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ORGANIZATIONAL BYLAWS

Article I. Mission KhushDC is a grassroots, volunteer-run organization. We are a social, support and political group that provides a safe and supportive environment, promotes awareness and acceptance, and fosters positive cultural, sexual and gender identity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, and additional gender or sexual minority (LGBTQIA+) South Asians/South Asian diaspora in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area (“the DMV area”). 

Article II. Our community 

  1. KhushDC serves South Asian LGBTQIA+ people in the DMV area. We choose not to define membership because our programs serve anyone who self-identifies as LGBTQIA+ and as South Asian or part of the diaspora. 

  2.  We do not charge membership fees to ensure that our programs remain accessible to all. 

Article III. Organization 

  1. KhushDC shall be managed by a board, who will have primary decision-making authority on financial, programming and other organizational decisions and actions.

  2. The DC Center is KhushDC’s fiscal sponsor.

  3. The structure of the board will be non-hierarchical, and each official shall hold the title of “Co-chair.” 

    1. Co-chairs will share equal responsibility for different aspects of running KhushDC, such as, but not limited to, the annual budget, communications, and outreach.

    2.  Programming shall not exclusively be run by co-chairs. Any member of the KhushDC community may propose new programs or take on leadership roles in existing programs. 

    3. Decisions shall be made by consensus, or by some other democratic method determined by the board at the start of their tenure. 

    4. Any two co-chairs will approve an expense before funds are disbursed. A different co-chair or a fiscal sponsor will write checks or otherwise disburse funds. 

  4. There will be no more than 6 co-chairs at a time. During onboarding of new members, the number of board members may exceed 6 for a short duration. This overlap ensures new board members can be trained fully before older members exit.

  5. Each co-chair shall serve on the board for no more than 3 years. 

Article IV: Onboarding a new co-chair

  1. Co-chairs shall make conscientious efforts to ensure a diversity of experiences and identities (such as gender, age, ability, profession, religion, and caste) on the board. 

  2. To be eligible to be a co-chair, an individual must: 

    1. Self-identify as LGBTQIA+; 

    2. Self-identify as South Asian and/or as a person part of the South Asian Diaspora

  3. Interested persons need to fill out an online application

  4. Once the application is reviewed and accepted by the board members the person will be called in for an in person interview

  5. Once approved from the in-person interview the person will enter a probationary period to see if they have the capacity and qualifications to meet the board’s needs and if the board sees them a good fit for the board.

    1. During this probationary period the person is required to complete the following

      1. Complete at least one training or workshop specifically for LGBTQIA+ and/or people of color (POC) community organizations

      2. Spearhead an event of your choice with support of senior board members

    2.  New co-chairs shall be selected based on: 

      1. Their commitment to KhushDC's mission 

      2. Their capacity to spend time on KhushDC duties

      3. Their skills and past experience.

Article V. Community Accountability 

  1.  Every year, the co-chairs shall hold a community forum to: 

    1. Invite feedback on past and future programming 

    2. Share the annual budget for the following year

    3. Hear other concerns of the South Asian LGBTQIA+ community of the DMV area. 

  2. Co-chairs shall make a financial statement available to the public every quarter. 

  3. Pursuant to the organization’s mission, co-chairs shall address conflicts and safety and consent concerns at all KhushDC events.

  4. KhushDC strives to make events accessible and inclusive for all persons; doing its best to proactively offer accommodations for visible and invisible disabilities by:

    1. Hiring an ASL interpreter 

    2. Making sure spaces are ADA compliant and accessible 

    3. Requesting scent free/scent limited spaces

    4. Posting about accessibility or the contact information for someone that can address accessibility needs

    5. Hosting and sharing events centered around different identities in this community to educate ourselves and our community on how to best support all of us within the South Asian LGBTQIA+ community

  5. KhushDC strives to find spaces that are LGBTQIA+ affirming or friendly and make sure that spaces online and in person are respectful and protective of our members identities

    1. KhushDC will also achieve this by hosting and sharing events and workshops centered around the wide array of identities in the LGBTQIA+ community to educate ourselves and our communities on being good allies

  6. KhushDC strives to be inclusive in its representation and activities of all the countries we encompass including those in the diaspora

    1. KhushDC will accomplish this by hosting and sharing events and workshops centered around the wide array of ethnicities, religions and experiences in the South Asian community to grow and foster these relationships

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Adopted by the KhushDC board and community members present on December 10, 2022.    

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