Our Values
Community
We have strong roots in Pierce County and some of our members have been living here their whole lives. While we care deeply for our individual communities, we recognize that what feels safe for some of us, does not feel safe for others. We build trust in order to be a part of a transition to interconnected communities where every resident in Pierce County feels welcome in any part of our county.
We will do this through:
- Building trust internally in order to foster external advocacy and collaboration
- Attending community-led events
- Creating space for our members to learn and understand community needs (and pay community members for their expertise)
- Connect locals, individuals and organizations with government and organizational resources
Justice
We confront Pierce County’s history of inequitable planning, lack of affordable housing and food access, and theft of Indigenous Land that have impacted Black, POC, low-income, and Indigenous communities disproportionately. As a county residing on the traditional territories of the Puyallup, Coast Salish, Steliacoom, Squaxin, Nisqually, Muckleshoot, Yakima and Cowlitz Nations, we recognize our historical responsibility to these communities, and do so through a commitment to “mobility justice” as defined by The Untokening to include targeted investment in and innovation by Black, POC, Indigenous, low-income, people with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ communities.
We will do this through:
- Building trust within these communities
- Supporting community ambassadors and organizations with events and their work through financial contributions, organizing and administrative work, and volunteering (engage)
- Providing funding to organizations and individuals (resource)
- Advocating for policies backed by community members based on their voiced needs and wants
- Utilizing our own expertise in the planning field to translate complex planning documents for anyone to understand (inform)
Collaboration
We believe our role as a coalition is to build power through collective action with an end goal of liberation for us all. Bringing together varying stakeholders, including agencies, organizations, and community members, we strive to build deep, trusting partnerships.
We will do this through:
- Accepting invitations to participate within other groups
- Providing a safe space for networking and connection building during hours that make sense for anyone who wishes to attend, and providing resources such as child care and food
Respect
We know that everyone at the table has valuable knowledge, experience, and information to share, but not everyone has had an opportunity to voice that expertise, and some have not been invited to the table. We are committed to respecting each and every voice that shows up in our community, prioritizing voices that are new.
We will do this through:
- Prioritize our own learning in understanding the complexities of mobility justice and how it impacts people in our county.
- Contracting BIPOC experts to support us in developing anti-racist and bias training for agency partners and facilitate implementation
- Planning, funding, and implementing training for community ambassadors and organizations on government processes and planning documents
Joy
We believe everyone has a right to move joyfully through our county. This means having the infrastructure, resources and relationships to allow all people to feel safe.