Introduction

The following document includes the guidelines, procedures, and timelines for the operation of the LGBTQ+ of FIRST. The LGBTQ+ of FIRST is not endorsed by or in partnership with FIRST robotics or any of its programs. “Gracious Professionalism” is a registered trademark by FIRST robotics.

Email: contact@lgbtqoffirst.org

Discord: http://discord.lgbtqoffirst.org

Website: http://lgbtqoffirst.org

Any revisions to this document should be logged in the Revisions log in the form of “Revision YYYY.MM.DD - Description”. The description should detail and link every change made.

This document is best viewed here

  1. Mission Statement
  2. Rainbow STEM Alliance
  3. Staff
  1. Code of Conduct
  2. Ambassadors
  3. Representatives
  4. Administrators
  5. Staff Inactivity and Misconduct Procedure
  1. Partner Teams
  1. Code of Conduct
  2. Bronze
  3. Silver
  4. Gold
  5. Partner Team Inactivity and Misconduct Procedure
  1. Branding Standards
  1. Logos
  2. Fonts and Colors
  3. Digital Materials Package
  1. Pin Distribution
  1. Check Ins
  2. RSA Shipment
  1. Discord Server
  1. Rules
  2. Moderators
  3. Politics Channel
  4. Disciplinary Action
  5. Server Management
  1. Blog
  1. Proposal
  2. Review
  3. Posting
  1. Project Timelines
  1. Admin Applications
  2. Pin Fundraising
  3. Partner Team and Staff Event Check Ins
  4. Ambassador / Representative / Partner Team Applications Campaigns
  5. Pride Month Blog Posts
  6. Champs Conferences
  7. Champs Meetups
  8. LGBTQ+ Holidays
  1. Project Procedures
  2. Meetings
  3. Revisions Log

1. Mission Statement

The LGBTQ+ of FIRST has the following missions:

  1. To raise awareness of the LGBTQ+ students, mentors, and volunteers of FIRST by means of our online and FIRST event presence.
  2. To reach out to LGBTQ+ students, mentors, and volunteers of FIRST and provide a sense of community by means of our Staff outreach program.
  3. To provide proper LGBTQ+ education to FIRST teams, students, and mentors by means of our Partner Team outreach program.
  4. To provide a safe environment for LGBTQ+ students, mentors, and volunteers of FIRST to gather by means of our Discord server.

2. Rainbow STEM Alliance

The Rainbow STEM Alliance (RSA) is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by Jon Kentfield, Brian Boehler and Tom Wexler with the mission to “promote acceptance and inclusion of LGBTQ+ youth within STEM educational fields.” The RSA makes it possible for the LGBTQ+ of FIRST to fundraise for pins, distribute material, and make financial investments. The RSA and the LGBTQ+ of FIRST are in constant coordination to promote each other's organization and make investments for the betterment of our members. It is the responsibility of the Admins to keep in contact with them on anything involving LGBTQ+ of FIRST financials.

Contacts:

Directors: directors@therainbowstemalliance.org

Jon Kentfield (President): jon@therainbowstemalliance.org

Brian Boehler (Secretary): brain@therainbowstemalliance.org

Tom Wexler (Treasurer): tom@therainbowstemalliance.org

3. Staff

The LGBTQ+ of FIRST Staff are the group of people who run this organization, represent us at competitions, and provide online content for our members. As a Staff member, you are expected to represent us well, remain Graciously Professional, and be actively involved with the organization over the duration of your time on Staff.

Staff are elected by majority vote among the Admins. Prospective Staff may reapply two months after their initial application (or in the case of the Administrator position, the next election cycle) if they are not elected. They may also be asked to provide additional information on why they believe they are more fit for Staff than they were at the time of their first application.

All staff are required to represent the organization at FIRST competitions and events and pass out LGBTQ+ of FIRST lapel pins, but they are not required to produce any other promotional material, if they are financially unable to do so. However, if they have the means and would like to produce promotional materials on behalf of this organization, they may choose to produce anything from the Digital Materials Package.

Links

Staff Responsibilities Condensed

Staff Code of Conduct

Staff Inactivity and Misconduct Procedure

Staff Rejection Email

3.1. Code of Conduct

Prospective Staff may apply for three separate positions; Ambassador, Representative, or Administrator, with varying levels of involvement. Each position has its own requirements and responsibilities, but all Staff must adhere to the following Code of Conduct:

As a Staff member of the LGBTQ+ of FIRST, I adhere to the following:

 

Any misconduct on my part will be left to the discretion of the Admins, who will take severity and duration into account, on how to proceed. See: Section 3.5: Staff Inactivity and Misconduct Procedure

3.2 Ambassadors

Ambassadors are the main body of the LGBTQ+ of FIRST that represent us at FIRST competitions and events. Their responsibilities are as follows:

Every year, the LGBTQ+ of FIRST and the RSA will coordinate the distribution of pins for Staff and Partner Teams to hand out at FIRST competitions and events. Ambassadors are responsible for handing these out, keeping track of their inventory, keeping the Admins updated as to what events they will be attending, and rationing out their stock over the season.

