Our values.
This is a living document that will keep evolving with us over time. These values are not rules or requirements, they are shared intentions and aspirational practices here to guide how we sing, gather, relate, and grow together.
We understand that living into these values is an ongoing process. May we meet ourselves and one another with patience, humility, and care as we practice them over time.
Song is Our Birthright
May we know song as an ancient technology and a natural human birthright.
All singers are welcome here inside our group voice, free from judgment or performative evaluation.
Excellence Without Perfectionism
May we pursue excellence while resisting the oppression of perfectionism.
Our practice is to be devoted to the songs themselves, in service of a more beautiful world.
Kindness and Mutual Respect
May we take a stand for kindness, acting and speaking with care, rooted in mutual respect.
We look for the best in one another, so we may bring out the best in each other.
Self-Responsibility as Community Care
May we take responsibility for ourselves, knowing that our own healing and alignment are profound acts of community care.
We ask for help when we need it, and give generously when there’s overflow.
Meeting Shadows With Love
May we see conflict, flaws, and shadows as places to grow love, asking for patience, acceptance, and welcome.
We look for hidden treasures in the shadows, and turn to the songs we sing for the wisdom we need.
People Over Ideology
May the essential identities of our members take precedence over any ideology.
Every person is welcome here as their whole self, even when that challenges others’ preferences or worldviews.
Belonging Through Relationship
May we continue expanding our capacity to hold diversity with respect and care.
We are learning to create safe community by nurturing a true sense of belonging in every member.
We build relationships over time, slow down when wounds are touched, and call on the songs and resources that help us find each another again.
Repair and Learning
May we welcome the fullness of our shared humanity.
None of us is perfect, and each of us is equally deserving of love and respect. Mistakes are how we learn.
When we stray from our values, may we reflect, repair, and deepen trust together.
Boundaries With Love
May we recognize the limits of what our community, and each of us in it, can hold.
We affirm every person’s inherent worth without condoning behavior that is out of alignment with our values.
May our boundaries be loving and considered, knowing we are not for everyone.
Lineage and Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that all we stand on and benefit from was made possible by those who came before us.
Thank you to the ancestors, the land, the instruments, the rhythms and mysteries within the songs.
We recognize the harms so many cultures and ancestors have endured from colonialism, systemic inequities, and intolerance.
We sing with a deep wish that our living, loving songs today may contribute to our collective healing and liberation.
Nonpartisan Sanctuary
May we proudly live these values through our songs, words, and choices while remaining free from ideological dogma or overt political affiliation. May our restraint from advocacy allow us to remain a safe harbor and healing sanctuary for all who choose to sing with us.
Joy, Grief and Gratitude
May we grieve and celebrate in equal measure–our sincerity matched only by laughter.
May we know our joy is a contribution to all wellbeing, and the full spectrum of this wild human experience is miraculous and worthy of gratitude.