Cooperative Agreements.

We feel strongly about tending to the village, especially amongst those who work in alongside adé PROJECT. In order to care for ourselves and others in this process, here’s how we choose to show up and measure alignment of contractors, partnership, co-work, and collaboration:

Appreciation
We give thanks for ourselves, and each other. We honor resources as sacred without adopting a state of entitlement. We pay attention when someone is putting in work, and take a moment to appreciate them.

Comfort-Stretch-Panic
We are open to pushing ourselves, each other, and who we work with—valuing stretch; growth; and expansive ways to dream, vision, and practice.

Communication
We communicate openly, listening actively when necessary. We listen to understand, not respond and hold honest communication as a priority.

Compassionate Hosting
We recognize the demands of social justice, activism, art, and education work by supporting, respecting, listening and welcoming visitors into our space with love, check-ins, moments of silence, nourishment, as well as grace and flexibility with time as needed.

Confidentiality
We commit to complete confidentiality when asked, and even when we’re not we refrain from sharing someone else’s story without permission.

Conflict Resolution
We acknowledge and welcome conflict as a critical teacher in collaborative, community, and collective space. We appreciate diverse perspectives and work to address disagreements swiftly without undermining each other’s leadership. We seek to arrive at a compromise that can address some (not all) of the individual needs presented.

Curiosity
We submit to our curiosity so that we might freely wonder about things and choose to investigate to deepen our understanding of the unknown.

Equity
We uplift the voices, insights, and needs of people of color in decision-making, negotiations, and design. Those seeking to work with us should also be engaged in current or recent equity audit/training.

Hope
We park victimization and hopelessness at the door, and instead we choose to trust the work, the process, and the people involved to see the vision(s) fully realized. We honor the power of our beliefs and thoughts by focusing on positivity and victory rather than fear.

Integrity + Accountability
We do what we say we’re going to do. We provide feedback from a place of love and care, not anger and judgment so that our delivery doesn’t prevent the integration of the lessons needed to grow and change.

Language + Pace
We are mindful of language as we seek to move beyond cultural norms that exclude certain groups, or perpetuate oppression. We refrain from taken lightly others’ requests to be mindful of language as it relates to their identity, and although uncomfortable make an effort to remember that request. We put the pace of groups that we work with at the center of our planning, and respect that pace.

Solidarity + Sustainability
We value people over profit, and we model investing in ourselves as the greatest resource for collective success through professional development, reflections, democratic decision-making, education, resource sharing, and budgeting for trainings + facilitators.