Heal
– We believe in the power of “healing justice as a strategy that [is] integral to, not separate from, our political liberation” as defined by the Kindred Collective. This includes valuing: “collective wisdom and memory towards our collective well being, wellness as a tool of liberation, our interdependence, [including] all bodies and the conditions that we live in.”
– We believe in healing our relationship with nature by moving with the rhythm of our natural world, prioritizing the work to protect and preserve the environment to the very best of our ability.
– We weave healing justice into all of our work through transformative and intentional practices. As a collective, we breathe, eat, play, stretch, and grow together. –
Understand
– We lead with curiosity and combat cognitive dissonance through scholarship, experimentation, critical thinking, and navigating contradictions.
– We follow the principle of Sankofa, allowing the past to inform our future. Through learning from the lived experiences and histories of our people we are readied for the challenges ahead. “Our elders say the sun will shine on those who stand; before it shines on those who kneel under them.” ~ Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart.
– We use “popular education” as an alternative to mainstream education models. Through this process we are able to draw on the lived experiences of impacted people to create solutions for us, by us. We value our collective understanding and honor our right to self determination.-
Empower
– We reject adultism, recognizing youth as a social class, and believe it to be important that we create youth-centered spaces that support autonomy and boost self-confidence. We also support adults in their unlearning adultism journey in service of becoming better allies.
– We embrace authenticity through nurturing personal exploration, making space for reflection, celebrating unique ideas, and holding space for differing perspectives.
– We believe in the importance of social responsibility, affirming the dignity of every person, providing resources, amplifying youth voices, and empowering communities to take actions.