Behavior Statements

We actively listen to and involve Hawthorne and Whitman residents in decisions that affect their well-being, ensuring their voices shape access to green spaces, healthcare, education, housing, and well-paying career and entrepreneurial opportunities.

We celebrate wins alongside neighborhood residents while remaining focused on long-term, systemic change in education, housing, and economic opportunity.

We pursue creative, effective solutions by building on what works, applying best practices and research, acting on shared values, and implementing long-term systems that meet resident needs.

We aspire to the deepest levels of community engagement and authentic collaboration.

We collaborate across organizations, sectors, and systems, centering Hawthorne and Whitman resident voices in every partnership.

We invite strategic, like-minded partners and funders to invest in resident-centered solutions.

We center resident wisdom and well-being in our decisions, honoring the culture and contributions of legacy residents while making space for growth and generational prosperity.

We recognize and uplift the history, leadership, and contributions of legacy residents through our programs, storytelling, and decision-making.

We communicate honestly and transparently—acknowledging when we don’t have answers, sharing plans openly, and engaging regularly, even when it’s difficult.

We challenge systems, language, and practices that marginalize or exclude residents from thriving in their neighborhood.

We ensure residents’ lived experiences shape solutions by actively engaging them in planning, decision-making, and program design.

We prioritize equitable access by removing barriers to participation, sharing information transparently, and tailoring support to meet individual needs.

We work collectively to provide access and to develop and execute a shared agenda that advances our neighborhoods.

We develop and sustain authentic relationships with neighborhood residents.

We listen first, act thoughtfully, and partner with intention.

We acknowledge historical trauma and foster spaces where voices are heard, people are valued, and collective healing is prioritized.

We show up consistently and with intention—engaging residents not only in times of need or crisis, but as part of our daily practice of building trust and connection.