Our Vision:

A kind and thriving nation.

Our Mission:

To provide tools that encourage engagement and strengthen American democracy.

Our Values:

Empathy: Accept and revere the truth of others’ experiences.

Respect: Communicate and act with regard toward others—earned or not.

Inclusion: Center and amplify the silenced.

Gratitude: Express appreciation for those who risk to live their values.

Heart: Offer warmth, kindness, and welcome as our default.

Truth: Seek wisdom and courageously express our experiences.

Solidarity: Live as though we need each other for survival. We do.

Equality for all Americans.

A nation thrives when all of its citizens have an equal voice, are given equal opportunity, and are treated with equal respect. Because America is not yet a country of equality, it is our civic and moral obligation to realize that vision. Our work is to speak up with our neighbors who are oppressed, excluded, or silenced.

As Americans of Conscience, we recognize color. We recognize gender, ability, and economic status. We recognize and celebrate love. When we respect our important differences, we come to understand our nation’s toxic tradition of favoring a select few over the many. From that clarity, we act with deep commitment to change those systems so every person enjoys equal freedom, safety, and opportunity.

To accomplish this, the AoC Checklist amplifies the advocacy and actions of over one hundred civil rights and social justice groups working toward equality for every community and every person.

Decency toward aspiring Americans.

“A nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

As Americans of Conscience, we believe in the power of dreams. We believe in people who are willing to take risks for themselves, their families, and their future.

While we work to address the atrocities of colonization and inhumanity of enslavement, we acknowledge that this land is full of people who have come from abroad. We too have been the stranger, so we believe in welcome. We seek to honor the spirit and the letter of US refuge laws and international asylum agreements. We believe in holding our government accountable for their actions toward today’s aspiring Americans.

Because of this, we support and amplify grassroots and national groups advocating for aspiring Americans’ rights to respect, decency, and welcome.

A vote for every citizen.

The foundation of our representative democracy is simple: a ballot in the hand of every citizen—which each person can use to elect qualified representatives to advocate for their needs in all levels of government.

We know that certain communities are being strategically silenced through redistricting, intimidation, and de facto poll taxes. Since our country does not currently give every person a ballot, an equal voice, nor the opportunity to use their vote fairly and securely, we support efforts that make voting accessible to all citizens.

We seek to create a nation in which every American feels empowered—and compelled—to use their voice through their vote. For that reason, we amplify organizations committed to strengthening the power of our vote.

A healthy democracy.

The word “democracy” stems from two roots: “power” and “the people”. A true democracy is built around the needs and priorities of its citizens, not those with the greatest wealth. For democracy to work, all citizens must have equal rights, all citizens must get a vote, and every person must be treated with dignity and respect.

Our Constitution is a living document that frames our rights and obligations to each other. We believe that with freedom comes great responsibility. We must ensure that people who have historically been denied dignity experience it at last. As Americans of Conscience, we take action to protect freedoms under threat and uphold collaborative democracy as a viable form of government.

Our voices matter, and are stronger when we use them together. We The People have much to do. Todos—together.