Ambassadors are not responsible for moderation on the Discord server. However, they are responsible for reporting misconduct to the Moderators and Admins who can then take appropriate disciplinary action. They may steer conversations and remind members to follow server rules, but they are not responsible for taking disciplinary action against server members and they should not use their staff status as a flex.

The application window for Ambassadors is open all year round and anyone high school aged or older, who’s involved in FIRST, and is in good standing behavior in the Discord server can apply. Ambassadors may also reapply as Representatives or Admins, so long as they meet the usual criteria for the position they're applying for.

Links

Ambassador Application Form

Ambassador Acceptance Letter

Ambassador Reminder of Acceptance Letter

3.3. Representatives

Representatives are also a large part of the LGBTQ+ of FIRST’s outreach during the competition season. However, Representatives also get voting power on organization decisions. In addition, the role of Representative is focused on contributing to organization projects. Below is a list of common projects the LGBTQ+ of FIRST works on:

Representatives may choose one project to focus on or may float among multiple, so long as they contribute meaningful insight to each project they work on and do not abandon any responsibilities put upon them. It is also okay to not declare involvement in any projects, so long as you express the ability to become involved at a later date as new projects come up. Lastly, it is also okay to not have any of the skills sets associated with a certain project, so long as you express an eagerness to learn and have something to contribute.

Representatives are not responsible for moderation on the Discord server. However, they are responsible for reporting misconduct to the Moderators and Admins who can then take appropriate disciplinary action. They may steer conversations and remind members to follow server rules, but they are not responsible for taking disciplinary action against server members and they should not use their staff status as a flex.

The application window for Representatives is open all year round and anyone high school aged or older, who’s involved in FIRST, and is in good standing behavior in the Discord server can apply. Representatives may also reapply as Admins, so long as they meet the usual criteria for the Admin position. Rejected Representatives may be accepted as Ambassadors, per the Admin team’s discretion.

Links

Representative Application Form
Representative Acceptance Letter
Representative Ambassador Alternative Acceptance Letter
Representative Reminder of Acceptance Letter

3.4. Administrators

Admins are the leading body of the LGBTQ+ of FIRST. They organize projects, handle organization communications, coordinate with the RSA, track Staff participation, and any other tasks not normally designated to Representatives or Ambassadors. Admins must be in constant communication with each other on ongoing projects and vote on organization decisions.

Admins are held to a stricter level of professionalism than other staff. As leaders, they are responsible for setting an example for server members and other Staff to follow. In an informal setting, Admins can use informal language and be casual, so long as they abide by the same server guidelines everyone else follows. However, if it is a formal exchange with a Partner Team, with the RSA, during a meeting, or about a serious topic, Admins should practice professionalism and treat everything seriously.

Admins are also responsible for voting on new Staff and Partner Teams. As applications come in, Admins will frequently have to vote based on their application and interview, if applicable. Staff and Partner Teams are elected by majority, but it is highly recommended that Admins who voice their concerns be heard.

Admins must also respect the voting power of Representatives. Any large scale organization decision should be brought to the attention of the Representatives during a meeting and they should be given ample time to voice their concerns. If it is of the general consensus that a proposal should move forward, then the Admins may enact the change.

Admins are also responsible for Discord moderation and enforcing server rules. Admins and Mods together decide on disciplinary actions, but Admins have the final say on most matters. See: Section 7.2: Moderators

Lastly, Admins are also responsible for moderating and mediating political discussion in the server. Should a political topic arise in a place that isn’t the politics channel, Admins should politely request it be saved for the next political discussion period. During a political discussion period, Admins are responsible for enforcing the same rules that they normally do in the server. It may also take some reminding to keep the discussion healthy and to respect one another’s opinions.

The application window for Administrators is open every May - June and anyone currently in high school, who’s involved in FIRST, and is in good standing behavior in the Discord server can apply. Once an Admin has graduated high school, they will be demoted to Representative. Rejected Admins may be accepted as Representatives or Ambassadors, per the Admin team’s discretion.

Note: In extreme circumstances where productivity is low or multiple Admins retire prematurely, current Admins may reopen Admin Applications at any time of the year. The application, review, and election processes should go exactly the same as they would during the usual phaseout period.

Links

Admin Application Form
Admin Acceptance Letter
Admin Ambassador Alternative Acceptance Letter
Admin Representative Alternative Acceptance Letter
Admin Reminder of Acceptance Letter

3.5. Staff Inactivity and Misconduct Procedure

If it is brought to the attention of the Admins that a Staff member has violated the Staff Code of Conduct, violated the Discord server rules, failed the responsibilities of their position, or is inactive for an extended period of time without notice, the Admins may follow the following disciplinary actions:

The severity of the situation is then separately judged to determine the disciplinary action to take on that Staff member’s status in the Discord server. See: Section 7.4 : Disciplinary Action.

Demoted or Removed Administrators are still given the Retired Admin status on the website and in the Discord server. However, if they are removed completely from Staff, they will still be removed from the Staff Discord server.

Depending on the situation, Staff may reapply three months (or in the case of Admins, the next election cycle) following removal from staff or demotion. They may also be asked to provide additional information on why they believe they are more fit for their position than they were when they were removed or demoted.

