Food & Water Volunteer Network: Community Agreements

Welcome!

We’re so glad you’re here! In order to build an inclusive, respectful, and impactful community working towards a better future, we require all of our volunteers to read and abide by the values, community agreements, and code of conduct laid out here. By participating in the Food & Water Volunteer Network, you agree to follow these guidelines. 

Our Values

What We Believe

• We all deserve a healthy and livable environment.
• We all deserve justice; people of all races, religions, genders, and sexual orientations deserve fair treatment and equitable opportunities and outcomes.
• We all deserve human dignity and to have our basic needs met.
• We all deserve economic fairness; let’s support the many, not the few.
• We all deserve real democracy; our votes and voices can’t be defeated by corporate money.

How We Organize 

• We fight for policies that put people before profits. We don’t take corporate donations so we can remain fully independent. 
• We oppose market-based solutions. The best way to regulate pollutants is to regulate pollutants — not with pay-to-pollute schemes that continue to disproportionately impact overburdened communities.
• We ask for what is required by science, and do not limit ourselves by what may be deemed politically feasible.
• We put pressure on all decision-makers, regardless of political affiliation, to do the right thing. 
• Our tactics may be bold, but never hostile. We don’t engage in violence.  
• We believe there is power in building organizing spaces that reflect the diversity of the communities with which we organize.
• We are very strategic in the fights we take on, ensuring they build on our larger campaigns and grow our political power.

Community Agreements

• Take space, make space. In meetings and shared spaces, if you’re someone who tends to share a lot, make space for others who haven’t had a chance to share; if you’re someone who doesn’t share often, we encourage you to take space by joining in the conversation.
• No one knows everything, together we know a lot. No matter how much experience you have, your voice matters here — we all have something to learn from others in this community. If you don’t know something, ask! 
• Respect everyone’s time. We all have busy lives outside of our work together. Help respect everyone’s time by showing up when you commit to something and by keeping meetings on topic. We’ll do our best to make spaces for follow-up conversations. This also means respecting boundaries on when and how it’s appropriate to contact each other. 
• Have fun and get the job done. The stakes couldn’t be higher in our fight for a livable future, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun along the way. We’ll work hard together and look for opportunities to celebrate and connect to keep us energized for the fights ahead.
• You represent yourself and your ideas. Unless you are approved to speak on behalf of Food & Water Watch/Action, be sure to make clear that you are representing your own thoughts and ideas, particularly when interacting with the media. The same goes for joining organizational sign-on letters — please share with staff so we can review and sign on, as appropriate.
• Keep it positive. We’re here to make a positive impact on the world, so let’s keep it positive as we participate in this community together. That means respecting each other and our allies, and focusing on how we can move forward together in a productive way.
• Assume best intentions and take responsibility for impact. Mistakes are going to happen. We’re asking everyone to assume that others have good intentions, and at the same time, hold each other accountable and take responsibility if your actions and words affect others negatively. 
• Maintain confidentiality. Access to any confidential information, including contact information for others, is not to be shared or used for anything other than the intended purpose.
• Treat each other with understanding and respect. It doesn’t get more fundamental than treating others how you’d like to be treated. In our community, we aim to foster an environment of inclusion and respect. This includes using active listening when engaging with each other, being mindful of using someone’s preferred pronouns and avoiding micro-aggressions. 
• Abide by our Code of Conduct and Anti-Harassment policy. As laid out here, violations of our policies will result in removal from our community.