Vision and values

We dream of cities full of people from all walks of life and backgrounds, living on quiet, tree-lined streets in homes they can permanently afford.

We dream of vibrant and diverse neighborhoods with pocket parks full of native plants, where neighbors meet up to forage for native berries or drink coffee from the local cafe under the shade of their favorite collective tree.

We dream of salmon, otters, and beavers swimming through our urban streams, winding through restored floodplains and free public parks.

We dream of accessible trails winding along restored lakeshores and wetlands, teeming with waterfowl, and a frequent bus that drops you off right at the trailhead, and where disability is not a barrier to access to greenspace and across our beautiful region.

We dream of all city dwellers opening their windows to the sound of songbirds and scent of flowers and trees, rather than honking cars and exhaust fumes.

We dream of food, friends, and fun only ever being a short walk, roll or bike ride away.

We dream of cities that recognize, reckon with, and repair the legacies of forced displacement, exclusion, and violence against Indigenous peoples and the enslaved and migrant labor that built this country, and the legacies of redlining and Historic Districts that have locked out opportunity.

We dream of cities that welcome back people and wildlife who have been displaced and newly welcome people and wildlife that seek safe refuge and opportunity.

We dream of cities that are safe for everyone - where we take care of each others' needs, rather than relying on police and prisons; where we work through conflict and repair with restorative and transformative justice; where streets center walking and rolling to prevent harm from automobiles; where everyone has access to sufficient housing, public restrooms, and all necessary municipal services; where all communities contain welcoming centers with heating, cooling, and air filtration for smoke and COVID.

We dream of cities that have green, working, livable economies - where all are unionized, unpaid care work is valued and supported, and thriving local businesses work toward climate solutions rather than extraction, militarism, and imperialism.

We dream of Indigenous-centered cities where the Duwamish and other Coast Salish tribes have sovereignty, resources, and agency to help tend to their Salish Sea ecosystems they have stewarded since time immemorial.

We dream of a world where we understand "humans" and “nature” are not separate, but that we are all interconnected relatives, part of the collective ecosystem, and have a responsibility to tend to it and each other.