Soul Descendants (a fiscally sponsored project of State Democracy Project) | Nassau & Suffolk Counties, Long Island, NY Tagline: Solidarity Starts With You Effective Date: October 2026 Version: v7 (Pre-Launch)
What This Notice Is For
This notice explains how Soul Descendants collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal information when you participate in our programs, complete surveys, sign up for updates, or otherwise share data with us.
This is not a legal document. It is a plain-language commitment to you about how we handle what you share with us. If you want the full policy document, ask us and we will provide it.
Who We Are
Soul Descendants is a pre-launch nonprofit-in-formation. We are a fiscally sponsored project of State Democracy Project (SDP). SDP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We are building toward community spaces in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, Long Island, New York.
Contact: info@souldescendants.org Website: souldescendants.org
We are currently in development. Our programs are designed but not yet proven at scale. We are honest about this because overclaiming is a first failure.
What Data We Collect
When You Participate in Programs
Sweet Connections Pop-Ups:
- Name (optional)
- Email address (optional)
- Phone number (optional)
- Neighborhood/community or zip code (optional) — never your home address
- Survey responses about your experience (all optional)
- How you heard about us (optional)
- Who lives in your home (optional) — we only look at totals, to plan gatherings that work for every generation
- How you describe your race or ethnicity (optional) — we ask because on Long Island people have been treated differently because of race, including in housing. We keep it as an internal record only: we move your answer to a separate list with no names, look only at totals, and never share it, add it to our contact list, or put it into AI tools
Sweet Soul Circle (our private online space on Hylo):
- The name and profile details you choose to share on Hylo
- Your answer to our join question (where you first heard about us), plus anything you choose to add to your profile or introduction post (for example, skills and interests)
- What you post or message in the circle (offers, requests, events, discussions)
- Location (optional — you don’t need to add one)
The circle is for adults 18 and older. Hylo is a separate platform with its own Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which apply to what you post there. Hylo’s Terms give Hylo a lasting license to content posted on its platform, so please share only what you’re comfortable with. We don’t copy circle posts, offers or requests into our other systems, and we never put them into AI tools. You can leave the circle at any time.
Community Input (optional): Pol.is and paper
At some gatherings we invite people to share what they think, in two ways:
- Online (Pol.is): you read short statements from neighbors, vote agree / disagree / pass, and can add your own statement. We set it up so you don’t need to sign in or give your name. A link to it may appear on the thank-you screen of our survey.
- On paper: a dot board (place a sticker under Agree / Not sure / Disagree), write-in cards, or a paper copy of our survey. You never need to add your name.
Please know:
- Statements you add on Pol.is are seen by other participants. That’s how it works: people react to each other’s ideas. We review each statement before it appears, so please leave out names or anything that could identify you or someone else.
- Pol.is is run by The Computational Democracy Project, a separate nonprofit, under its own Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Pol.is collects some information automatically (such as your internet address, device type and cookies), uses Google Translate and Google Analytics, uses an automated filter to screen statements, and uses AI tools to help write its reports. Its Terms give it a lasting license to statements posted there. Pol.is is for people 16 and older; at SD tables we offer it to adults.
- Paper: we type up cards and forms within 7 days and shred the paper within 30 days after that. Dot-board sheets are counted, not typed. Paper is never left unattended.
- We share what we heard as themes and counts only (for example, “12 neighbors added ideas about housing”), never statements traced to a person.
Healing Circles (a future offering):
⚠️ NOTE: Healing Circles are not yet active. They launch only after an attorney consult (N-08) and once a real community is ready for them. This section describes our intended data practices for when Healing Circles launch.
- Name (required for cohort continuity)
- Email address (required for communication)
- Phone number (optional)
- Intake survey responses (some required for safety, most optional)
- Emergency contact information (required)
Cognitive Sovereignty Pilot (a future small-group series):
- Name (required)
- Email address (required)
- Phone number (required)
- Application responses (required for enrollment decisions)
- Emergency contact information (required)
What We Do NOT Collect
We do not collect the following unless there is a specific safety or program need that we explain to you in advance:
- Social Security numbers
- Financial account information (except for donation processing through secure third parties)
- Immigration status
- Criminal history
- Medical records or diagnoses
- Detailed trauma histories
If we ever need to collect sensitive information for a specific purpose, we will:
- Tell you exactly why we need it
- Explain how it will be stored
- Explain who will have access
- Give you the option to decline without losing access to the program
When You Visit Our Website
Our website (souldescendants.org) uses Google Analytics to count visits and clicks — for example, how many people open a page or click through to our survey or a donation page. Google Analytics uses cookies and collects information such as your device and browser type, the page you came from and your general area (city level, not your address). We look at totals only, never who you are, and we never use it to build a profile of you. WordPress.com, which hosts our site, also keeps basic visit counts.
