We know the system is broken. We’re ready for a thriving democracy that shows up for everyone who calls Guilford County home.
Mission
Through building the grassroots political power of Guilford County residents, Guilford For All will make structural and policy changes at the ballot box and in the streets through building leadership, winning change people can feel, and governing with the people.
Vision
Guilford For All is a group of people who got together with the idea that Guilford County could be a better place for our families and communities. We believe the only way to make it better is by working across the lines we’ve been told should divide us: race, how much money we make, how we worship, who we love, where we’re from, or how we got here.
We believe the only way to make it better is by working
across the lines we’ve been told should divide us.
Values
Everybody’s In, Nobody’s Out
We believe that everybody in Guilford County deserves what we need to make a good living and to live good lives. No matter where you come from, how you got here, or who your people are; whether you are a white collar worker, blue collar worker, farm worker, at-home worker, full-time worker, part-time worker, work for yourself, are out of work, or unable to work; we believe that you are worthy of dignity and deserve to thrive.
We Need to Fight Corporate Interests and Racism, Not Each Other
We live in a time with deep divisions, where big corporate interests are pitting us against one another and laughing all the way to the bank. This is happening at the same time that people are feeling real hurts, economically and otherwise, from centuries of racism. Our social safety net is not strong enough to catch all the people who are falling, and cuts to critical services and basic infrastructure are happening at the federal, state and local levels. We must stand together to fight for the things all of us need and deserve.
It Takes Democracy and Solidarity
To make Guilford County work for all of us, we need to build a local government that takes seriously its responsibility to care for the wellbeing of all of our people, confronting racism and poverty. We do that through building democracy: specifically through building a democratically run membership organization that will bring democracy and people-centered decision-making to local governance. We also build with solidarity: intentionally working to build trust and repair harm across lines of race, class, sexuality, immigration status, national origin, and gender.
We Must Build Power At Every Level
While many of the struggles people in Guilford County experience are the result of decision-making at the state and national levels, and forces larger than County or City governments, we believe it is the responsibility of local government to work for everyone who calls it home, not just corporations and a wealthy few. Through building power at the local level, in relationship with organizations across the state, we will build the capacity for grassroots, people-centered governance at the state level as well.
Theory of Change
For a long time, we’ve been actively denied access to the kind of power that can help us determine our futures. Through building the grassroots political power of Guilford County residents, Guilford for All will make structural and policy changes at the ballot box and in the streets through:
Building Leadership
We will build a deep bench of grassroots leaders who can organize their neighbors, tell their stories, and work towards policies that put people first.
Winning Change People Can Feel
We will organize to win changes that will make tangible differences in people’s lives, through advocating for policy and administrative changes.
Governing with the People
We will also run people for office who will make choices that do the most good for the most people, who will work to repair harm in our communities, and who will stay in an accountable relationship with the communities that put them in office.