Dear Power Hour Community,

Thank you for your role in creating this space of healing and community. We are sending this email as a special announcement in regards to Power Hour's new "Cameras On" policy.

Power Hour was originally created in 2018 as a space to build intimate connections between Black, Brown, and Indigenous people through face-to-face interaction. When COVID-19 forced us to move the program to a virtual format 12 months ago, we did not know how long COVID-19 would last and how Power Hour would be impacted by being virtual in the long term.

Power Hour's attendance has grown significantly in the last few months, and we've had the opportunity to see the positives that have come with that growth, but also the challenges that have distanced the experience from the heart and vision of the community we're trying to intentionally build.

Brown Hope staff has taken the time to deliberate intentionally about the state of Power Hour, and has made a few decisions in order to ensure we facilitate the most engaging space for community members to be fully present and to actively support other community members.

Effective October 25th, Power Hour will be moving to a mandatory "cameras on" policy. The intent of this policy is to ensure Power Hour community members are more present and engaged during our small break out sessions and collective vibe check. Power Hour participants are expected to follow this new policy if they would like to attend the program and receive the $35 stipend.

We are grateful for everyone who provided feedback at the meeting last night, which has helped us to craft an intentional policy on camera usage. Below are some guidelines to how this policy will be implemented:

Power Hour attendees will be required to have their cameras on when they enter the Power Hour main room: 1) before the official program starts, 2) during the small break out groups, and the vibe check. This window of time is approximately between 6pm-7:10pm.

Power Hour attendees will be permitted to turn their cameras off during the guest speaker presentation, the q&a, and the mindful minute. This is approximately between 7:10-8pm.

Power Hour attendees will be required to arrive by 6:20. Anyone who enters the waiting room at 6:21 or later will not be admitted into the event for the week. Our moderator will be mindful to re-admit any individuals who get booted due to poor internet connectivity.

There will be two exceptions to the mandatory cameras during the small breakouts and vibe check. 1) if a person is speaking and is having connection issues, they can turn their camera off, and 2) a person can take a 5-minute break if they need to. Say "brb/be right back" in the chat so we know your camera is off for a 5-minute break.

Attendees are expected to stay until 7:30 in order to receive the $35 stipend. The Airtable Survey will be password protected and the password will be shared at 7:30 each evening during the program.

Brown Hope will make special accommodations for people who need to have their camera off for reasons related to their immediate physical safety. Attendees requesting this accommodation will have to provide a written explanation as to why their camera being on is a safety issue. Approval of these accommodations will be made at Brown Hope staff’s discretion. Please email powerhour@brownhope.org if you'd like to request a physical safety accommodation.

We are extremely grateful for everyone who has participated in Power Hour during the last year. We know this "cameras on" policy is a change that will take some time to get adjusted to, but we know it is the right decision for the program and the community we are trying to intentionally build.