“The principal horror of any system which defines the good in terms of profit rather than in terms of human need, or which defines human need to the exclusion of the psychic and emotional components of that need - the principal horror of such a system is that it robs our work of its erotic value, its erotic power and life appeal and fulfillment. Such a system reduces work to a travesty of necessities, a duty by which we earn bread or oblivion for ourselves and those we love.”

— Audre Lorde, The Uses of the Erotic (1978)

I am a queer disabled business. This means so much more than my personal identification as a queer disabled person. It informs my policies, pricing, and work ethic. I operate from the following tenets*: 

  • I take up radical queer and disabled methods for living and being in the world. It’s about thinking, acting, and loving broadly and compassionately. It’s about deliberating acting in opposition to oppressive systems that actively harm and erase vulnerable and marginalized peoples. 

  • Queer and disabled ethics in business move beyond support and centering of 2SLGBTQIA+ peoples. They celebrate and center “non-normal” practices that foster and elicit radical futures and wild dreams.*

  • Business is rooted in capitalism and (re)produces oppression, which works in opposition to the goal of liberation and restorative justice for all. There is always going to be tension between these two modes of being.

  • Mutual respect and healthy boundaries help us reprioritize relationships over transactions as we negotiate living under and operating within capitalist oppressions. 

  • I privilege equity, empathy, care, and transparency. This extends to myself, clients, and prospective clients.

  • We are always learning and evolving. This extends to myself, clients, and prospective clients — and everyone. 

*I am greatly inspired by the work of radical queer, trans, and disabled theorists, activists, and businesses. I borrow directly from Diaspora Co.’s Business Manifesto v.1.0, a company with whom I knew I shared many values when I saw they quoted one of my favorite pieces by one of my favorite theorist-activists, the great Audre Lorde (my epigraph). I’m also influenced by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, whose dreams of “wild disability justice” are beautifully articulated in “To Survive the Trumpocalypse, We Need Wild Disability Justice Dreams” and “Still Dreaming Wild Disability Justice Dreams at the End of the World.”

Policies

Generative AI

I do not support the use of generative AI and will never knowingly and deliberately use it for any work. If you think art or an image in my designs includes genAI elements, please do not hesitate to email me with these concerns. I will investigate and act accordingly. 

I also do not support others’ use of generative AI. Therefore, I will not work on any project that includes genAI in its production, including but not limited to any writing, cover images, and cover design. If an author commissions me for a project that includes any genAI elements, I reserve the right to decline working with them and/or end my working relationship with them. If the author commissions me for a project that does not include any genAI elements but they use generative AI in other work, I reserve the right to decline working with them and/or end my working relationship with them. 

That said, sometimes mistakes happen! As genAI (and assistive AI) develops and strengthens its abilities, it can be increasingly challenging to identify. (If you want tips for spotting the signs in visual art, I recommend Furios Fotog’s primer.) If I notice any genAI elements in an author’s project, I will bring this to their attention and gladly work with them to come up with solutions to remove them. If the author decides to maintain these elements, I reserve the right to end my working relationship with them. 

If you think any projects I have worked on in any capacity uses genAI, please do not hesitate to email me with these concerns. I will investigate and act accordingly. 

Late Fees & Cancellations

While contracts will include agreements about paying late and cancellation fees when applicable, I will not be unnecessarily punitive. I will continue to prioritize flexibility, equity, empathy, and transparency with clients at every stage of our working relationship. All possible late fees and cancellation policies will be clearly stated in the contract and made clear prior to the work beginning.