While we do not require every member to explicitly agree with all of these values, as a community we commit to guide our decisions by these agreed upon values, that can be changed with full consensus from the community.

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1. Intersectionality and Inclusion
   We acknowledge that no form of oppression exists in a vacuum, and that different forms of discrimination and privilege are constantly intersecting with each other, creating unique challenges and opportunities based on more than just one identifying social-marker.
   
   We refuse to assume a posture of passivity, as racism is not passive. Instead, we are committed to actively fighting against racism at Wheaton, our local community, and within Chroma itself. 
   
   While many Chroma members are Christians, and we are ready and willing to support Chroma’s ideals from a Christian perspective, we are not affiliated with a religious belief system. We welcome people from all religious and non-religious perspectives to join in equal community with other Chroma members.
    

2. Transparency and Accountability
   We steward this organization, which exists through the hard work of many people. We steward the money people send us because they believe in the work. We take being accountable seriously, which means doing what we say we are going to do. We strive to avoid over-promising and under-delivering. This means we have to be realistic about how much we can do and say no when we can’t do something, rather than saying yes and then not coming through. We also strive to give grace and space to those who need it, understanding that life doesn’t always go as planned, and we sometimes have to prioritize other things in our lives. We invite leaders, community members, and community partners to ensure accountability through our set of practices and principles we are all continually engaging and developing together. It means being open to feedback, acknowledging mistakes, and cultivating humility and compassion for ourselves and each other.
   
   All cabinet members, Chroma members, and community partners should understand what the work is, what the budget is, how things have worked in the past and what is being proposed for the future. At no point should anyone be held “in the dark” regarding our processes, our decisions, and the way we do things.
    

3. Consensus-Decision Making
   We are committed to an anti-hierarchical approach to self-governance that values everyone’s voice. We aim to be both leaderless and leaderful. We reject hierarchical structures or bureaucracy that dictates our every move and are committed to the inclusion of all voices. Therefore, people can’t be out-voted. Even if an issue or concern only affects one person, it matters. We reject the idea that majority rules since our organization is made up of people who have been told we don’t exist or don’t count because we are too different or too few.
   
   Shared Purpose and Commitment to Each Other’s Leadership
   We don’t “block” every decision that is not exactly how we want it. Instead we share our concerns but are willing to let things go a different way than our favorite way. We build trust with each other so we know that if we are expressing a strong concern, people will listen and work on addressing or resolving it before moving forward. Our shared values, such as racial and gender justice, community building, and leadership by the most impacted, are guides in this. Participating in this group should mean being less reactive and individualist than we are all trained to be in this society. It means being open to other people’s wisdom and perspective and listening deeply.
   
   Responsibility Sharing
   While we all have our distinct roles and responsibilities, we are committed to a non-rigid approach to our systems that allows for flexibility and support. Asking for help or support is never punished, but should occur earlier rather than later depending on our individual abilities and situations.
   
   The Cabinet
   Power differentials do not exist between the cabinet, chroma members, community partners, alumni, or chroma founders. The “cabinet” is a concentration of people within Chroma who wish to be involved in regular advocacy and work beyond that which is discussed at Town Halls. Any chroma member committed to attending cabinet meetings and contributing to our work is welcome, and cannot be blocked by existing cabinet members.. Our actions are not directed by procedures or cabinet power, but values, consensus decision making, and communal leadership. Our cabinet and community exist to hold each other accountable to our shared values.