4. Partner Teams

LGBTQ+ of FIRST Partner Teams are FIRST teams who volunteer to spread the mission of our organization. They achieve this through similar means of our Staff by representing us at FIRST competitions and events and distributing promotional material. Partner Teams are not expected to be actively involved in the Discord server, but at least two team members must be in the server as a point of communication.

Partner Teams are elected by majority vote among the Admins. Prospective Partners may reapply two months after their initial application if they are not elected. They may also be asked to provide additional information on why they believe they are more fit for Partner Team status than they were at the time of their first application.

Links

Partner Team Application

Partner Team Tiers

Partner Team Code of Conduct

Partner Team Inactivity and Misconduct Procedure

Partner Team Rejection Email

4.1. Code of Conduct

Partner Teams may apply for three separate tiers; Bronze, Silver, and Gold, with varying levels of involvement. Each tier has its own requirements and responsibilities, but all Partner Teams must adhere to the following Code of Conduct:

As a Partner Team of the LGBTQ+ of FIRST, all of our members and mentors adhere to the following:

Any misconduct on our part will be left to the discretion of the Admins, who will take severity and duration into account, on how to proceed. See: Section 4.5: Partner Team Inactivity and Misconduct Procedure.

4.2 Bronze

A Bronze Tier Partner Team is similar to that of the Staff role of Ambassador. Their responsibilities are as follows:

Bronze Tier Partner Teams may optionally produce their own promotional material like flyers, pamphlets, and business cards provided in the Digital Materials Package, however if they choose to do so, they are highly encouraged to apply for the Silver Tier, as doing so would qualify them for Silver Tier status.

The application window for Bronze Tier Partner Teams is open all year round and any FIRST team in good standing conduct can apply. Bronze Tier Partner Teams may also reapply as Silver or Gold Tier Partner Teams, so long as they meet the usual criteria for the tier they’re applying for.

Links

Bronze Tier Acceptance Letter

Bronze Tier Alternative Acceptance Letter

4.3. Silver

A Silver Tier Partner Team has the same responsibilities as a Bronze Tier Partner Team, but with an additional requirement. Their responsibilities are as follows:

If a Silver Tier Partner Team chooses to host an LGBTQ+ of FIRST meetup, they must communicate their intent with the Admins at least one week beforehand. An LGBTQ+ of FIRST meetup is a gathering of LGBTQ+ students, mentors, and volunteers of FIRST at a FIRST competition or event. The goal of these meetups is to introduce people to one another, bring together online friends in a face-to-face setting, distribute promotional materials, and to provide a sense of community to LGBTQ+ members of FIRST.

The Admins will contact the Partner Team hosting a meetup one week before the event to promote the event on social media. They will ask questions like where it is located, when it will be held, if pins will be available, and what geographic landmarks to look for. These will be used to promote the meetup and draw attention to the event. The Admins may also ask for a picture of the location, if applicable or possible, but it is not required.

If a Silver Tier Partner Team instead chooses to professionally produce approved LGBTQ+ of FIRST promotional material, they must use materials from the LGBTQ+ of FIRST Digital Materials Package. This must also be communicated to the Admins. They may ask what materials will be produced, what quantity will be produced, what method of production will be used, and if applicable, what company was used to outsource production. The LGBTQ+ of FIRST takes quality and consistency seriously, as it is a reflection of our brand, so only high quality materials should be used.

Links

Silver Tier Acceptance Letter

Silver Tier Alternative Acceptance Letter

4.4. Gold

A Gold Tier Partner Team has the highest level of involvement and has the most responsibilities. Their responsibilities are as follows:

LGBTQ+ of FIRST themed events and presentations are an important part of of this organization’s outreach. Partner Teams in the past have hosted roundtable discussions, presentations, seminars, community service events, and others. These are what makes a Gold Tier Partner Team stand out in its commitment to this organization. These are different from a meetup event in that they are an original idea proposed to the Admins. There must be careful planning for the event and an outline must be submitted to the Admins.

The Partner Team must submit their proposal for an LGBTQ+ of FIRST event at least three weeks before the event takes place. They must provide an itinerary, who will be the organizers, what their goals are for the event, and if applicable, how many teams will be at the competition it is held at. Similarly to meetups, if the event is approved, the Admins will contact the Partner Team and ask for information about the event, as outlined in the Silver Tier Partner Team section.

Links

Gold Tier Acceptance Letter

4.5. Partner Team Inactivity and Misconduct Procedure

If it is brought to the attention of the Admins that a Partner Team has violated the Partner Team Code of Conduct or failed the responsibilities of their tier, the Admins may follow the following disciplinary actions:

Depending on the situation, Partner Teams may reapply three months following removal from the organization or demotion. They may also be asked to provide additional information on why they believe they are more fit for their tier than they were when they were removed or demoted.

5. Branding Standards

The LGBTQ+ of FIRST is not only a student organization, but also a brand, and as long as the organization exists, it’s brand should be maintained and enforced. Similar to how Staff and Partner Teams represent this organization and are our public image, anything with our logo and name represents us and implies our endorsement. This section will outline the standards the LGBTQ+ of FIRST enforces and how Staff and Partner Teams can adhere to them.

