A Fresh Look at our Values
by Jen Muzia, Executive Director
Our values have always guided how we bring our mission to life. Every decision we make as an organization is guided by our values, so they are critically important. Two years ago, we began a partnership with Equity Matters, a Seattle-based women of color consulting team. They specialize in supporting organizations that are in the pursuit of racially just transformation.
Our purpose: to be intentional in our racial justice journey and lead with a racial equity and racial justice lens. Every day that we fight food insecurity we must understand that this work requires us to address the systemic racism that creates disparities around food, housing, health, jobs, education, and safety, especially for communities of color.
Over the past six months our board and staff embarked on a journey to reflect on our organization’s values and to have open conversations about how our programs and advocacy center racial equity. These conversations required us to dig into who we are as individuals and how we show up in this work. For example, I recognize that I am a white leader and that this work requires me to listen deeply and to understand my own privilege. It calls for me to be vulnerable, to understand that I will make mistakes, and to do the best I can to learn from them. I asked my colleagues to slow down and reflect on this work with me. We are intentional on our journey to become an organization that does its part to dismantle systems of oppression in our community.
To that end, our board and staff have developed and adopted the following values:
• Access to food is a human right, as is access to housing, education, and healthcare. Lack of access to these fundamental rights is a direct result of systemic racism and other systemic injustices that lead to poverty.
• Every individual is worthy of respect, and we value each person’s dignity, worth, and lived experience.
• We commit to centering relationships and meeting people where they are in the moment.
• We strive to create a welcoming, intentionally inclusive environment.
• We seek to include perspectives, input, and guidance from the people we serve.
• Healthy, culturally appropriate food is critical to our community’s wellbeing.
• We are stewards of the land. We aim to minimize our environmental footprint, promote sustainability, and support local farmers and communities to grow their own food.
These values will guide our programs, advocacy, and relationship with our community and the land we inhabit. This work is long-term. Defining these values is not the end but instead a beginning.