Making Informed Decisions: A Risk Assessment Worksheet for Public Engagement
Introduction
This interactive worksheet has been designed to help attendees of public events assess their risk of participation. While this worksheet does not provide legal advice, its scope encompasses the many considerations an attendee can make before accepting invitations to public events.
Understanding potential risks empowers individuals, fostering a sense of security, confidence, and preparedness for any situation that involves their participation, status, and right to engage in meaningful dialogue and community-building activities.
Step 1: Review the details of the event
Ask yourself the following questions and take note whether your responses make you feel more or less comfortable attending the event in question.
Location:
Is the event located in public or in private? Is it outside or inside?
If it is located at a public venue or a venue that can host multiple events at the same time, look into what other events may overlap with the one you’re attending to get a feel of who will be at the venue at the same time.
Has there been recent ICE/national guard/police activity in the area?
Check the local news in the area and note how recently the activity took place.
Do you need to travel to this location? If so, how will you have to travel?
Each method of travel carries its own risks. It can be helpful to look into the risks associated with each method and prepare accordingly. You should consider making a travel emergency preparedness plan no matter the method of travel you choose.
Airplane
The documentation you need to bring to the airport will depend on your status. Generally, most individuals need a REAL ID or a passport (either from the U.S. or another country) when traveling via airplane.
Due to recent policy changes, you may face additional screening during TSA’s security screening.
Train, Bus, or Public Transportation
Your identification may be checked while boarding or onboard the train.
While you don’t specifically need a REAL ID to travel on a train or a bus, you still should have valid identification.
Car
If you are driving you will need a valid driver’s license at all times. Even if you are a passenger, it may be helpful to have a valid form of identification with you.
Depending on where you are driving, you may be stopped by police or ICE. If you are stopped, you still have rights and you should assert them.
Leadership:
Who is organizing the event? Is it an organization or individual you trust? Have you worked with the organizers before on prior events?
If you have, what kind of experience did you have? Would you feel comfortable having a similar experience again?
Do the organizers have prior experience hosting similar events?
Do you know people who have been to their prior events? What kind of feedback have you heard?
Do the organizers have a safety protocol prepared if ICE/police were to show up?
Will there be an immigration attorney or human rights expert present to help support attendees?
Will the event have its own security?
Attendance:
Who will be physically and/or virtually attending?
Consider all individuals who may be present, including staff, volunteers, facilitators/moderators, attendees, and even people who may pass by if the event is held outside or in a public space.
Will there be public figures or government officials in attendance?
If public figures or government officials are present, the event may garner more media attention or require stronger security measures.
Audience:
Who is the event intended for?
What is the goal of this event?
Is this goal something you feel comfortable publicly supporting?
What statement is being made?
Is this statement in line with your values?
Will this event call out public officials by name?
Naming public officials may increase the event’s media attention or inspire backlash, depending on the message shared.
Publicity:
Will this event be publicized?
Will there be press present?
If there will be press present, ask yourself what media organizations may be involved and if you feel comfortable engaging with them.
Do you have a plan to politely decline speaking to the press if you don’t feel comfortable engaging with them?
If you would like to speak with the press, reference this guide for key recommendations on preparing your story.
Will there be photos taken?
Have they communicated that nametags or identifying documents will be blurred out/censored in photos?
If you don’t feel comfortable taking photos, do you have the option to decline to have photos taken of you or to decline to sign a media release or consent form?
If you’re concerned about the possibility of press and media coverage, look into connecting with the event’s communications team in advance. You can do so by reaching out to the event organizer or your contact at the organization hosting the event and either asking to speak with their communications team or sharing any questions you have for their team to address over email or phone communication.
Will social media content be created from the event and shared? If so, do you feel comfortable being featured in this content?
Will the list of attendees be publicized? If so, will your full name be included or could you use a pseudonym?
Step 2: Consider your own personal factors
Your level of risk when attending an event may vary depending on your legal status. Use the following questions to outline whether or not you would feel comfortable attending this event. Your answers should be considered in tandem with your answers to the previous section.
What is your legal status?
Check the most recent policy updates that might affect your status. Different statuses will have varying levels of risk.
Are you currently in any immigration or legal proceedings? Are your family members involved in immigration or legal proceedings?
