Welcome to the New Orleans Cybersecurity Meetup (NolaSec)! Our mission is to build a community where people can learn, grow, and respect each other—a place where everyone interested in cybersecurity can connect and succeed. To keep this environment positive and helpful for everyone, we ask that all participants, sponsors, and partners follow these guidelines:

1. Learning, Not Judgement

We want this meetup to be a place where anyone—no matter their background or experience—can learn and grow without feeling judged. Everyone has a unique journey, and we respect each person’s story. Whether you're new or experienced, everyone has something valuable to share. We want everyone to feel comfortable asking questions, talking about their challenges, and celebrating their wins. This results in a friendly space that encourages learning and growth.

2. Respect for Community and Space

Respect is important for everyone in this community and for the places where we hold our events. We expect everyone to treat each other and our hosts with care. This means keeping event spaces clean, avoiding accidents, and acting responsibly to maintain good relationships with those who let us use their spaces. These venues are key to our meetups, and we want to make sure we are always welcome back. This means cleaning up after ourselves, helping out when needed, and showing thanks to those who make our events possible. Respect also means listening to others, valuing different points of view, and being considerate of everyone’s time and efforts.

3. Build Relationships

We welcome sales, marketing, and business professionals who want to be part of our community. But this is not a place for selling products—it’s a place for making real connections and learning. We want you to focus on building relationships and giving value to others. If business opportunities come up naturally, that’s great, but selling directly is not the goal. By sharing your knowledge, offering help, and showing real interest in others, you can build trust within the community. This helps not only you but also makes the whole group stronger, creating a place where everyone can do well.

4. No Sales Pitches in Presentations

Our presentations are meant to be educational—not to sell products or services. Sometimes we invite vendors to share if their tools or ideas can really help the community learn something new. Our focus is on sharing knowledge and experiences to help everyone grow in their cybersecurity journey. We believe that hearing from industry experts can be really useful, but only when the information is helpful. We want presenters to inspire and teach our members by sharing real experiences, practical tips, and lessons learned. We strive to make sure everyone leaves with something useful they can apply.

5. Professionalism and Respect

We expect everyone in this community to act with professionalism, honesty, and respect. Hate speech, bad language, or any kind of negative behavior is not allowed. Let’s make this a positive, fun, and supportive space for everyone. Acting professionally means thinking about how our words and actions affect others. It means being on time, being prepared, and contributing in a way that helps the group. Respect means listening to others, appreciating their efforts, and creating an environment where everyone feels safe and valued. We want this community to be a place where people feel encouraged to grow and succeed, knowing they have the support of their peers.

6. Principles Over Rules

Our Code of Conduct is based on shared principles rather than strict rules. We ask everyone to be honorable, respectful, caring, and friendly. Together, we can build a strong community of knowledge and growth in New Orleans. These principles guide how we behave and interact with each other, helping us create a welcoming and supportive community. We trust that our members will act with integrity and make decisions that match the values of this group. By focusing on principles rather than strict rules, we give everyone the chance to contribute in their own way while keeping the group’s values strong.

Our Commitment

This Code of Conduct helps us keep our meetup safe, fun, and valuable for everyone. We are committed to creating a space where everyone feels welcome, where learning is encouraged, and where connections are built. By working together and following these guidelines, we can make sure our meetup is a helpful resource for everyone who attends. Let’s keep building a community that inspires, supports, and uplifts each other.