5.1. Logos

The LGBTQ+ of FIRST’s logo is a robot wielding a pride flag. Depending on the situation, this can also be accompanied by a variety of configurations of our organization’s name. For each configuration of our logo, there are white and black font variants. The black font variants should be used on light colored backgrounds and the white font variants should be used on dark colored backgrounds. The file sizes listed under the previews below are preferred, but if the situation dictates it, there are other aspect ratios and sizes provided for each configuration.

The following is a list of acceptable logos and their full quality download files. The previews shown are of the black font variants, but the white font variants are also linked. Logos labeled as “preferred” are the preferred logos to be used in the example situations given, while logos labeled “acceptable” are still technically approved for use, but not preferred. These should be cleared by the Admins before use in any promotional material.

Logo (Preferred)

Square Frames, any case where organization name is implied or not required

(600 x 600)

Logo w/ Text Overlay (Acceptable)

Square Frames (stickers, pins, patches, miscellaneous merchandise, etc.)

(600 x 600)

Logo w/ Bottom Text (Preferred)

Square Frames (business cards, social media, merchandise, etc.)

(600 x 600)

Logo w/ Long Side Text (Preferred)

Wide Frames (banners, headers, etc.)

(2100 x 600)testing

Logo w/ Short Side Text (Preferred)

Condensed Wide Frames (business cards, document columns, etc.)

(1200 x 600)

Logo w/ Split Text (Acceptable)

Tall Frames (vertical signs, pamphlets, profile pictures, margins of documents, etc.)

(600 x 700)

5.2. Fonts and Colors

Preferred Fonts

Times New Roman: Formal documents such as this, emails, and supporting documents

Karla: Website content, blog posts, social media posts

Montserrat (Medium): “LGBTQ+ of” in the LGBTQ+ of FIRST logo text variants

Montserrat (Bold, Italic): “FIRST” in the LGBTQ+ of FIRST logo text variants

Source Sans Pro (SemiBold): Social media post headers

Note: The “FIRST” of the LGBTQ+ of FIRST logo is intentionally italicized, but the “FIRST” in this organization’s name should not be italicized in any other instance.

Correct:

Incorrect:

“The LGBTQ+ of FIRST is a student run organization”

“The LGBTQ+ of FIRST is a student run organization”

“The LGBTQ+ of FIRST® is a student run organization”

“The LGBTQ of FIRST is a student run organization”

“The LGBT of FIRST is a student run organization”

“The LGBT+ of FIRST is a student run organization”

Colors

The following colors should be used for accents, backgrounds, graphics, etc.

Neutral Rainbow

|     |  #FF4081:

Pink

“Sexuality”

|     |  #4CAF50:

Green

“Nature”

|     |  #E53935:

Red

“Life”

|     |  #1976D2:

Blue

“Serenity”

|     |  #FF6D00:

Orange

“Healing”

|     |  #3F51B5:

Indigo

“Magic”

|     |  #FFC400:

Yellow

“Sunlight”

|     |  #7E57C2:

Violet

“Spirit”

Light Rainbow

|     |  #FF96B1:

Light Pink

|     |  #99CA9B:

Light Green

|     |  #ED9493:

Light Red

|     |  #8DABE0:

Light Blue

|     |  #FFA78C:

Light Orange

|     |  #959BCE:

Light Indigo

|     |  #FFD78C:

Light Yellow

|     |  #AF9DD6:

Light Violet

Dark Rainbow

|     |  #C63264:

Dark Pink

|     |  #306F33:

Dark Green

|     |  #C0302C:

Dark Red

|     |  #104B85:

Dark Blue

|     |  #BF5100:

Dark Orange

|     |  #283372:

Dark Indigo

|     |  #D5A400:

Dark Yellow

|     |  #50377B:

Dark Violet

Partner Team Colors

|     |  #C5B358:

Gold

|     |  #C4CACE:

Silver

|     |  #A97142:

Bronze

5.3. Digital Materials Package

The Digital Materials Package is a way for the LGBTQ+ of FIRST to maintain branding standards and ensure quality products while also providing Partner Teams and Staff the resources to self produce promotional materials. This package is still in progress and will be ready by the 2021 season.

If you have your own piece of promotional material you would like to distribute, please contact the Admins to approve it for use. If the Admin team believes it is acceptable for the LGBTQ+ of FIRST brand, they may also ask if it be added to the Digital Materials Package for use by other teams. What physical materials and the estimated cost needed for production also will be requested.

6. Pin Distribution

LGBTQ+ of FIRST lapel pins are the most abundant and long lasting form of promotional material distributed by this organization. These high quality pins dawn our logo and are a staple of our brand. Every year, pins are produced and distributed among Partner Teams and Staff to give out for free at FIRST competitions and events. This section goes over the production process and organization that goes into distributing pins.

6.1. Check Ins

Staff and Partner Teams are responsible for keeping in touch with the Admins about how many pins they have in stock and what events they will be attending. Admins will be sending out check in letters and reminders so the event presence of Staff and Partner Teams can be promoted on social media and pins can be tracked. It is possible that you may not get pins if you fail to respond to a check in request.

