RYSE encourages members and staff to meet folks where they are at with a caring, mindful, and empathetic heart.

RYSE thrives when we can strengthen our community by building empowering and meaningful relationships with new people.

RYSE is a safe and neutral space for ALL youth who walk through our doors, regardless of where you come from and/or what communities you are connected to.

We are welcoming of people’s gender/racial/ethnic expressions through clothing, language, and other creative outlets . We want to create a community where people’s identity/community is welcomed regardless of their appearance/fashion, language.

RYSE makes space for everyone to unlearn oppressive language like racial slurs, gendered violence, homophobic, name calling, bullying, religous, cultural, misogynistic, xenophobic language that is meant to keep our communities divided.

RYSE is a multilingual home, we welcome all spoken languages in the space and community

If you’re unsure of…. We encourage you to ask questions and to step into (un)comfortable, challenging and needed conversations

RYSE encourages members and staff to explore new opportunities and practices grounded in liberation.

At RYSE, we have the power/responsibility to co-create an environment where everyone belongs. Therefore, it is our collective responsibility to ensure we support ourselves and each other in feeling mentally, physically, emotionally safe and comfortable at the center and in the community.

RYSE understands that we all have different ways of coping , and that using drugs or alcohol may be ways we cope with stress and distress. RYSE will not ban or turn any member away for coping in these ways. We may need to have a conversation and plan with you if this coping is having an impact on you, others in the space, or the space itself.

NOTE: No exchange of drugs or alcohol is allowed at RYSE.

RYSE encourages everyone to build collective responsibility in maintaining an accessible, safe, clean, and healthy environment for us all to grow, connect, create, and play.

RYSE encourages everyone to resolve conflicts in ways that-build relationships, promotes community, and allows for healthy struggle. RYSE commits to supporting and facilitating restorative processes.

Due to the COVID pandemic, physical touch and physical interaction between staff, members, and visitors must be limited. Physical distancing measures are in effect until further notice. The most updated information on our COVID protocols can be found on our website, social media, and throughout the space. You can also connect with any staff for information.

RYSE encourages members and staff to show physical and verbal appreciation for each other in ways that promotes safety, choice, and respects individuals, our physical space, and center at large. Honor folks’ preferred forms of physical affection (hug - we will bring back when we are COVID safe), high-five, fist bumps, elbow touch, etc)

Practice consent for yourself and others. Consent is giving permission for something to happen or an agreement to do something.

Consent is:

Ongoing - anyone can change their mind on what they are interested in doing at any time

Freely given - Saying yes without pressure of manipulation

Specific - Saying yes to one act doesn’t mean you’ve said yes to others or even the same act again.

Informed - Not deceiving or lying. For example, if someone says they’ll use a condom and then they don’t, there isn’t full consent. If someone says they will wear their mask and then they don’t, that is not practicing consent.

Enthusiastic - It’s about wanting to do something, not feeling like you have to or should do something.

RYSE is a space for youth, staff, and community members to grow into the leaders we want to be in our community. Using our collective power to make positive and progressive changes in our community.

RYSE believes that we can strengthen our community by holding ourselves and each other accountable to our actions and their impact with love, empathy, and compassion.

RYSE encourages and supports individuals who may want to grow in self-accountability. To be accountable is knowing when to take responsibility for your actions, your life, learn from your mistakes, and harm that may have been caused even if that was not the intention.

While at RYSE we will honor and set boundaries with RYSE members, staff and community

While at RYSE we honor community resilience in the face of community violence and its impact on us/our space, we encourage each other to slow down to hold, grieve, mourn, rest, to feel

We honor that youth are people first, before they are RYSE members, students, youth interns, our health and wellness come first

While at RYSE we will honor everyone’s health and wellness/healing journeys and will respect their healing practices and support youth who may feel burnout