You can say no: block or delete cookies in your browser settings, or use Google’s opt-out add-on at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. The website works the same either way.
Your Choice, Every Time
The first question on every SD form asks whether you agree to go on. Every other question is optional. You can skip any question, and saying no never affects your access to anything SD offers.
“I understand that my responses are voluntary, that they will be kept confidential, and that they will be used only as described in Soul Descendants’ privacy notice (souldescendants.org/privacy). I can skip any question.”
● I understand and agree to proceed
○ I do not want to proceed
If You Join a Future Small-Group Series
Healing Circles and the Cognitive Sovereignty Pilot are not running yet. When they do:
- What you share in the group is never written down, stored or shared. Facilitators keep only brief notes about attendance and how the group is doing, never about what you said.
- Sensitive things stay in the room. If you mention immigration status, organizing history, involvement with the justice system or harm by an institution, it is never recorded anywhere.
- The group keeps each other’s confidence. What other members share stays in the room, too.
- Nothing moves on without asking you. If you later step into a leadership role, we will ask your permission before sharing anything about you.
How We Use Your Data
Primary Uses
We use your data for the following purposes only:
- Program Communication — Sending you information about events you signed up for, schedule changes, or follow-up resources
- Program Design — Understanding what works, what doesn’t, and what you want to see next
- Community Findings Snapshots — Aggregated, anonymized data shared back to the community within 30 days of each event
- Safety — Emergency contact information used only in case of medical or safety emergencies during programs
- Grant Reporting — Aggregated, anonymized data only (no individual names or identifiable information)
- Reach Counts — How many people used a link or QR code we shared, or visited our website (counts only, never who clicked)
What We Do NOT Do With Your Data
We do not:
- Sell your information to anyone
- Share your information with third parties (except as required by law or for safety emergencies)
- Use your information for marketing purposes beyond what you explicitly signed up for
- Share your survey responses with other participants (Pol.is statements are the one exception: other participants see them by design — see Community Input)
- Use your stories or quotes without your written permission for that specific use (we remove names unless you ask to be named)
- Put your personal information into AI tools (one narrow exception for anonymous community statements — see AI and Data Processing)
How Long We Keep Your Data
| Data Type | Retention Period | What Happens After |
|---|---|---|
| Survey responses (Sweet Connections) | 2 years | Anonymized for analysis; identifiable data deleted |
| Contact information (email list) | Until you unsubscribe | Deleted upon request |
| Sweet Soul Circle (Hylo) join answers | While you’re a member | Deleted from our records within 30 days of leaving; only totals kept (for example, how many people found us at a table) |
| Healing Circle intake forms | 2 years after cohort ends | Deleted; anonymized themes retained |
| CS Pilot applications | 2 years after cohort ends | Deleted; anonymized themes retained |
| Emergency contact information | Duration of program + 30 days | Deleted |
| Pol.is statements and votes (SD’s Pol.is conversation) | 2 years after the conversation closes | SD deletes the conversation; only totals and themes kept. Pol.is may keep its own records under its policy |
| Paper cards, forms and dot-board sheets | Typed up or counted within 7 days | Paper shredded within 30 days after; totals kept |
| Link and QR-code click counts | 2 years | Counts only, never who clicked |
| Website analytics (Google Analytics) | No more than 14 months, under our account settings | Google deletes the detailed data; we keep only monthly totals |
| Community Findings Snapshot data | Permanent (anonymized only) | Never includes identifiable information |
You can ask us to delete your data at any time. Email info@souldescendants.org with “Data Deletion Request” in the subject line. We will respond within 14 days.
