Community Values and Code of Conduct:

TheLi.st is a community with a powerful network effect.

Our mission is to make big things happen—for you, for our community, and for the world. We are a group of high impact leaders who are devoted to helping each other achieve and succeed—in all areas of our lives. Our individual wins can collectively create a new dynamic of power—one that is diverse, transparent, and collaborative. TheLi.st is sustained by each members' commitment to growth, openness, curiosity, and participation in our community values.

We encourage you to read this resources document which is an overview of helpful articles and educational resources to help us all get on the same page about how we can be inclusive, anti-racist, and intentional in our interactions so we can strengthen our connections with each other.

As members of TheLi.st, the following behaviors are also expected from each of you and is the code of conduct on how we will engage with one another:

Be generous and collaborative

We help each other succeed—in all areas of our lives—by actively supporting each other and being supported in return. We encourage Li.sters to be generous with their counsel, connections and insight in the ways that best suit their experiences and boundaries. For every request you make to the community, think of one or more ways you can give back, whether that’s answering someone’s question, cheering on someone’s accomplishment, offering a resource, making an introduction, sharing information, or meeting a fellow Li.ster in person. These actions create the collaborative, new power for us to all succeed.

Common ways we engage with each other on TheLi.st: 

  • Requests (business or personal): If you need guidance, amplification, or insight, whether on a personal issue or a professional goal, sending an ask to TheLi.st email group is a great way to engage the community. 

  • Offers (business or personal): Please offer to make introductions and connections, share useful resources and information, events, opportunities to gather in person, or job posts, and offer what you can with healthy boundaries on your time and energy. 

  • Discussions: Starting a thread on a topic of interest and asking for direct and clear opinions and insight is a great way to engage other Li.sters.

  • Accomplishments and lessons learned: Share your milestones and achievements with us! We want to celebrate and cheer you on, whether personal or professional. 

  • Meet ups: We encourage individuals and small groups of Li.sters to connect with each other for informal meet ups, coffees, meals and networking. Please note, these are not considered official TheLi.st events (therefore TheLi.st Code of Conduct and Terms of Service do not apply) unless they are organized by a member of TheLi.st management or a member is given express permission to convene an official event. 

In addition, while responsiveness to direct emails is helpful for building community within TheLi.st, you are not required to respond to every comment in a thread that you start. But if a Li.ster emails you directly with an ask or offer, we’d appreciate it if you’d reply, even to say it’s not the right time or you can’t help.

Be conscious and intentional

We often have vulnerable conversations on personal and social issues—and this is part of what makes TheLi.st such a special place. Because each of us hold various levels of understanding about the complex economic, social, and political systems we live in, and the various ways those systems impact us differently, we encourage members to be thoughtful about the impact of the words we use and ideas we share while engaging each other in sensitive topics. 

We recommend approaching sensitive conversations with the following behaviors for more informed and intentional discussions:

  • We encourage continuous learning outside of TheLi.st conversations. Every person, of every background and identity, can benefit from continued learning about various biases and privileges, and identities we all can hold. This will help to create better spaces for conversation, as the more information you are aware of when it comes to bias and privileges (which includes body privilege, class privilege, white privilege, colorism, gender privilege, and more), the more you can approach sensitive topics with courage, nuance, and care. A great first step is reflecting on what privileges and identity intersectionality you may have that can shape how you engage in conversations related to various aspects of identity. Our DEI resources document has great information for understanding what intersectionality and privileges are. 

  • Focus on the behavior and impact of the behavior in a conversation when disagreeing with someone’s point of view, and not labeling or name calling the person you’re engaging with. 

  • Take a pause and reflect on your behavior and ask non-defensive, open questions, if someone points out a microaggression in a conversation.  Approach the conversation with curiosity and an open mind for learning and improving how we engage in conversations with each other. 

  • Give grace to one another, as we are each bound to at times to get things wrong and say something we regret. Please post with respect and take accountability if you are called in by a fellow member or moderator on a behavior that was, even unintentionally, harmful. The goal here in the community is the ability to speak truths to one another about inequalities around us without defensiveness. Addressing conflict with the goal of accepting accountability and not repeating harmful behaviors can deepen trust and understanding between one another.

  • Speak directly with one another. Take a moment to reflect on what should be a direct 1:1 conversation with a member of TheLi.st vs. what posts or comments should involve the entire TheLi.st community. If experiencing an issue or conflict that needs to be resolved with a member, we encourage reaching out directly to that member offline. Direct and compassionate conversation with one another when there's an issue creates resolution and trust when miscommunications occur. 

Membership Nomination Form

Please use this form to nominate people for membership to TheLi.st.
Please ensure the person you are nominating is aware you have nominated them and understands there is a membership fee.

Your nominee will get an email from membership@theli.st asking them to complete their application. Both parts will be considered by the membership committee.
Please note: We will be onboarding new members on a monthly basis, so nominees may not hear back from us immediately.

Thank you for helping our community stay strong and vibrant!