their ability to prepare, respond to, and recover from acute disasters.

We work to counter these larger disasters by using this platform in the spirit of mutual aid. This means we work to break down the hierarchies between us so everyone can meaninginfully participate in the giving and receiving of aid in order to build stronger, more just communities.

This platform is not meant to be used by organizations working in hierarchical, charity models or by hate groups.

Finding common ground with our principles and values is a prerequisite for using this platform.

As a collaborative project with Mutual Aid Disaster Relief, we share the network’s guiding Principles and Core Values. These values guide and shape our collective work in tangible ways. Our Core Values are:

  • Mutual Aid
  • Solidarity Not Charity!
  • Self-Determination
  • Leadership From Below
  • Autonomous Direct Action
  • Intersectionality
  • Sustainability
  • Dual Power
  • Collective Liberation

Read more about these values here.


Moderation

All users are responsible for helping make this platform a safe, accessible place for people to organize in.

The administrators of the Relief Toolkit don’t have capacity to review all posts or directly moderate conflicts in the forums. We’re looking forward to adding more tools to support moderation by users in the future. In the meantime, you can contact site administrators at [email protected] with concerns.

Users should NOT try to work through interpersonal and intercommunal conflicts on this platform.

Public forums are impersonal and poor environments for supporting conflict mediation. We encourage users and communities experiencing conflict to find other mediums to resolve disputes.


Security

Post with caution & care.

This site’s forums and user profiles are public. Don’t endanger each other or yourself by posting sensitive information that may be used maliciously.

Community members doing mutual aid-based relief work have and continue to face repression from the government and white supremacist groups as building community power can be perceived negatively by authoritarians.

Protect each other by following these guidelines:

  • Don’t post personal information or data. Don’t post your or someone else’s private address, phone number, or email on forums, user profiles, or group profiles. Personal information should only be shared through the private user messaging feature. If you see personal addresses or numbers posted, please notify an administrator so we can moderate the content.
  • Don’t post what’s not yours to share. If posting on the behalf of a group you are a member of, you should have consent from the rest of that group to post what you’re sharing.
  • Don’t post anything that could bring about legal repercussions. Don’t post about the legal documentation status of people at a shelter, for example. Don’t post information about underground or subversive efforts or actions. Always be aware that people with marginalized identities face higher risks than those with privileged identities.