Terms & Conditions
Last Updated: March 22, 2026Please read these Terms and Conditions carefully before using njila.org, joining our Patreon community, or purchasing any Njila products or services. By accessing our website or using our services, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use our services.
1. About Njila
Njila — The Ancestral Pathway is a DBA (Doing Business As) of Operation Growth LLC. Njila is an ancestral heritage preservation and genealogy brand dedicated to helping Black American families and members of the African diaspora recover, document, and transmit their family histories.Njila’s services and products include Patreon-based community memberships, downloadable genealogy guides and research templates, live and virtual genealogy workshops, family history education content, and related digital resources.2. Acceptance of Terms
By accessing njila.org, subscribing to our Patreon community, or purchasing any product or service, you confirm that:- You are at least 18 years of age
- You have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement
- You have read and agree to these Terms and Conditions
- You agree to our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference
3. Products & Services
3.1 Patreon Membership Tiers
Njila’s primary community platform operates through Patreon. Membership tiers include The Rememberer, The Archivist, The Storykeeper, The Waymaker, and The Legacy Builder.Patreon memberships are governed by both these Terms and Patreon’s own Terms of Service. In the event of a conflict, Patreon’s Terms govern as they relate to the Patreon platform itself.3.2 Digital Products
Njila offers downloadable digital products including genealogy research guides, templates, and educational resources. All digital product sales are final once the download link has been delivered, except as provided in Section 7 (Refund Policy) below.3.3 Workshops and Live Events
Njila offers virtual and in-person genealogy research workshops and heritage intensives. Registration constitutes agreement to the specific event policies communicated at the time of registration, in addition to these Terms.3.4 Research Resources and Educational Content
Njila provides educational content, research methodology guidance, and heritage resources. This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute professional legal, archival, or records management advice.4. User Responsibilities
When using Njila’s services, you agree to:- Provide accurate, current, and complete information when creating an account or making a purchase
- Maintain the security of your account credentials and notify us immediately of any unauthorized access
- Use our services only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms
- Respect other community members and engage in a manner consistent with our community values of dignity, respect, and ancestral honor
- Not use our services to harass, harm, or exploit other individuals
- Not attempt to reverse-engineer, copy, or redistribute our proprietary digital products without written permission
- Comply with all applicable laws and regulations in your use of our services
5. Intellectual Property
5.1 Njila’s Intellectual Property
All content on njila.org and in our digital products — including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, images, audio, video, research frameworks, genealogy methodologies, and educational curricula — is the property of Njila/Operation Growth LLC and is protected by applicable copyright, trademark, and intellectual property laws.The name Njila, the tagline ‘Memory is Survival,’ the pillars ‘Remember. Reclaim. Rebuild.,’ and related marks are trademarks or common law marks of Operation Growth LLC. Unauthorized use is prohibited.5.2 License to Use
By purchasing a digital product or subscribing to a membership, you receive a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use the purchased content for your own personal, non-commercial use. You may not:- Reproduce, distribute, or publicly display our digital products in any form
- Sell, sublicense, or share access to purchased products with others
- Remove copyright or ownership notices from any materials
- Use our content in any manner that implies endorsement by Njila without prior written consent
5.3 Your Content
When you share family history materials, photographs, stories, or other content in our community spaces, you retain full ownership of that content. By sharing content in our community, you grant Njila a limited license to display that content within the community platform for community engagement purposes only. We will never publish, commercialize, or distribute your family history content without your explicit written permission.6. Payment & Billing
6.1 Pricing
All prices are listed in US dollars and are subject to change. Applicable taxes may be added at checkout where required by law.6.2 Payment Processing
Payments are processed through secure third-party payment processors including Stripe and Patreon. Njila does not store your full credit card or payment information.6.3 Recurring Billing (Memberships)
Patreon membership subscriptions are billed on a recurring monthly basis. By subscribing, you authorize recurring charges until you cancel your membership. Cancellations take effect at the end of the current billing period. No partial refunds are provided for the unused portion of a membership period.7. Refund Policy
7.1 Digital Products
Due to the nature of digital products, all sales are final once a download link has been delivered or access has been granted. We do not offer refunds on digital downloads except in the following circumstances:- The file is corrupted or inaccessible and we are unable to provide a working replacement within thirty (30) business days