On each check in date, the Admins should reach out to the Staff or Partner Team involved and provide the respective form for them to fill out. If applicable, this will also be when they schedule the next check in date. The purpose of these check ins is to keep an up to date log of what events the organization will be represented at, to advertise where pins will be available, and to track pin usage. See: Section 9.3: Partner Team and Staff Event Presence

6.2. RSA Shipment

The RSA graciously provides us with the funds and the ability to mass produce lapel pins and distribute them among Staff and Partner Teams. It is the responsibility of the Admins to organize where, when, and how many pins need to be shipped and the RSA handles the shipping. Proper communication with RSA is extremely important. This information should be provided to the RSA at least two weeks before the FTC and FRC shipment dates. Once pins are shipped, the RSA will provide tracking numbers to the Admins. The Admins are responsible for getting these tracking numbers to each Staff member and Partner Team.

7. Discord Server

The LGBTQ+ of FIRST Discord server is a place where LGBTQ+ students, mentors, volunteers, and alumni of FIRST can gather. The server is meant to be a safe environment to express your identity, experiences, and opinions. As with any Discord server, there are some procedures and guidelines on how it should be maintained.

Links

Invite Link

7.1. Rules

  1. This is a Graciously Professional server and a safe place for people from all walks of life. Be kind and respect others at all times.
  1. Rudeness, hatred, intentionally defamatory statements, and other inflammatory conduct will not be tolerated. This is a server for civil, polite discussion and conversation and attempts to combat that will not be tolerated.
  2. By participating in this discord, you are in turn representing a part of the extensive FIRST community. Represent them well.
  3. Please respect the privacy of others in this server. Don’t post the personal information of others, including but not limited to pictures, social media, dead-names, team numbers (if kept secret) etc, without clear, prior consent.
  4. NSFW content and discussion is not tolerated. Swearing is allowed in moderation, excepting the use of slurs, which will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
  5. To help ensure this is a safe online space for everyone in our community, please do not post potentially triggering content (eg. self harm), and keep similar discussions to dms only.
  6. Please be respectful of everyone in the server, and as such do not post insensitive content (eg. war memes)
  7. If a discussion is on the edge of what is considered acceptable, it is the moderation team's discretion how they wish to proceed. If a discussion is deemed inappropriate for the server, offenders will be asked to stop and issued a warning.
  1. Please keep conversations in their respective channel. Minor deviations from the topic are okay, but it is expected that members will attempt to quickly return to the channel’s topic or move to an appropriate channel.  This is in place so that questions can be asked and answered without being buried by other conversations.
  2. Please set a nickname in a readable format, preferably following the established format of [Name] [Team/Region] [Pronouns].
  1. In order for members to be easily identified, we encourage that all members have their team number in their nickname. However, we also understand that some members may be uncomfortable or unsafe doing that. If you do not have a team number, are disallowed from using your team number on public forums, or are uncomfortable or putting yourself in danger by using your team number, please contact an Administrator.
  2. Please have a nickname that can be pinged by the moderation team. The moderation team will ask for those to change their nickname if it is found to not be pingable.
  3. We require that everyone include their pronouns in their nickname, so as to be easily referred to by others without a chance of misgendering anyone.
  1. Spam is not acceptable in any form, including in #memes-and-misc. This is a server for friendly conversation, less formal congregation, and insightful discussion.
  1. Bot commands should remain in #bot-commands. Team lookups are permitted in other channels so long as they are relevant to the conversation at hand.
  2. Messages sent with the express purpose of gaining XP without contributing to any conversation are strongly discouraged, regardless of whether the messages are deleted afterward. If an Admin determines your message breaks this rule, you will be asked to stop before further action takes place.
  3. Self promotion of any server without admin approval (posting an invite code or link) is not allowed and will lead to the message being deleted, and the offender will be issued a warning. If someone asks for an invite code, dm it to them.
  1. The following consequences may result from a direct violation of the above rules:
    - Warning
    - Muted for a predetermined period of time
    - Kicked from the server
    - Banned from the server
    Punishments will be determined at the discretion of the moderation team, with indefinite mutes, kicks, and bans only used in extreme cases as the situation warrants. If you have an issue with a punishment given out by a moderator, feel free to contact an admin to discuss the issue.

7.2. Moderators

Moderators are a special staff role separate from the main LGBTQ+ of FIRST staff body specifically aimed at helping govern and maintain the Discord server. Moderators are trustworthy and reputable members of the community that anyone can feel comfortable coming to. They serve a very similar purpose to Admins in the server, except Moderators do not have jurisdiction over organization decisions (outside of server disciplinary actions). Moderators may simultaneously hold a Staff role in the organization (and vice versa), but Moderators themselves are not responsible for normal Staff duties (pin distribution, blog posts, etc.).

Moderators are in collaboration with Admins, but Admins will respect the privacy of individuals who wish to remain anonymous. Moderators are granted autonomy on resolving conflicts, but Admins may offer suggestions and in some cases, override decisions, if it is deemed appropriate by the Admins.

Moderators also act as an advisory board for Staff infractions, demotions, and removals. If a situation arises where a Staff member is considered for one of those punishments, Moderators and Admins will meet and discuss the situation. Ultimately, Admins have the final say on the decision, but it is the responsibility of the Moderators to best describe the situation and voice their concerns.

Lastly, Moderators are responsible for keeping political discussion out of the main channels and moderating political discussion in the designated channel at the designated times. They act similarly to Admins, in that their job is to maintain a calm environment during a designated discussion period. See: Section 3.4: Administrators for reference.

