Our Values
Compassion (Radical Love)
Compassion engenders the power to weave different cultures, backgrounds and faiths together so that creative paths toward an inclusive environmental movement arise.
Transformation Through Collective Liberation (Healing)
When we do what we love (that for which we hold passion), we can collectively become agents of personal and societal change. We must walk our talk by embodying the words and actions we wish to see on the individual, interpersonal, organizational, and movement wide levels. Effective and lasting change within our organizations, our communities, and across the environmental movement directs each of us to begin with the most important and potentially challenging work: ourselves.
Collective liberation is the realization that we are interconnected. The systems of oppression hurt all. Collective liberation requires a paradigm shift.
Community
When we think about community, we think about all the ways in which we live reciprocally with one another and all life. A healthy, flourishing community must equitably and inclusively engage all beings in order to move toward collective liberation.
“Action on behalf of life transforms. Because the relationship between self and the world is reciprocal, it is not a question of first getting enlightened or saved and then acting. As we work to heal the earth, the earth heals us.”
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Indigenous, Black, and People of Color are diligently participating, working, and leading to heal people, place, and planet. We center equity, diversity, inclusion, healing justice, and liberation so that the movement will shine bright because of the talents, experiences, hopes and dreams of Indigenous, Black and People of Color. At the end of the day, this transformation requires us all and benefits everyone.
Integrity and Authenticity
Integrity, authenticity, honesty, and attention to impact are essential components of healthy relationships necessary to create change and build relational trust across difference.
Racial Equity
Our focus on racial and Indigenous equity work is a starting point for collective liberation.
“Something I appreciate about CDE and more now that I have had time to process, really, is the focus on relationship, which is really missing in a lot of spaces. I see a lot of my colleagues pushing policy but not relationships, and so I’ve really come to value relationship. That character building of relationship across difference – it takes time, but the ability to listen to someone with a different perspective is so needed.” – Environment 2042 Leadership Program Alumnus