Our Values

We center race in every aspect of our work. By utilizing anti-racism as a framework, we unpack other areas of marginalization including gender, ability, and class. We aim to root out white supremacy and bias in search and planning processes. We provide organizations with clear and candid feedback in order to improve conditions for BIPOC stakeholders. We draw on the work of Kimberlé Crenshaw and her assessment of intersecting oppressions that resonate in people’s lives. 

We believe that representation matters. We welcome and celebrate differences and we know that the inclusion of diverse perspectives are essential to any successful endeavor. We champion EDI within organizations and the arts and culture industry as a whole. We utilize the work of Carmen Morgan and her organization, artEquity, on systemic inequality within organizations and a shared analysis of power. We believe that EDI is not only a moral imperative, but also a competitive strategy for growth and sustainability.

We recognize and harness the power of interdependence. We believe in working alongside each other toward a shared goal and we move this way with our colleagues, our partners and external stakeholders. Community is more than a physical location. Communities are human connections around mutual interests. Building and nurturing healthy collaboration allows for nuanced conversations, capacity building and values sharing. We draw on the work of Priya Parker and her assertion that “the way we gather matters.” 

We disrupt classic hierarchical structures and invite everyone into the process. We uphold and advocate for transparent communication, equitable access to information and shared decision making power. We tell the truth and keep clear lines of dialogue open across partner organizations and with external stakeholders. We draw on the work of adrienne maree brown and create spaces for emergent strategy work; adapting to new developments and valuing time spent on process. 

We put people first. We respect the unique needs and circumstances of each individual, and prioritize the wellness of partners, candidates, and ourselves. We approach our work from a place of compassion. We are inspired by bell hooks who wrote in Outlaw Culture, “The moment we choose to love we begin to move against domination, against oppression. The moment we choose to love we begin to move towards freedom, to act in ways that liberate ourselves and others.”