If you are in any current immigration or legal proceedings this may increase your level of risk while traveling or attending an event and you may want to speak with your legal representation in advance.
What is your public profile?
Have you spoken out in the past? Do you already have a public profile?
What do you want your public profile to be? Is this event in line with your vision?
What does your digital footprint look like? Have you been confronted online in the past?
Would attending this event possibly open you up to online harassment? Do you have plans in place to address any harassment (i.e. deleting comments, blocking malicious accounts, deactivating comments on posts, etc.)?
Step 3: Decide how to proceed with caution
This section will help you consider different options to reduce risk if you were to attend the event. Safety, in all aspects including, digital, physical, emotional, and mental safety, cannot be guaranteed at any event. However, you can be informed and prepared with possible risk mitigation strategies.
How can you mitigate risk?
Is virtual or written participation an option?
If physical, in-person attendance makes you uncomfortable, these avenues may allow you to still participate in the goal of the event while not having to take on the risk of being physically present.
What steps can you take to protect your physical safety?
When you first enter a venue, locate all exits. Knowing where they are ahead of time can make it easier to leave quickly in case of an emergency, especially if the main exit gets crowded.
Take note of who is in the room and what their roles are. You may want to identify any relevant event organizers, volunteers, security personnel, or individuals you could reach out to if you feel unsafe.
Keep track of your surroundings. When you arrive you’ll want to take a quick observation of the venue, who is inside, and if anything feels suspicious to you. Regularly assessing your surroundings and being situationally aware can help you consistently evaluate whether or not you feel safe at the event.
Above all else, trust your instincts. If you feel unsafe or uncomfortable, don’t second guess yourself and act accordingly.
What steps can you take to protect your digital safety?
On every social media platform, if two-factor authentication is an option, ensure it is turned on. This secures your accounts and decreases the likelihood that they will be hacked.
Avoid using public or unsecured wifi while at the event. Logging into any accounts while using public wifi that doesn’t require a password to access can put your usernames and passwords at risk. If you have to use it, don’t log into any secured or important platforms.
Avoid posting in real time. Posting on social media while you are at an event makes it easier for people online to know where you are at any given moment and they could confront you in person. Wait to post about an event until a couple days after the event has passed to reduce the likelihood of someone tracking you.
If you decide to post on social media while you are still at the event, remove any geotagging features and consider your surroundings. Does your photo include easily identifiable landmarks? Could someone figure out where you are by just looking at the background?
Ask consent before posting photos with other people online. Make sure the individuals in your photo are comfortable with you posting it on social media and/or tagging them in the post.
Know your rights
An important step to mitigating risk is being informed! Knowing your rights and knowing what to do in a variety of scenarios can help you feel more confident and comfortable when attending an event.
Know your boundaries
After considering all aspects of the event, your personal factors, and what you can do to mitigate risk, you should consider what your boundaries are for the event.
What is a dealbreaker for you? What occurrence or action would mean you immediately leave the event?
Having these boundaries decided before you enter an event means you are better equipped to recognize situations that might be uncomfortable for you and to act according to your comfort level.
Once you have outlined your boundaries, be prepared to confidently assert them.
You should feel empowered to advocate for yourself at all times. You can verbally tell someone your boundaries if they mention anything that would make you uncomfortable or make you want to leave.
If someone pushes back on your boundaries and you feel you aren’t being respected, you always have the option to leave at any time. Don’t feel embarrassed to assert your boundaries, and if needed, excuse yourself from an event.
Conclusion
Risk assessments and personal safety look different for each individual, and we encourage you to always act according to your own personal comfort level even if it looks different than others. Do not feel pressured to compromise your safety, identity, or comfort.
Your level of risk does not detract from the value you bring to every event you participate in. We are inspired by your bravery to share your story, identity, and experiences, and we invite you to use this worksheet as a resource to ensure you feel just as uplifted as those who share space with you (or hear your story).
Based on Safety in Storytelling: A How to Guide from Leaders With Lived Experience from the Refugee Advocacy Lab, Refugee Congress, and Refugee Storytellers Collective, and with thanks to Refugee Council USA (RCUSA) staff for their support in creating this worksheet.
Download the full worksheet to access the one-page Risk Assessment Checklist and Resource Appendix.
