Guiding Principles

Those involved with FREE The Dream commit to:

1. Working together to fulfill the mission by improving the quality of life of all members of society through the implementation of social and economic equality in a manner consistent with the work and philosophies of Martin Luther King, Jr., César Chávez, and other civil rights pathfinders.


2. Embracing non-violent, collaborative, and spiritually-based action in fulfillment of the mission.


3. Elevating the quality of life in communities by:
• Eliminating the root causes of poverty, hunger, and violence.
• Creating conditions that have a positive impact on infants and the ability of children to receive quality educations and become productive members of society.


4. Creating a society founded upon principles inspired by Martin Luther King, Jr., César Chávez, and other civil rights pathfinders, including:
• Social service and medical leaders and practitioners who are dedicated to improving the lives of the people they serve.
• Political leaders, elected officials, and other public servants who are dedicated to furthering the interests of the communities they serve.
• Law enforcement officials who are dedicated to upholding the law, preserving the peace, and ensuring the safety of all members of the communities they serve.
• Business leaders and their employees who create a positive impact on the communities in which they do business.
• Educational leaders, school officials, and teachers who ensure that each child they encounter receives a quality education.
• Spiritual and religious leaders and their followers who abide by the tenants of their spiritual or religious beliefs for the common good.


5. Creating avenues for showcasing and replicating effective models of hope.


6. Fostering mutual respect for each other especially when differences of policy and opinion arise, to refrain from denigrating or speaking ill of one another either publicly or within our own organizations, and to encourage others to do the same.


7. Encouraging all communities to embrace the vision and spirit of these principles while recognizing that various spiritual, cultural, philosophical, and regional differences may exist.


8. The idea that no single organization or small group of individuals or organizations can achieve this goal alone; therefore, we encourage the creation of coalitions consisting of a variety of organizations working together to fulfill the mission.


9. Discouraging the use of hurtful or divisive language in favor of a vocabulary that promotes unity.


10. Believing in the importance of transparency and the open sharing of accurate complete quality-of-life data and statistics which are clear and easily interpreted by the public and based on consistent definitions.


11. Continuing a dialogue, analysis, and potential modification of these principles as needs change and as progress is made toward achievement of the mission.


12. Making a personal commitment to the furtherance of these principles and to the achievement of the vision, mission, and the goals of the FREE The Dream movement.

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