The application window for Moderators is open all year round and anyone high school aged or older, who’s involved in FIRST, and is in good standing behavior in the Discord server can apply.

Links:

Moderator Application

7.3. Politics Channel

The goal of the politics channel is to provide a safe environment for people to express their opinions while maintaining the healthy atmosphere of the rest of the server. The politics channel is only open at certain time periods and has a 60 second slowmode. Two nights a week, the Moderators will unlock the channel between 8PM - 1AM EST. Admins and Moderators will be responsible for moderating these discussions. The following is a statement by the Admins following the deaths of George Floyd and Rayshard Brooks and the BLM protests of May - July 2020 regarding the purpose of this channel:

The African American community and other minority communities have been silenced in America through systemic racism and oppression, and with the mission our organization has and the mission of FIRST, it is not right to suppress discussion of these topics. It is our duty to provide a safe space for people of all backgrounds to gather and part of that includes providing the means to acknowledge the prejudices that these communities face. We would like to take this moment to apologize for any suppression of healthy political discussion. Your voices deserve to be heard and we will stand by you in these difficult times.

All existing rules of the server apply to political discussion. It is also recommended you provide sources and evidence before you make a claim to avoid arguments over rhetoric without evidence. The idea of the slowmode is to give people the time to collect their thoughts and make educated remarks, so you can take your time to gather the evidence you need before you make a claim.

Moderators and Admins can review how to deal with political discussion in Section 3.4: Administrators and Section 7.2: Moderators

7.4. Disciplinary Action

In the event of a rule violation, it is up to the discretion of the Admins and Mods how to proceed with the situation. Admins and Mods are responsible for moderating discussions and issuing verbal warnings to prevent further disruption. If disruption continues, Admins and Mods may issue a warning, mute, kick, or ban. A warning is a direct message to the person(s) involving informing them of the cause for concern and warning them that further action may be taken if there is future misconduct. Mutes, kicks, and bans should first be cleared with Admins before being enforced by Mods, unless it is for a spammer, troll, etc. Slowmode may also be enabled for large heated discussions as a warning to the participants, but warnings will not be issued directly to members of the discussion, unless necessary.

7.5. Server Management

The following section goes over how to manage the Discord server and thus is only relevant to Admins and Moderators. The LGBTQ+ of FIRST’s online presence is just as important as its in person outreach, and as such, it is important to maintain similar standards to operating and maintaining the server as we do our professional appearance.

The staff server roles correspond to colors outlined in the Fonts and Colors section of the Branding Standards. The Administrator (Blue), Representative (Green), and Ambassador (Purple) roles make up the main staff roles of the server, in addition to the Retiree (Light Purple) and Founder (Light Green) roles. The Gold, Silver, and Bronze Tier Partner Team roles correspond to their tier’s color. Lastly, the Mentor (Yellow), Student Mentor (Orange), and Alumnus (Red) roles are miscellaneous roles self assigned by members of the server, as opposed to being granted to by the Admins.

Server and Organization announcements are to be made in the #announcements-info channel using the LGBTQ+ of FIRST Discord account and login. Message edits and deletes are logged in #logs and may be used as evidence in any investigation of server violations. The #hall-of-fame, #server-rules, and #post-feed channels should not be used to send messages, unless it is for an update to that channel’s existing content. #mod-logs is to log disciplinary actions taken by the Admins.

The Ban, Kick, and Mute commands are to be used by Admins and in dire situations, Representatives, as necessary. The commands for these are “.ban”, “.kick”, and “.mute”. Use the command “.help” to see more details on these commands.

When prospective staff are being interviewed, they will be placed in any of the #interview-room channels using the Interviewee roles. The Interviewee role corresponds to #interview-room, the Interviewee2 role corresponds to #interview-room-2, and so on.

8. Blo g

The LGBTQ+ of FIRST blog is for stories, educational pieces, announcements, and opinion pieces written by LGBTQ+ of FIRST members, usually Staff. These posts are vetted for content and quality by the Admins and it is the Admin team’s responsibility to put them up on the website. The following section goes over the process of creating, editing, and uploading a blog post.

8.1. Proposal

A blog post starts as usually either an announcement, a proposed opinion / story / educational piece, or as a special event (e.g. Pride month, Trans Day of Visibility, etc.). In all cases, an author is tasked with the project and is asked when they believe it could be finished by. If they end up not meeting their deadline, they must provide a couple days advance notice that they will not be able to complete it in time. It is the author’s responsibility to know how much time they can spend on a given project and to manage their time wisely.

8.2. Review

Once a blog post is written, the author will submit it to the Admins for them to review. It must be in the form of a Google Doc and open to commenting by anyone with the link. Admins will then leave comments and review it again whenever changes are made, if necessary. This process continues until it is deemed ready by the Admins to post. If the piece is not an original idea by the author in question and it is decided that another Staff or server member be more suitable in writing about that topic, the Admins may reassign that project to someone else. The original author will not gain an infraction or be punished in any way, the Admins may just believe someone else would be better writing that piece.