Who Has Access to Your Data
Internal Access
| Role | Access Level | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Ashley (designated interim lead) | Full access | Program design, safety, compliance |
| Program Facilitators | Limited to their participants | Facilitation, safety, communication |
| A future board, if SD forms its own | Aggregated data only | Governance, oversight |
| Volunteers/Contributors | No access to PII | Role does not require it |
External Access
We do not share your personal information with external parties except in the following circumstances:
- Legal Requirement — If required by law, court order, or government investigation
- Safety Emergency — If there is imminent risk of harm to you or others (see Safety and Reporting below)
- Service Providers — Secure third parties who process data on our behalf. These parties are contractually prohibited from using your data for any other purpose.
Current Service Providers:
- Google Workspace (document storage, email, Google Forms surveys)
- HubSpot (free tier — contact management/CRM)
- Sender (email newsletters and automations)
- ActBlue Charities through SDP (donation processing — SDP is our fiscal sponsor)
- KoBoToolbox (field surveys, offline-capable)
- WordPress.com (website hosting)
- Linktree (link page for our social media profiles)
- Hylo (our private online community space, Sweet Soul Circle; Hylo has its own Terms and Privacy Policy)
- Pol.is, run by The Computational Democracy Project (optional community input; its own Terms and Privacy Policy)
- Google Analytics (website visit and click counts; uses cookies — see When You Visit Our Website)
- Zapier (automation routing between platforms)
Important fiscal sponsor note: State Democracy Project (SDP) is Soul Descendants’ fiscal sponsor and processes all organizational finances. SDP does NOT receive or access participant personal data. Donation processing through ActBlue routes to SDP for financial management only — no participant data is shared with SDP beyond what you provide at the point of donation.
Your Rights
You have the following rights regarding your data:
| Right | How to Exercise It | Response Time |
|---|---|---|
| Access — Ask what data we have about you | Email info@souldescendants.org | Within 14 days |
| Correction — Ask us to fix inaccurate data | Email info@souldescendants.org | Within 14 days |
| Deletion — Ask us to delete your data | Email info@souldescendants.org | Within 14 days |
| Opt-Out — Stop receiving communications | Click “unsubscribe” in any email OR email us | Immediate |
| Export — Get a copy of your data | Email info@souldescendants.org | Within 30 days |
| Restriction — Limit how we use your data | Email info@souldescendants.org | Within 14 days |
No one will be turned away from programs for exercising these rights.
Data Security
How We Protect Your Data
We use the following security measures:
- Secure Storage — All data is stored in password-protected systems (Google Drive, HubSpot)
- Access Controls — Only authorized team members have access; access is role-based
- No Personal Devices — Participant data is not stored on personal phones, laptops, or email accounts
- Encryption — All data transmission uses HTTPS/SSL encryption
- Regular Review — Data access is reviewed quarterly
If Something Goes Wrong
If your personal information is ever exposed, we will tell you within 72 hours of finding out, explain what happened and what we’re doing about it, and get legal advice about New York’s notice rules.
What We Do NOT Do
We do not:
- Send participant lists via unencrypted email
- Store participant data in personal cloud accounts (Dropbox, personal Google Drive, etc.)
- Share passwords or access credentials
- Leave printed participant lists unattended
- Discuss participant information in public spaces
Safety and Reporting
What We Will Do If Someone Is in Danger
If you or someone else is in immediate danger at an SD gathering, here is what we will do:
- Help get safe first — We will call 911 for an emergency, or help you reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
- Connect you with support — We will offer a warm hand-off to a person or service who can help. SD is a community space, not a crisis, clinical or domestic-violence service.
- Tell you first — If we ever need to involve anyone else, we will tell you before we do, unless telling you would put someone at greater risk.
- Keep it private — We write down only what happened and what we did, with no more detail than needed, and we keep it secure.
Before Healing Circles Launch
Healing Circles and other healing-centered programs are not running yet. An attorney will confirm what the law requires before Healing Circles launch, and we will update this notice to say plainly what that means for what you share.
