Skip to content

Code of Conduct

Our Pledge

We as members, contributors, and maintainers of the GDE Americas Hub pledge to make participation in our community a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of age, body size, visible or invisible disability, ethnicity, sex characteristics, gender identity and expression, level of experience, education, socio-economic status, nationality, personal appearance, race, caste, color, religion, or sexual identity and orientation.

We pledge to act and interact in ways that contribute to an open, welcoming, diverse, inclusive, and healthy community.

Our Standards

Expected Behavior

Examples of behavior that contributes to a positive environment:

  • Be Respectful: Treating all community members with respect and consideration
  • Be Considerate: Being thoughtful about how your words and actions affect others
  • Be Constructive: Providing helpful and actionable feedback
  • Be Collaborative: Working together and helping each other learn and grow
  • Be Inclusive: Using welcoming and inclusive language
  • Be Professional: Focusing discussions on technical topics and the project
  • Give Credit: Acknowledging contributions and sources appropriately
  • Be Patient: Understanding that not everyone has the same level of experience
  • Assume Good Intent: Approaching interactions with the assumption that others mean well

Unacceptable Behavior

The following behaviors are considered harassment and are unacceptable:

  • Harassment: Offensive comments, inappropriate attention, or unwelcome contact
  • Discrimination: Derogatory comments related to personal characteristics
  • Threats: Threatening language or behavior toward any community member
  • Trolling: Deliberately inflammatory or disruptive comments
  • Doxing: Publishing others' private information without consent
  • Sexual Content: Unwelcome sexual attention or inappropriate imagery
  • Intimidation: Deliberate intimidation or stalking (online or in-person)
  • Disruptive Behavior: Sustained disruption of discussions or events
  • Other Conduct: Any conduct that could reasonably be considered inappropriate

Scope

This Code of Conduct applies to all GDE Americas Hub spaces, including but not limited to:

  • GitHub repositories (issues, pull requests, discussions)
  • Community forums and chat channels
  • Events (virtual and in-person meetups, conferences, workshops)
  • Social media when representing the project
  • Email communications related to the project

This Code of Conduct also applies when an individual is officially representing the community in public spaces.

Enforcement Responsibilities

Community maintainers are responsible for clarifying and enforcing our standards of acceptable behavior and will take appropriate and fair corrective action in response to any behavior that they deem inappropriate, threatening, offensive, or harmful.

Maintainers have the right and responsibility to remove, edit, or reject comments, commits, code, wiki edits, issues, and other contributions that are not aligned with this Code of Conduct, and will communicate reasons for moderation decisions when appropriate.

Reporting Violations

How to Report

If you experience or witness unacceptable behavior, or have any other concerns, please report it by:

  1. For project-related issues: Email the maintainers at [gde-americas-hub-conduct@googlegroups.com] (to be set up)
  2. For GDE program issues: Contact GDE Americas leadership through official channels
  3. For urgent safety concerns: Contact local authorities immediately

What to Include in a Report

When reporting, please include:

  • Your contact information (so we can follow up)
  • Names (real or usernames) of any individuals involved
  • Description of the incident, including specific behavior
  • When and where the incident occurred
  • Any additional context or witnesses
  • If you believe the incident is ongoing

Confidentiality

All reports will be handled with discretion and confidentiality. The identity of reporters will be protected unless:

  • The reporter explicitly consents to disclosure
  • Disclosure is required by law
  • The safety of others is at risk

Enforcement Process

Investigation

  1. Receipt: Maintainers will acknowledge receipt of the report within 48 hours
  2. Review: The maintainer team will review the incident and determine next steps
  3. Notification: The accused party will be notified and given opportunity to respond
  4. Decision: The team will decide on appropriate action
  5. Follow-up: Both reporter and accused will be informed of the outcome (when appropriate)

Possible Actions

Depending on the severity and nature of the violation, actions may include:

  1. Warning: A private, written warning providing clarity around the violation
  2. Temporary Ban: A temporary ban from project spaces for a specified period
  3. Permanent Ban: A permanent ban from all project spaces and activities
  4. Escalation: Referring to Google Developer Expert program leadership
  5. Legal Action: Involving law enforcement for serious violations

Appeals

If you disagree with an enforcement decision, you may appeal by:

  • Contacting the maintainer team within 14 days
  • Providing additional context or information
  • Requesting review by GDE Americas leadership

Resolve Peacefully

We believe that healthy debate and disagreement are important parts of a vibrant community. Disagreements, both technical and otherwise, are normal and expected.

However, disrespect is never acceptable.

If you see problematic behavior:

  1. Address Directly (if safe and comfortable): Politely point out the behavior
  2. Use De-escalation: Try to lower the temperature of the conversation
  3. Step Away: It's okay to disengage from heated discussions
  4. Report: If behavior continues or is serious, report it

Attribution and Acknowledgments

This Code of Conduct is adapted from:

These guidelines are widely used in open source communities and have been adapted to fit the needs of the GDE Americas Hub project.

Community Responsibilities

Building a positive community is everyone's responsibility. We ask all participants to:

  • Model Good Behavior: Lead by example in your interactions
  • Speak Up: If you see something problematic, say something
  • Support Each Other: Help create an inclusive environment
  • Educate: Help others understand community expectations
  • Give Feedback: Help us improve these guidelines

Special Considerations for GDE Community

As Google Developer Experts, we hold ourselves to high standards:

  • Represent Well: Remember you represent the GDE program
  • Be Technical: Focus on technical merit, not personal attributes
  • Share Knowledge: Foster a learning environment
  • Be Inclusive: Welcome developers from all backgrounds
  • Regional Respect: Honor the diversity of the Americas region (cultures, languages, time zones)

Questions?

If you have questions about this Code of Conduct:

Changes to this Code of Conduct

This Code of Conduct may be updated periodically. Significant changes will be announced through:

  • GitHub repository announcements
  • Community channels
  • Email notifications

Version: 1.0 Last Updated: 2026-01-23 Effective Date: 2026-01-23

Summary

In short: Be respectful, be professional, be inclusive. If you experience or witness unacceptable behavior, report it. We're all here to learn, share, and build amazing things together. 🌎

Thank you for helping make the GDE Americas Hub a welcoming and inclusive community!