Ethos

Let us now get to the place where we define our values as an organization.  

We seek to tell stories that restore, empower, and reconcile.  Here's what we mean:

Restore:  Dignity is a thing often lost in the world of charitable causes.  It's easy to be moved to compassion by images and stories of poverty, disease, and injustice.  It is far more difficult to tell stories of restoration - of individuals who have been pushed to the margins, but remain hopeful that justice will come.  We seek to show not only the struggle, but also the resilience, the resistance, and the hope of those who have been displaced.  By giving displacement a name and a face, we tell stories of dignity being restored. 

Empower:  We believe that good can be found, even in the darkest situations.  Stories of injustice can be overwhelming.  We don't want to be a group that tells stories so full of despair that they leave the audience feeling helpless.  Our goal is to tell stories that inspire people to action and provide those people with tangible ways to get involved.  We want to tell the stories that invite others into participation: to work, journey, and be a solution to displacement in Colombia. 

Reconcile:  Injustice creates division between the oppressed and the oppressor. Our hope is to tell stories that work reconciliation. Here's how it plays out in this specific instance:  many Colombians have been displaced by a policy funded by the tax dollars of U.S. citizens. We want to reconcile those two parties.  We want to show people here in the U.S. that there are Colombians being oppressed by our policy.  We also want to show Colombians that there are Americans who are moved by their plight and are advocating on their behalf.  We want to tell stories that do away with such division and promote understanding.