Community Findings Snapshot
What It Is
Within 30 days of every Sweet Connections pop-up, Healing Circle cohort, and CS Pilot cohort, we publish a Community Findings Snapshot — a plain-language document that shares back:
- What we heard (anonymized quotes and themes)
- What we’re doing with what we heard
- When the next event is
- What resources we had on hand
What It Does NOT Include
The Snapshot never includes:
- Names or identifying information
- Specific quotes that could identify someone
- Sensitive personal information
- Anything you shared “off the record”
This is non-negotiable infrastructure. The Community Findings Snapshot is how we show you that we heard you — not in six months, not in a grant report, but within 30 days, in plain language you can actually read.
This is how trust gets built. Not through promises. Through follow-through.
AI and Data Processing
Our AI Use Policy
Soul Descendants uses AI tools for certain organizational tasks (drafting documents, brainstorming, research). However:
We NEVER put the following into AI tools:
- Participant names
- Contact information
- Stories shared in circles or programs
- Survey responses with identifiable information
- Anything said in confidence
What we MAY use AI for:
- Drafting public-facing documents (like this notice)
- Finding themes in anonymous, moderated community statements (for example, approved Pol.is statements or typed-up write-in cards with nothing identifying). Statement text only; never names, never anything that points to a person
- Brainstorming program ideas
- Research on best practices
- Editing for plain language
Pol.is’s own tools: if you use Pol.is, The Computational Democracy Project may run statements through its own automated filter, translation and AI tools under its policy. That is separate from what SD does.
This is a SEEDS position, not just a policy. Participant data belongs to the participants. SD is the steward, not the owner.
Sharing This Notice
This notice is posted on our website at souldescendants.org/privacy and is publicly accessible without an account. It is linked from our surveys and sign-up forms, and a paper copy is at every SD table. If you cannot access it, email info@souldescendants.org and we will send you a copy directly.
Changes to This Notice
We may update this notice as our organization grows or as laws change. When we do:
- We will notify you — Via email if you’re on our contact list
- We will post the new version — On our website and at program events
- We will explain what changed — In plain language
- We will not apply changes retroactively — Without your consent
What changed in v7: we added how our website counts visits and clicks with Google Analytics, how it uses cookies, and how to say no.
What changed in v6: we added two optional survey questions — who lives in your home, and how you describe your race or ethnicity — and how we protect those answers.
What changed in v5: we added community input (Pol.is and paper): what we collect, what others can see, and how long we keep it. We added “Your Choice, Every Time,” a section for future small groups, reach counts for links and QR codes, a 72-hour promise if your information is ever exposed, and a clearer “Safety and Reporting” section. Our team’s internal rules now live in our internal policy, not in this notice.
Current Version: v7 (Pre-Launch) Last Updated: October 2026 Next Review Date: October 2027 (or upon launch of Healing Circles / CS Pilot, whichever comes first)
How to Contact Us
Privacy Questions or Requests
Email: info@souldescendants.org Subject Line: “Privacy Request” or “Data Deletion Request” Response Time: Within 14 days
Complaints or Concerns
If you believe we have violated this notice or mishandled your data:
- Contact us first — Email info@souldescendants.org with “Privacy Complaint” in the subject line
- We will investigate — Within 14 days, we will respond with findings and any corrective action
- If unresolved — You may file a complaint with the New York State Attorney General’s Charities Bureau
Our Team’s Rules
Everyone who helps run SD follows our written internal privacy rules and signs a volunteer agreement before seeing any participant information. Only the people who need information for their role can see it.
Acknowledgment
By participating in Soul Descendants programs, completing our surveys, or signing up for our communications, you acknowledge that you have read or had the opportunity to read this Data Privacy Notice.
You do not have to sign anything. Your participation is your acknowledgment. If you do not agree with this notice, you are welcome to participate without sharing data — just let us know and we will accommodate you.
Sharing is always optional. Exit ramps are always available.
Soul Descendants — a fiscally sponsored project of State Democracy Project · Solidarity Starts With You · info@souldescendants.org
Appendix: Plain Language Summary
In 3 Sentences:
- We collect only what we need to run programs and communicate with you, and you can skip any question or ask us to delete your data at any time.
- We don’t sell or share your information with anyone, and we never put your personal information into AI tools.
- Within 30 days of every event, we share back what we heard (without names) so you know we actually listened.
Key Rights:
- You can ask us to delete your data anytime
- You can stop receiving emails anytime
- You can participate without sharing personal information
- You can ask what data we have about you
Contact: info@souldescendants.org
