Our Values
Why BE Initiative?
Our Core Values and Culture
BE Initiative is not just an environmental justice group. We are a Black-led environmental group. Just like many other environmental organizations, we invest in the environmental education and engagement of all people. In our case, the difference is that it is by Black people, for Black people first. But we are also a Black-led environmental group that offers services to all communities.
Our Values
1. Being Pro-Black
Members of the BE Initiative team are expected to be pro-Black, which, for us, means having a positive outlook on all Black communities and being concerned about the challenges that affect Black communities worldwide. This positive attitude towards all Black people is a crucial characteristic for BEI team members, given that we still live in a society where distinctions among Black individuals, such as nationality, gender, and sexual orientation, are sometimes manipulated to hinder effective community mobilization.
BEI team members are individuals who actively resist being pitted against one another. This same harmonious approach should extend to our interactions with members of other racial communities.
The concept of Black empowerment, embodied by the fist in our logo, should be understood within the context of Black communities often facing greater vulnerabilities and challenges in addressing their own issues due to divisions and strained community relationships. At BE Initiative, we are dedicated to nurturing healthy relationships among all individuals in the community. We do not condone racism towards other racial groups, nor do we tolerate internalized racism. Being pro-Black for us signifies our refusal to succumb to the divisive tactics that seek to create rifts between Black individuals based on nationality, origin, social standing, skin color, or gender.
2. Being Anti-Colonial
Embracing an anti-colonial stance, for us, entails a proactive rejection of adopting mindsets, ideas, or practices that perpetuate prevailing discriminatory behaviors in society. Being anti-colonial involves recognizing how at times, we assess an individual’s character based on stereotypes inherited from our colonial past.
Colonial behavior can lead well-intentioned allies to inadvertently foster competition among Black individuals rather than promoting cooperation. Additionally, people may treat Black leadership with less consideration than they would afford to white leadership.
Such behavior and attitudes are not in alignment with BE Initiative’s core values.
3. Mission Before Ego
We request that every team member humbly assess their own ego and recognize how self-centered behaviors underlie the very issues our group strives to address in society. It is imperative that we do not replicate the same unhealthy dynamics that have adversely impacted our communities.
Members of BE Initiative pledge to prioritize the mission, placing BEI and the community’s well-being ahead of personal interests.
4. Trusting the Process
BEI team members should feel at ease working in a start-up setting, where programs are developed concurrently with the execution of activities and the testing of intervention models. If you are seeking a well-established organization with full maturity and funding in place, BEI may not be the right fit for you.
5. Respect and Humility
Within our team, we uphold respect for every individual, regardless of their social standing, age, race, gender, or sexual orientation.
Respect for all is our fundamental principle. We have zero tolerance for disrespectful conduct and extend invitations exclusively to those who genuinely value and treat an office cleaner with the same regard as they would a person of significant wealth and social status.
We understand that individuals who perfectly align with our values may be relatively few in society and our communities. Hence, we extend an invitation to those who inherently resonate with these principles to contemplate joining our team.
Let us work together to make a difference
Join our team and impact the lives of communities affected by environmental issues.
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