Accountability: We acknowledge and take ownership of our mistakes or errors. When we make mistakes we own them and don’t shift blame onto others. We are accountable for our deliverables, agreements and commitments.

Honoring Commitments: Trust is built and maintained when individuals consistently deliver on their commitments. Whether meeting deadlines, fulfilling project requirements, or following through on agreements, members who demonstrate reliability and accountability earn trust among their colleagues. 

Communication: We listen actively, speak honestly, and give credit where it is due. We know that conflict is inherent in this process and lean into trust to foster an atmosphere where different perspectives are valued and encouraged. We nurture nonviolent communication, communicating with respect, empathy, understanding, acceptance, appreciation, and compassion.

Transformative Justice: When conflict arises as we know it will, we commit to engage in open dialogue, to work towards a solution that upholds our values and maintains trust. We humbly seek to understand one another and prize resolution over the desire to be heard. We intentionally check our hearts, identify the root of our disagreements, and practice forgiveness. Rather than burning bridges, we always leave the door open for resolution and continued healing.

Transparency: We openly and honestly share information, budgets, decisions, and actions relevant to the cooperative. In doing so, we aim to correct the past harms that inhibit the free flow of information, causing corruption, oppression, and mismanagement of resources.

Confidentiality: We hold a confidential space within the cooperative where members can share their thoughts, feelings, and struggles freely. We agree to bear one another’s confidential information with care and not share it outside the cooperative unless express permission is granted and not to speak negatively about one another outside of the cooperative. (see Communication Protocols)

African-centered: We center Black leadership, explore Black futures, & develop Black processes to build Black power through an Afro-Indigenous lens.

Iwa Pele: We aim to be of high moral character. Do what is right even when it is difficult.

Honoring Ancestors: We acknowledge that our work is built upon that of those who came before us and that we are embedded in deep lineages. We aspire to become worthy ancestors for those who will come after us. 

Creativity: We believe creativity is a practice and tool.  We actively cultivate, harness, and imbed creative thinking, problem-solving, and innovation into our work. We resist status quo solutions and instead encourage and support new ideas.

Restoration: We reject the idea that liberation work has to be depleting. Showing up fully rested, having time away from work, incorporating wellness practices into our day-to-day workflow, and showing up as our whole, authentic selves enhances our outcomes.

Cultural Self Determination: We believe that Black folks should control all aspects of our lives. We seek to create structures that center Black leadership, decision-making, and Black joy and circulate resources within the Black community.

Cultural Reforestation: We believe in intentionally restocking and rebuilding Black spaces of belonging that have been depleted through systemic inequality. Our collective efforts are centered on seeding a thriving Black cultural arts ecosystem that affirms the life of the individual, family, community, our business enterprises, and the solidarity economy. This is century work, and we are in it for the long game.

Safety: We intentionally create a workplace of safety and trust within and among member groups. We move at the speed of trust, and heal from trauma in relationship with one another. We respect and honor our differences, allowing for freedom of belief and fair expression without shame or judgment.

Liberation: We look towards a future where all are free. We do our part, both within ourselves and in our collective work, to dismantle systems of oppression and move towards a collective future where we have the freedom to make and animate choices, respond to emergencies, and to plan sustainable futures confidently. We create a space that allows for individual freedom through a culture of acceptance/showing up and existing as you are.

Solidarity: We believe in the collective spirit and a sense of unity among members, where individuals prioritize the well-being and success of the entire group. It involves a shared commitment to common goals, mutual support, and a recognition of interdependence. No matter what, our organizations have allegiance to our vision and purpose of cultural reforestation.