Terms of Service

Agreement to Terms

By accessing or using Mentor Me Black ("Platform," "Service," "we," "us," or "our"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use the Platform.

These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Mentor Me Black. We reserve the right to update these Terms at any time. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance.

Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old to use this Platform. By using the Service, you represent and warrant that:

• You are at least 18 years of age
• You have the legal capacity to enter into this agreement
• All information you provide is accurate and complete
• You will comply with all applicable laws and regulations
• You have not been previously banned from the Platform

Platform Purpose

Mentor Me Black is a 100% free platform connecting mentees with volunteer mentors for life advancement through authentic Black-to-Black mentorship. The Platform facilitates:

• Mentor-mentee matching based on location, expertise, and preferences
• Secure messaging between matched pairs
• Session scheduling and management
• Feedback and rating systems
• Community building and collaboration

This is NOT a professional counseling, therapy, or medical service. Mentors are volunteers sharing lived experience, not licensed professionals.

User Accounts

Account Creation

• You must create an account to use the Platform
• You are responsible for maintaining account security
• You must provide accurate and current information
• One person may have one account (no duplicate accounts)
• You may not impersonate others or misrepresent your identity

Account Security

• Keep your password confidential
• Notify us immediately of unauthorized access
• You are responsible for all activity under your account
• We are not liable for losses from unauthorized use

User Responsibilities

As a Mentee

• Respect your mentor's time and expertise
• Show up to scheduled sessions or provide advance notice
• Engage authentically and come prepared
• Provide honest feedback to help improve the Platform
• Honor confidentiality and trust

As a Mentor

• Maintain professional boundaries
• Provide guidance based on lived experience, not professional advice
• Respect mentee autonomy and decision-making
• Honor scheduled commitments or provide advance notice
• Do not use the Platform for commercial solicitation
• Limit active mentee relationships to your stated capacity (1-6)

Prohibited Conduct

You may not use the Platform to:

• Harass, threaten, or abuse other users
• Post or share discriminatory, hateful, or violent content
• Engage in sexual harassment or solicitation
• Impersonate others or misrepresent credentials
• Spam, scam, or engage in fraudulent activity
• Violate others' privacy or intellectual property
• Attempt to hack, disrupt, or damage the Platform
• Scrape, collect, or harvest user data
• Promote commercial products or services (mentors volunteering for free)
• Use the Platform for illegal purposes

Violations may result in immediate account suspension or termination.

Content and Intellectual Property

Platform Content

All content on the Platform (design, text, graphics, code, trademarks) is owned by Mentor Me Black or licensed to us. You may not:

• Copy, modify, or distribute Platform content without permission
• Use our trademarks or branding without written consent
• Reverse engineer or attempt to extract source code

User Content

You retain ownership of content you post (messages, profiles, feedback). By posting, you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide license to:

• Display your content on the Platform
• Use anonymized/aggregated data for platform improvement
• Share testimonials publicly (with your explicit consent)

You represent that you own or have permission to post all content you submit.

Free Service

Mentor Me Black is 100% free for all users. We do not charge subscription fees, transaction fees, or access fees. The Platform is funded by corporate sponsorships, grants, and investor backing.

Mentors volunteer their time for free. Mentees should not offer payment for mentorship sessions. Any exchange of money between users violates these Terms.

Privacy and Data

Your privacy is important to us. Our data practices are described in our Privacy Policy. By using the Platform, you consent to data collection and use as described.

Messages are private between matched users. We do not read or monitor messages except in response to abuse reports.

Disclaimers

No Professional Services

Mentor Me Black is NOT a substitute for professional counseling, therapy, legal advice, or medical services. Mentors are volunteers sharing lived experience, not licensed professionals. Always seek appropriate professional help for serious issues.

Platform Provided "As Is"

The Platform is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind, express or implied. We do not guarantee:

• Uninterrupted or error-free service
• Accuracy or reliability of content
• Compatibility with all devices or browsers
• Successful mentor-mentee matches
• Specific outcomes from mentorship relationships

User Relationships

We facilitate connections but are not responsible for:

• Quality or outcomes of mentorship relationships
• Conduct of users outside the Platform
• Disputes between mentors and mentees
• Accuracy of user profiles or credentials

Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Mentor Me Black and its founders are NOT liable for:

• Indirect, incidental, or consequential damages
• Lost profits, data, or business opportunities
• Damages from use or inability to use the Platform
• Damages from user conduct or content
• Damages from third-party services (Supabase, Vercel)

Our total liability shall not exceed $100 or the amount you paid to use the Platform (which is $0).

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Mentor Me Black, its founders, and affiliates from claims, damages, and expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

• Your use of the Platform
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of others' rights
• Content you post or share

Termination

We may suspend or terminate your account at any time for:

• Violation of these Terms
• Fraudulent or illegal activity
• Abusive or harassing behavior
• Multiple user complaints
• Any reason at our sole discretion

You may delete your account at any time through your profile settings. Upon termination, your access ends immediately, though certain data may be retained as described in our Privacy Policy.

Dispute Resolution

Informal Resolution

Before filing a claim, contact us at support@mentormeblack.com to attempt informal resolution (required 30-day period).

Arbitration

If informal resolution fails, disputes will be resolved through binding arbitration (not court), except:

• Small claims court disputes (under $10,000)
• Intellectual property disputes
• Claims for injunctive relief

Class Action Waiver

You agree to resolve disputes individually, not as part of a class action, consolidated, or representative proceeding.

Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of California, United States, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any legal action must be brought in state or federal courts in California.

Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be announced via:

• Email notification to registered users
• In-app notification
• Updated "Last updated" date on this page

Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance. If you do not agree, you must stop using the Platform.

Contact

Questions about these Terms? Contact us:

Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full force and effect.

Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Mentor Me Black. They supersede any prior agreements or understandings.