Our values undergird our principles, thinking and practices as a company. Our affirmations are statements that we firmly stand by, which are largely based on our values. We invite you to come alongside us and learn about the foundation of our racial equity and anti-racism work!
Our Values
Love is a verb. Anti-racism and racial equity is a way we can learn how to love our neighbors more deeply. The way we live into love is by having God’s heart toward people. The way that we see ‘love as a verb’ is by making the commitment to fight against racism and following through on this commitment by making daily actions toward promoting racial equity, even when it is uncomfortable, uncommon, or unpopular. We do so at all times and within all contexts no matter who is or is not watching, because love is a verb.
Honesty is integrity. Anti-racism and racial equity requires an honest examination of historical trauma, as well as people and their relation to racialized power. Without honesty, we cannot have integrity.
Course correction is kind. Enabling people, practices and policies to continue to maintain racism is not a practice of love. Rather, leaning in to help course correct, even when it is hard, is an act of kindness that is positively contributing to a more just and racially equitable society for our present and our future.
Centering BIPOC is paramount. Centering Black, Indigenous and Other People of Color is critical in achieving racial equity, justice and liberation. We center BIPOC in all we do, at all levels of what we do, and in all contexts.
Continued learning creates growth. Learning does not stop, even as an expert. We can always grow, expand our mind, and strengthen our analysis of racism, anti-racism and racial equity. This is our expectation for ourselves and for our clients.
Reflection is a practice. Reflecting on the ways we actively dismantle or contribute to racism is key. It is a regular practice that should take place with every action, thought and interaction that we have, to actively embody the ideals we have to end racism.
Our Affirmations
We affirm that honoring God requires honoring God’s children. And sincethe majority of the world are people who are BIPOC, we affirm that the majority of God's children have been historically dishonored by racism, as a result of the actions, policies and systems created by white people, institutions and nations in the U.S. and across the world, and this reality MUST change.
We affirm that it is possible to end racism within our life time. This is not a losing fight unless we are postured like it is. We can end racism with institutional and cultural transformation and collective organizing, political and economic power, all undergirded by the love of God.
We affirm that Black, Indigenous and Other People of Color are not vulnerable; We are resilient. We can make our own decisions, by our communities, for our communities, and can be the answers to the problems we seek to resolve.
We affirm that Black, Indigenous and Other People of Color do not need to ‘be empowered’ because we already have power. We just need this power to be respected by white people, processes, institutions, and nations.
We affirm that decolonializing language is just as valuable as decolonializing thoughts, actions and institutions. Language matters and is part of how we frame people and their history. There is life in language and the way in which we speak about people, communities, structures and histories can either promote the humanity, resilience and agency of BIPOC or reinforce racial oppression. Equally important is taking this approach with our thoughts, actions and institutional transformations.
We affirm that all solutions must begin and end with community and be proportionate to, and rooted in, historical trauma to achieve historical triumph.
We affirm that any racial equity approach must be rooted in racial justice and liberation. Without these lenses, then it is not truly racial equity work, and we won’t be able to heal from racial trauma that racism has, and still does, create.