Privacy Policy

Ras Tafari Inc, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, operates SelassieFest and the website at selassiefest.com. This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and the rights you have over your data.

By visiting our website or registering for SelassieFest through our ticketing partners, you agree to the practices described below. If you do not agree, please do not submit your information to us.

1. Who we are

Ras Tafari Inc is a registered Illinois nonprofit corporation and federally recognized 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. We produce SelassieFest, a free annual cultural festival in Chicago celebrating Rastafari heritage, African diaspora culture, roots reggae, and community.

2. Information we collect

We collect personal information in two ways: directly from you, and through third-party ticketing platforms you use to register for the festival.

Information you give us directly:

• Name and email address when you contact us, sign up for our mailing list, or inquire about sponsorship or volunteering
• Phone number or organization name if provided in a contact or vendor inquiry form
• Any message content you send to us via email or contact forms

Information collected through ticketing partners:

SelassieFest uses TicketTailor and Humanitix to manage ticket registration. When you register through these platforms, they collect your name, email, and registration details under their own privacy policies. We receive a copy of your registration data (name, email, ticket type) to manage attendance and communicate festival updates.

Please review their policies directly:

• TicketTailor Privacy Policy
• Humanitix Privacy Policy

Information collected automatically:

• Basic web server logs (IP address, browser type, pages visited, referral URL) for security and site performance. This data is not linked to your identity.
• GitHub Pages, which hosts this site, may collect standard access logs. See GitHub's Privacy Statement.

3. How we use your information

We use personal information only for legitimate purposes connected to our nonprofit mission:

• Festival operations — confirming registrations, sending event updates, gate check-in, and safety communications
• Volunteer and vendor coordination — communicating with volunteers, vendors, and sponsors about their roles
• Donor communications — acknowledging donations and sending required tax receipts as a 501(c)(3) organization
• Newsletter and updates — sending future festival announcements to attendees who have opted in
• Legal compliance — meeting IRS requirements, maintaining required nonprofit records, and responding to lawful requests

4. When we share information

We share personal information only in limited circumstances:

• Service providers — TicketTailor and Humanitix process ticket registrations; email tools used for our newsletter. These parties receive only the data necessary to perform their function.
• Legal requirements — We may disclose information when required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or to protect the rights and safety of our community.
• Nonprofit reporting — Aggregate (never individually identifying) attendance data may appear in our IRS Form 990 or grant reports.

We do not share your information with sponsors, advertisers, or any other third parties for marketing purposes.

5. Children's privacy

SelassieFest is a family-friendly, all-ages event. However, our website and ticketing platforms are not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has submitted personal information to us, please contact us at selassiefest@gmail.com and we will promptly delete it.

6. How long we keep your data

We retain personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes described above or as required by law:

• Attendee registration data — retained for up to 3 years after the festival for safety, grant reporting, and historical documentation purposes
• Donation records — retained for 7 years as required by IRS nonprofit recordkeeping rules
• Email list subscribers — retained until you unsubscribe
• General contact inquiries — deleted after 12 months if no ongoing relationship exists

7. Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access — Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction — Ask us to correct inaccurate information
• Deletion — Request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal retention requirements
• Opt-out of emails — Unsubscribe from our mailing list at any time using the unsubscribe link in any email, or by contacting us directly
• Portability — Request your data in a portable format where technically feasible

8. Security

We take reasonable steps to protect the personal information we hold. Our website is hosted on GitHub Pages over HTTPS. Ticketing data is secured by TicketTailor and Humanitix under their own security practices. Email communications use standard industry encryption.

9. Third-party links

Our website links to sponsor pages, social media platforms, ticketing platforms, and other external sites. This Privacy Policy applies only to selassiefest.com. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of external websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any site you visit.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the effective date at the top of this page. For material changes, we will make reasonable efforts to notify registered attendees via email. Continued use of our website after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact us about privacy

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please reach out: