Our Values
At Movement Law Lab, we believe that how we work is just as important as the work we do. Our team comes from a wide variety of backgrounds, lived experiences, and geographic regions, bringing vital, diverse perspectives to the fight for liberation. Yet, across all these differences, we are deeply united by a shared moral compass.
The core values below are the heartbeat of our work. They guide us every day, serving as our anchor at the individual, organizational, and community levels.
1. Adaptability
"Water is versatile... It finds its own level, always. That is, water is always seeking balance and has a place it has to go."
— Aishah Shillingsford
What it means: Adaptability is the practice of changing to fit shifting circumstances while staying intentionally anchored to our deeper purpose. We provide creative legal support to communities as they navigate changing conditions, remaining curious, open, and grounded in joy.
Individual Level: You assess how your default reactions to change can become opportunities. You are willing to learn from others, let go of rigid tactics, and view setbacks as chances to imagine new possibilities.
Organizational Level: We pivot resources and roles based on shifting capacities, keeping our focus on building power in frontline communities. We honor, anticipate, and celebrate change.
Community Level: We adapt our legal expertise to meet community needs, helping partners use the law to transform society rather than forcing communities to fit our specific legal silos.
2. Interdependence & Collectivity
"Never forget where we came from and always praise the bridges that carried you over."
— Fannie Lou Hamer
What it means: We share a fate. A different world is only obtainable if diverse sectors, organizations, and individuals are thriving together. We must understand the needs of others while bravely articulating our own.
Individual Level: You are fully present. You actively listen, communicate authentically, and regularly check how your ego impacts your relationships.
Organizational Level: We incentivize collaboration over empire-building. We maintain robust feedback loops and prioritize deep relationships with base-building organizations.
Community Level: We share funding, objectives, and staff time across movements. We invest in communities outside our immediate expertise and connect legal tactics to broader organizing strategies.
3. Creativity
"There is nothing new under the sun, but there are new suns."
— Octavia Butler
What it means: Solving oppression requires awakening our most innovative selves. Legal advocates are often trained to rely on precedent and a singular tool (the law). We must unblock our imagination to create new ways forward.
Individual Level: You adopt a beginner’s mindset. You view learning, growth, and failure as necessary. You nurture your own creative practices and approach constraints with curiosity.
Organizational Level: We balance workloads to avoid burnout that stifles innovation. We build regular time into our schedules to generate new ideas.
Community Level: We build strong relationships that feed our collective creativity and engage in collective visioning with our partners.
4. Dignity
"Any man or institution that tries to rob me of my dignity will lose."
— Nelson Mandela
What it means: Dignity is honoring the inherent worth of all individuals, both our allies and those we oppose. It allows us to bring our whole selves to this work, celebrating self-determination while practicing empathy and self-care.
Individual Level: You honor your body and mind by setting healthy boundaries. You engage in conflict without diminishing the humanity of others.
Organizational Level: We actively reject exploitative work expectations. We make space for joy, resolve conflicts systemically, and value our people beyond what they produce.
Community Level: We engage clients and partners authentically, moving beyond transactional relationships into mutual respect and dependence.
5. Radical Politics
"I use the term radical in its original meaning—getting down to and understanding the root cause."
— Ella Baker
What it means: Radical politics requires a constant study of power. We must continuously interrogate how patriarchy, white supremacy, and capitalism impact our systems to ensure we do not recreate harmful power dynamics in our legal practice.
Individual Level: You model transformation in your interpersonal relationships through equality and empathy. You dedicate time to political study and self-reflection.
Organizational Level: We integrate a clearly defined theory of change into our daily practices, HR procedures, and political education.
Community Level: We are deeply mindful of how our organization wields privilege when engaging with the community.
6. Integrity
"If you do not tell the truth about yourself, you cannot tell it about other people."
— Virginia Woolf
What it means: Integrity is the consistent adherence to our internal moral compass. It requires discipline and rigor to ensure consistency between what we feel, what we say, and what we do.
Individual Level: You are dependable and authentic. You do what you say you will do, and you stand up for what you believe even when it is unpopular.
Organizational Level: We manifest our articulated values in our workplace culture and legal work. We maintain clear, transparent accountability mechanisms.
Community Level: We build partnerships rooted in mutual respect, honesty, and a proven track record of reliable, shared work.
7. Sustainability
"Everything, given time and nurturing, is moving toward balance and healing..."
— Lisa Thomas Adeyemo
What it means: Sustainability is meeting present needs without depleting our future. It means fighting for high-standard outcomes while fiercely protecting personal, organizational, and community well-being.
Individual Level: You take responsibility for your physical, mental, and spiritual health. You build restorative activities into your routine to prevent burnout.
Organizational Level: We achieve concrete victories that improve lives, but we grow at the speed of trust and community need, not just funding streams.
Community Level: We support the holistic health of our allies. We plan for and win victories that resource and benefit the broader movement, not just our own organization.