Vision & Values

Southern Vision Alliance (SVA) is a justice centered values-based “grassroots intermediary” organized to provide incubation, infrastructure, capacity building, coaching, and technical assistance to frontline organizing projects, leadership programs, and collaborations led by directly-impacted communities in the US South.

We are an anchor for frontline groups and leaders to disrupt and transform power for collective liberation.

 

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Our movement is part of historic struggles for justice, equity, and liberation that span generations.

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We believe that current conditions are rooted in the legacies of colonialism, slavery, white supremacy, patriarchy, and capitalist exploitation.

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We believe that there is no human dignity without access to food, shelter, health care and education.

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We prioritize our resources to support young people, build community organization, and aid trusted leaders of directly-impacted communities that are engaged in frontline struggles for justice, dignity, and change.

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We believe in organization, we value group-centered leadership, and we apply the “Ella Baker School” of leadership development -- that “strong people don’t need strong leaders.”

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We believe in “Less Ego More Impact,” that the movement is larger than our individual organizations, personalities, or networks. We put the interests of the movement before any one organization, brand, or individual.

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Because the issues facing our communities are deeply connected, we must build alliances in order to win.

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We believe alliances are more powerful when they are multi-racial, multi-gendered, multi-national, and multi-generational. We build power from the grassroots up.

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We believe communities have the right to self-determination and to defend themselves against racism and repression.

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We embrace the slogan of the labor movement, that an injury to one is an injury to all!

Principles of Unity

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We are committed to organizing to transform the US South.

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We will uplift the voices, demands, and solutions of working class communities, communities of color, immigrants, indigenous people, women, and youth, particularly queer and trans youth of color. We will work to alleviate barriers to power, equity, and resources.

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We reject systems that dispose of people and create toxic environments. We will defend our right to a healthy environment in our neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces. Within our organizations we will develop strategies for collective access, stewardship, and community care. We will work to create spaces that are accessible in terms of language, income, physical ability, child/family-friendly, etc.

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We will practice intersectionality, solidarity, and respect community self-determination.

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We will support strategies developed by directly impacted communities.

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Solidarity is a verb. We will come when called and will work to build authentic relationships of trust and mutual respect with each other.

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We pledge to build principled united fronts. We will build meaningful alliances that embrace diff erent strategies and diversities of tactics. We will respect principled differences, keep debates and criticisms internal to the movement, and avoid public or media denunciations of fellow activists and organizers. At the same time, we will create spaces for transformation, critical feedback, evaluation, and embrace mistakes in order to grow and evolve.

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We reject the right of the state to decide what is, and what is not, legitimate protest.

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We oppose state repression of dissent, including surveillance, infiltration, disruption, and violence. We pledge not to assist law enforcement actions against activists or marginalized communities.

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