Adopted February 1, 2008
EQUITY, COMMUNITY AND HUMANISM
We Believe:
- The inherent dignity, value and worth of all human beings around the world must be upheld regardless of race, gender, socio-economic class, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
- Violence, racism, gender injustice, classism and homophobia must be eradicated around the world.
- All individuals have a right and responsibility to full participation in society.
- All members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community deserve to be welcomed, celebrated and to become an integral part of a healthy society.
- Communities are interdependent and composed of diverse perspectives; we must continually stress our common values, value our differences, and work on mutually positive endeavors.
- We should strive to develop an attitude of acceptance, appreciation and affirmation of all forms of diversity. Diversity is an asset.
- Investing in youth is essential for their future and our community.
We Believe:
- We should strive to develop a culture that fosters social activism that works to counter injustice.
- We must walk, march, vote, protest and always break the silence until justice is upheld.
- It is our responsibility to encourage and invest in individual and collective ability, creativity and leadership.
- Education and knowledge can be antidotes to intolerance and bigotry.
We Believe:
- It is our responsibility to challenge popular culture, media, faith communities, religious institutions and texts that perpetuate the devaluation of people based on race, gender, class, sexual orientation and gender identity.
- Personal spirituality is an important realm of our freedom; true spirituality can never be institutionally coerced.
- Separation of state and religious institutions is fundamental to thriving democracies and freedom.
- Human expression and creativity are hugely important to the quality of our daily lives, inform how we understand our predecessors and their communities, and will shape our future legacy.
- It is profoundly important to fight for the freedom of expression.
- Supporting the freedom of expression gives lasting value and meaning to our lives and promotes personal and community expression.
We Believe:
- Everyone has a responsibility to work for a healthy and sustainable natural environment.
- All non-human animals have the right to live free of human cruelty and abuse.
- Emotions are not exclusively human; they are unique gifts that progressively evolved in other species and are experienced in different forms by most animals.
- Logical and rational thinking will help us preserve the natural world and ourselves.
- Goals and impact determine strategies
- Honesty
- Integrity
- Transparency