ACT VALUES STATEMENT
Anne Arundel Connecting Together (ACT) is made up of leaders and organizers building power to improve the lives of our families, communities, regions, and nation. ACT is a non-partisan organization of faith and community-based institutions in Anne Arundel County.
ACT uses nonviolent means to create peaceful ends which create beloved community. We define the beloved community as the “be loved” community where all, regardless of race, religion or creed, are seen and loved for who they are; a place where their worth and dignity is valued and respected. Beloved Community is our end goal where all people live in a safe, democratic, and pluralistic society of peace and love.
ACT believes that injustice and apathy are at the root of many societal ills. We seek to build justice and inspire empathy to draw attention to community issues that continue to be ignored (affordable housing, gun violence, unemployment, etc). When necessary, we use our collective power to put pressure on those forces that are not responding to our calls for justice.
ACT has three core values that inspire our efforts to create beloved community:
- JUSTICE
We ACT to create a just and peaceful society by advocating for just laws and fair treatment for all people. Justice for us is righting power imbalances that leave people with no voice to advocate for their rights. We ACT to create power and change so that their lives matter. We work in solidarity with the marginalized so that equity and human dignity prevails in Anne Arundel County and beyond.
- RELATIONSHIPS AND POWER
We ACT to Build Power. One-on-one relationships and deep listening are our building blocks. We seek to be honest, genuine, and curious, in our relationships. Being respectful of individual boundaries and institutional autonomy, we form diverse, multicultural, and inclusive relationships as we build power together. We believe that when we express our values one-to-one they become magnified and expressed on a larger level that builds collective power in and for the communities we serve.
- ACCOUNTABILITY
We ACT to create accountability. Relationships with our members and community partners are built on integrity, strength, transparency, collaboration, and trust. We ACT to change unjust structures and to challenge stale thinking. Because we hold each other accountable, we are able to speak truth to power and hold those with power accountable to creating just and equitable outcomes for all people, especially those in underrepresented communities.
