CORE COMMITMENTS
The single requirement for membership in STAND is agreeing to hold yourself and others in our organization accountable to our Core Commitments.
#1
We commit to follow the leadership of organizations on the front lines of grassroots struggles for justice led by people of color, indigenous people, women, queer, trans and gender nonconforming people.
- STAND exists to strengthen movements for liberation already being built by folks on the front lines of oppression; we strive to be strategic and principled in the pursuit of the goals of our work.
- We commit to be accountable to this work by responding to feedback, suggestions and guidance by these organizations.
#2
We commit to lifelong learning to overcome our racist, sexist training in order to reclaim our humanity and practice effective allyship in our work for collective liberation.
- We understand oppression to operate on a systemic level and a personal level. We know we’ve internalized our privilege and must work to unlearn our conditioning to stop perpetuating oppression in our actions and relationships.
- We never check the box. The world continues to condition us to regard our lives, experiences and perspectives as more meaningful than those of people who are not perceived as white men. It is through continual practice, learning, and loving accountability that we will break from our legacy of violence and become powerful champions for a world without oppression.
- We do this personal work for our benefit as much as those around us. Because it discourages vulnerability, intimacy and empathy, white male supremacy culture dehumanizes us by disconnecting us from our emotions and other people. It is only by challenging this culture that we have hope of experiencing wholeness and integrity.
#3
We commit to call other people who benefit from white male privilege or socialization into their own learning and growth, and to join us in taking action.
- STAND exists to organize increasing numbers of folks who benefit from white male privilege against white supremacy and patriarchy, and create opportunities to deepen their/our understanding of and commitment to end oppression.
- We commit to holding ourselves and each other accountable to our politics, our word, our actions, and our behavior. Joining STAND is an invitation to receive positive and constructive feedback from others, and an agreement not to shy away from giving the same.
#4
We commit to contribute our time and resources voluntarily to dismantle systems of oppression.
- Many people who benefit from white male privilege inherit accumulated wealth and free time thanks to historic and current day colonization, violence, and greed. While acknowledging class differences between those who benefit from white male privilege in this society, we believe we all have a responsibility to, within our means, tangibly support movements for liberation without expecting compensation.
- Essential to our work with STAND is taking time to revisit these commitments, and recommit again and again with the intention of living more deeply into our values.