Community Consent

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This training focuses on consent in grassroots and crisis response settings—not legal or clinical consent frameworks.

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What Is Community Consent?

Community consent refers to:

• Seeking approval or input from those directly impacted before taking action
• Centering collective will, not just individual choices
• Recognizing the history, trauma, and boundaries of a specific group or place

It asks:
“Who is affected, and did they ask for this?”

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Why It Matters

Taking action without community consent can:

• Reproduce harm—even if unintentionally
• Disempower or override those we claim to support
• Trigger surveillance, retaliation, or trauma
• Erode trust between organizers and communities

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Consent Is More Than “Yes or No”

Level	Example	Red Flags
Informational	“Did we explain what’s happening and why?”	People nod silently but ask no questions
Meaningful	“Did people feel safe enough to say no?”	Consent given quickly or hesitantly
Ongoing	“Are we checking in and updating as plans evolve?”	Plans shift without telling affected folks
Collective	“Did the right people/groups help shape this?”	Only leadership consulted, not base community
Language Access	“Is this info available in the languages people speak?”	Consent forms are only in English

It’s not about getting a signature. It’s about honoring boundaries throughout every stage of action.

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Context Is Everything

Before acting, ask:

• What’s the history of this issue here?
• Who has been most impacted and how have they responded?
• Are we acting with, not for, the community?
• Are we replicating outside saviorism or extractive attention?

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Examples of Violating Consent

Action Taken	Without Consent	Harm Caused
Filming a raid or protest	No input from affected families	Trauma, doxxing, state retaliation
Organizing a vigil in someone's name	No family/community consultation	Undermines healing, retraumatization
Launching aid or patrols	Without local group involvement	Confusion, duplication, resentment

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Practicing Respectful Solidarity

Respecting consent means:

• Listening first – Don’t rush to act
• Asking permission – Not just informing, but inviting participation
• Deferring leadership – Uplift those closest to the issue
• Being accountable – Own mistakes, even when unintentional

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Tools for Practicing Consent

• Community briefings – Gather input before launching projects
• Advisory councils – Include impacted folks in planning
• Consent checkpoints – Pause during actions to re-evaluate support
• Language access – Ensure people understand before giving consent
• Power mapping – Identify who is most affected vs. most visible

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Consent in ICE Tea Actions

In the ICE Tea ecosystem, community consent shapes:

• Whether we respond to a report or stand down
• Who leads a field team (must reflect local dynamics)
• What data we gather and how it's used
• How we document public actions or raids

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When Consent Is Withheld

If a family, community, or affinity group says:

• “Please don’t show up”
• “Don’t film here”
• “We’re not ready”

Then we stop. No justification—urgency, optics, or media—outweighs a direct refusal.

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Building Cultures of Consent

• Normalize asking: “Is this okay with you?”
• Welcome feedback—even if it’s a hard no
• Teach newcomers how to engage respectfully
• Reflect often on whose consent we forgot to seek

“Nothing about us without us” applies at all levels of action and decision-making.

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Practice Scenarios

1. A family is being targeted by ICE. You want to organize a rally in front of their home.
   ❓ What do you do first?

2. You’re coordinating aid at a site where people are hesitant to share names or locations.
   ❓ How do you respect their agency while offering help?

3. A trusted org asks for no documentation at an event. A volunteer starts filming.
   ❓ What is your role in upholding that boundary?

4. A Cantonese-speaking elder says “do what you think is best” during a planning meeting.
   ❓ What cultural norms might be influencing their response? How can you follow up respectfully?

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Reflection Questions

• Have I ever acted without full community consent? What happened?
• What’s the difference between “informed” and “meaningful” consent?
• What would change in our group if we slowed down and asked more?

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Consequences for Violations

ICE Tea Consent Violations Policy

• First violation: Mandatory retraining + community-informed apology
• Repeated violations: Suspension from field roles
• Egregious harm (e.g., doxxing, non-consensual documentation): Permanent deactivation

Certified Readiness

To certify in this module, you should be able to:

• Explain the core dimensions of community consent
• Name at least 3 practices that uphold it
• Identify what to do when consent is denied or unclear
• Describe how consent applies to real-world dispatch scenarios

Once confident, proceed to take the certification assessment.