- The product was materially misrepresented in its description
7.2 Workshop Registrations
Refunds for workshop registrations are available as follows:- Full refund (minus a $15 processing fee): Cancellations made 7 or more days before the workshop date
- 50% refund: Cancellations made 3–6 days before the workshop date
- No refund: Cancellations made less than 72 hours before the workshop, or no-shows
- Full refund or credit: If Njila cancels or reschedules the workshop, you will receive a full refund or the option to apply your payment to a rescheduled date
7.3 Membership Subscriptions
Patreon membership fees are generally non-refundable. If you believe you were charged in error, please contact us at b@njila.org within 30 days of the charge.To request a refund where eligible, please contact b@njila.org with your order number, name, and reason for the request. Eligible refunds will be processed within 10 business days.8. Community Standards
Njila’s community spaces — including our Patreon membership, live workshops, and any interactive elements of our website — are governed by the following standards. All members and participants are expected to:- Engage with respect, dignity, and cultural sensitivity in all community interactions
- Honor the sacred nature of family stories and ancestral history — your own and that of fellow community members
- Refrain from sharing, reproducing, or appropriating other members’ family history content without their explicit permission
- Avoid harassment, discrimination, hate speech, or any conduct that demeans individuals or communities
- Refrain from promoting unrelated commercial products or services in community spaces
9. Disclaimers
9.1 Educational Content
All genealogy research guidance, family history methodologies, and educational content provided by Njila is for informational and educational purposes only. Njila is not a licensed archivist, attorney, or certified genealogist. We do not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or legal sufficiency of any research methodology or result.9.2 Third-Party Databases
Njila may reference or provide guidance on third-party genealogical databases including Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, FindAGrave, and the Freedmen’s Bureau records. We have no control over and make no representations about the accuracy or completeness of records held in third-party databases.9.3 Research Outcomes
Genealogical research involves working with historical records that may be incomplete, damaged, or inaccessible. Njila makes no guarantee that our educational resources or community support will result in specific genealogical discoveries or connections. The work of reclaiming family history involves uncertainty, and results will vary.9.4 Website Availability
Njila makes no warranty that njila.org will be available at all times or free from errors. We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue the website or any service at any time with or without notice.10. Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Njila (Operation Growth LLC), its founder, officers, and contractors shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from:- Your use of or inability to use our services, website, or digital products
- Unauthorized access to or alteration of your data
- Genealogical research outcomes or inability to locate specific records
- Loss or damage to family history documents or data you share with us
- Any errors, inaccuracies, or omissions in our educational content
11. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Njila, Operation Growth LLC, and their respective founders, officers, employees, and contractors from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or relating to your use of our services, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any third-party rights.12. Governing Law & Disputes
These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any dispute arising from these Terms or your use of Njila’s services shall be resolved as follows:- Informal Resolution: We encourage you to contact us first at b@njila.org to resolve any dispute informally.
- Mediation: If informal resolution fails, disputes shall be submitted to mediation in Riverside County, California, before proceeding to litigation.
- Jurisdiction: You consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of courts located in Riverside County, California, for any disputes not resolved through mediation.
13. Changes to These Terms
Njila reserves the right to modify these Terms and Conditions at any time. When we make material changes, we will update the ‘Last Updated’ date at the top of this document and, where appropriate, notify you by email or through a notice on our website.Your continued use of our services after any changes to these Terms constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.14. General Provisions
- Entire Agreement: These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Njila with respect to your use of our services.
- Severability: If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, that provision will be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, and the remaining provisions will remain in full force.
- Waiver: Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms will not constitute a waiver of those rights.
- Assignment: You may not assign or transfer your rights under these Terms. Njila may assign its rights to a successor entity without restriction.
- Force Majeure: Njila shall not be liable for any failure or delay resulting from circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including natural disasters, government actions, or platform outages.