8.3. Posting


Once a blog post is completely reviewed and approved, the Admins must post it on the blog. The following outlines the process of making a post to the http://lgbtqoffirst.org blog:

  1. Navigate to http://weebly.com and log in using the lgbtplusfirst@gmail.com account.
  2. Navigate to the LGBTQ+ of FIRST project and select “Edit Website”
  3. Select the Blog menu
  4. Select “New Post” in the bottom right
  5. Paste in the title and contents of the post in their respective fields.
  6. Select “Save” to save draft and “Post” to publish.

9. Project Timelines

The LGBTQ+ of FIRST has certain yearly projects that need to be completed by certain times. The following are proposed timelines for some common projects the organization is responsible for each year.

9.1. Admin Application s

Admin Applications are open once a year from May to June. Prospective Admin apply through the Google Form and if they make it to the top contenders, are interviewed in the #interview-room channel of the Discord.

Applications

May 1st: Begin Application Window

May 22nd: Close Application Window

May 22nd - 24th: Select Top Contenders and Begin Scheduling Follow Up Interviews

May 27th: Remind Top Contenders to Schedule Follow Up Interviews

May 30th: Follow Up Interview Schedule Deadline

June 1st - June 7th: Follow Up Interviews

Social Media Campaign

Two Saturdays Before May: Brainstorm Social Media Campaign + Designate Project Members
Saturday Before May: Social Media Campaign Check In
May 1st: Social Media Campaign Post #1
May 10th: Social Media Campaign Post #2
May 19th: Social Media Campaign Post #3

Inauguration and Transition

June 7th: Elect Admins + Begin Admin Transition Course

June 15th: Phase Out Old Admins

Monday After June 15th: Admins AMAs

Links

Admin Application

Admin Top Contender Email

Admin Top Contender Reminder Email

Admin Interview Schedule Form

9.2. Pin Fundraising

The RSA GoFundMe is an important source of income for the RSA so that we at the LGBTQ+ of FIRST can have the funds for things like producing pins. Every year, we promote the GoFundMe on the LGBTQ+ of FIRST social media pages to gain online attention. Below is a timeline when certain milestones in this social media campaign should be completed:

First Saturday of August: Begin Planning Round 1 of Biweekly Campaign

Every Saturday of August: Round 1 of Biweekly Campaign Check In

First Saturday of September: Begin Round 1 of Biweekly Campaign

Last Saturday of October: End Round 1 of Biweekly Campaign

First Saturday of December: Begin Planning Round 2 of Biweekly Campaign

Every Saturday of December: Round 2 of Biweekly Campaign Check In

First Saturday of January: Begin Round 2 of Biweekly Campaign

Last Saturday of February: End Round 2 of Biweekly Campaign

Ideas for this campaign include stories of how members got their pins, pictures of where people have their pins, stories of Staff who’ve given out pins, etc. This campaign should coincide with pin shipments to gain interest in the fundraiser as pins are being shipped out.

9.3. P artner Team and Staff Event Presence

Every year, the organization promotes Partner Team and Staff event presence to let people know where they can find pins and promotional materials. In order to keep track of what events Partner Teams and Staff will be attending, the Admins do frequent check ins throughout the FTC and FRC seasons. The following is a proposed timeline for when to perform those check ins and when to make social media posts:

FTC Staff and Partner Teams:

August 14th: FTC Schedule Qualifier Check In Date

August 21st: FTC Schedule Qualifier Check In Date Reminder

September 1st: Begin Shipping FTC Pins

FTC Qualifier Check In Date: FTC Qualifier Check In + Schedule DCMP Check In Date

FTC DCMP Check In Date: FTC DCMP Check In

April 1st: FTC Champs Check Ins (If applicable)

FRC Staff and Partner Teams:

December 14th: FRC Schedule Regional / District Check In Date

December 21st: FRC Schedule Regional / District Check In Date Reminder

January 1st: Begin Shipping FRC Pins

FRC Regional / District Check In Date: FRC Regional / District Check In + Schedule DCMP Check In Date

FRC DCMP Check In Date: FRC DCMP Check In (If applicable)

April 8th: FRC North Champs Check Ins (If applicable)

April 15th: FRC South Champs Check Ins (If applicable)

Links

FTC Staff Qualifier Check In

FTC Staff DCMP Check In

FRC Staff Regional/District Events Check In

FRC Staff DCMP Check In

Staff Champs Check In

FTC Partners Qualifier Check In

FTC Partners DCMP Check In

FRC Partners Regional/District Events Check In

FRC Partners DCMP Check In

Partners Champs Check In

9.4. Ambassad or / Representative / Partner Team Applications Campaigns

In order to gain the interest of prospective Partner Teams and Staff, the organization plans periodic social media campaigns during the FTC and FRC seasons. The idea of these campaigns is to attract interested individuals and teams who want to make a difference. The following is a proposed timeline for when to plan and carry out these campaigns:

Last Saturday of August: Plan FTC Kickoff Posts

FTC Kickoff: Social Media + Blog Posts

Last Saturday of December: Plan FRC Kickoff Posts

FRC Kickoff: Social Media + Blog Posts

First Saturday of March: Plan Champs Posts

Two Weeks Before North Champs: Social Media + Blog Posts

Two Weeks Before South Champs: Social Media + Blog Posts

9.5. Pride Month Blog  Posts

Pride month is the perfect time to publish blog content and get people interested in our organization. The following is a proposed timeline for when to plan and publish these blog posts:

First Saturday of May: Discuss Pride Month Blog Posts

Second Saturday of May: Discuss Pride Month Blog Posts

Third Saturday of May: Discuss Pride Month Social Media Posts

Fourth Saturday of May: Schedule Blog Posts Post Dates + Social Media Coordination

First Saturday of June: Final Pride Month Blog Posts Check In

9.6 . Champs Conferences

Every year, the LGBTQ+ of FIRST tries to come up with a presentation or conference idea to put on at the North and South Champs. This process includes proposing the idea to FIRST, forming an itinerary for the presentation, designating leaders for the conference, and actually presenting at the championships. The following is a proposed timeline for when certain milestones should be completed:

Brainstorming and Planning

Last Saturday of November: Brainstorm Ideas and Activities

First Saturday of December: Finalize Ideas and Activities + Designate Project Subteam Members

Fourth Saturday of December: Itinerary and Presentation Outline Deadline + Admin Review

Second Saturday of March: Review Itinerary and Presentation Outline

Third Saturday of March: Finalize Itinerary and Presentation Outline

Application

Last Saturday of December: Begin Planning for Championship Conference Application

First Saturday of January: Final Edits on Championship Conference Application

~ January 11th: Championship Conference Application Deadline

~ February 14th: Receive Championship Conference Application Decision

Social Media Posts

First Saturday of March: Brainstorm Ideas + Designate Project Subteam Members

Fourth Saturday of March: Social Media and Blog Post Deadline

April 2nd: North Champs Social Media and Blog Posts

First Saturday of April: Designate North Champs Media Person(s)

April 9th: South Champs Social Media and Blog Posts

Second Saturday of April: Designate South Champs Media Person(s)

9.7. Champs Mee tups

The LGBTQ+ of FIRST also hosts meetups at the North and South champs to bring members of the community together in person. Common activities are signing a pride flag, distributing pins, brochures, and business cards, general socializing, and getting a group photo. The following is a proposed timeline for when certain milestones should be completed:

Organizing and Planning

First Saturday of January: Contact Michelle Long and RSA

Second Saturday of January: Remind Michelle Long and RSA (if necessary)

Third Saturday of January: Receive Michelle Long and RSA Response

First Saturday of April: Designate North Champs Media Person(s) + Purchase Materials

Second Saturday of April: Designate South Champs Media Person(s) + Purchase Materials

Social Media Posts

First Saturday of March: Brainstorm Ideas + Designate Project Subteam Members

Fourth Saturday of March: Social Media and Blog Post Deadline

April 1st: North Champs Social Media and Blog Posts

First Saturday of April: Designate North Champs Media Person(s)

April 8th: South Champs Social Media and Blog Posts

Second Saturday of April: Designate South Champs Media Person(s)

9.8. LGBTQ+ Holidays

The following are popular LGBTQ+ holidays to be celebrated on social media and the blog. Some ideas include remembrance posts, celebration tips, historical pieces, etc. Planning for any of these should start on the closest Saturday meeting to at least two weeks before each holiday. The next Saturday will be used to check in with the people designated to that project.

March 31st: Trans Day of Visibility

May 17th: International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia

May 24th: Pansexual and Panromantic Day of Visibility

June 28th: Stonewall Riots Anniversary

July 14th: Non Binary Day

September 23rd: Bisexual Day of Visibility

October 11th: National Coming Out Day

~October 25th - 31st: Asexual Awareness Week

10. Project Procedures

To maximize efficiency and to stay on top of projects, the Admins should follow a set of procedures for every project that arises. When a project is set to begin (normally a Saturday), the Admins and Representatives will brainstorm ideas during the next meeting. Once there is a sufficient selection of ideas, people interested may join that project. A given project team will consist of Admins, Representatives, or both who are responsible for communicating with each other, completing their task by the due date, and checking in during meetings.

11. Meetings

The goal of meetings is to keep on top of ongoing projects, designate those responsible for new ones, discuss changes to the organization, and make organization decisions. The first items of a meeting should be checking in with ongoing projects. This is to both keep the people responsible for that project on top of their task as well as keep the rest of the organization up to date on their progress.

Then, any projects slated to be started at that meeting should be discussed. The Admins will be responsible for informing the group what needs to be done and some ideas on how to do it. Then, Representatives can brainstorm ideas to contribute to that project. Once a sufficient number of ideas have been shared or there is expressed interest in a given project, interested Admins and Representatives will be designated as the project team members and will be responsible for that project.

Lastly, any other pressing discussions, proposals, and updates may be shared. Anyone interested in bringing a topic to discussion should gather all information necessary for the discussion before the meeting starts to be properly prepared to field questions. Any large decisions made during a meeting should be held off for a couple days to allow Representatives who missed the meeting to share their opinions.

12. Revisio ns Log

Revision 2020.07.31 - Initial Publishment

Revision 2020.08.09 - Implemented Moderator updated procedures from meeting

Revision 2020.08.17 - Updated logo colors, added file size options, and cleaned up wording.

Revision 2020.08.20 - Added Admin Top Contender Emails

Revision 2020.10.17 - Updated for GitHub