Increased resources for capacity building and technical assistance for multi-ethnic businesses (BIPOC) and other disadvantaged business groups.

Improved equitable access to capital for startup and existing businesses.

Increase access to equitable contracting opportunities with corporations and government.

• Collectively learn more about each other's operations to facilitate deeper partnerships and coordination.

• Share information about funding opportunities that could be more competitive by a coalition.

• Coordinating rapid response messaging around emergent community events when needed/deemed helpful.

• Building trust and personal relationships across social groupings that have been used by people in power to fracture and stymie our movements (race, class, orientations, generations and other identities, etc.)

• Creating a strong local affiliation framework so we can better drive how statewide funders (Dept. of Commerce and Communities Rise, etc.) fund the work and work with us in the work that we lead.

• Hold government institutions accountable for equitable distribution of funds.

• Influence institutional programs to make it easier and more generative for our communities to collaborate with institutions on an equal footing.

• Create the conditions which allow us to identify places where we can work collaboratively on joint projects.

• Collaborate to provide a united representation for equitable regional economic development.

• Collaborate to provide a united voice of advocacy for:

  • Increased resources for capacity building and technical assistance for multi-ethnic businesses (BIPOC) and other disadvantaged business groups.

  • Improved equitable access to capital for startup and existing businesses.

  • Increase access to equitable contracting opportunities with corporations and government.

Equitable

All humans have full and unbiased access to livelihood, education, participation in economic opportunities, and other social benefits. It does not mean that everyone is the same or receives the same benefits and considerations are made based on the needs of those most marginalized by our current systems.

Racial Equity

Acknowledging that we live in a world of racial disparities. Our systems and way of being and community are out of balance and negatively impact Black, Indigenous, Brown, and other people of color. These systems are oppressive and have had generational and compounding impacts on humans and our communities.

Intersectional

The interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage; a theoretical approach based on such a premise.

Transparency

Disclosing as much as possible for the benefit of the group to uncover possibilities.

Authenticity

Making an effort to share our full selves so we can be understood as who we are and can hear and receive feedback about how to best engage and participate in the coalition.

Intent vs. Impact

Recognizing impact can differ from intent.

Going slow to go far

The coalition will do its due diligence to ensure equity and sustainability.

Co-conspirators/Ally

Cultivate healthy allyships and co-conspiring relationships to understand whose work is what and why.

Collaboration

Listening and evolving together, helping and supporting each other for the sake of a collective goal; reciprocity. Proceeding at the pace of the coalition members with the least operational capacity.

Servant Leadership

The coalition will develop humans and the community by actively listening, using empathy, promoting healing, being self-aware, using collaboration, broad conceptual thinking, and visioning, leaning from the past, practicing good stewardship, and is committed to the growth of humans and the community.