At the heart of our values at Dogwood Alliance is a deep-rooted belief that everyone has a right to a safe, healthy and beautiful place to live, work, learn and play. We value the diversity in our forests as well as the diversity of people here in the South and around the world.

In diversity we find beauty, creativity, strength, and resilience.

Though our work is focused on protecting the forests and communities of the Southern US that face injustice at the hands of destructive industrial logging, we stand in solidarity with people around the world facing injustice at the hands of those in power who value profits above the health and well-being of communities and the planet.

We are horrified by the recent inhumane treatment of immigrants from around the world fleeing violence, poverty, corruption, and oppression.

Accounts of the horrid conditions and treatment of people, including families, have endured at the hands of our government are heartbreaking. Thousands of families have yet to be reunited and stories of ongoing mistreatment of those seeking refuge continue to surface in the news.

We cannot not be silent in the face of such injustice.

People who have risked their lives fleeing corruption, violence, and oppression deserve to be treated fairly, with kindness and respect. Every person seeking to come to America to make a better life for themselves or their families deserves a fair and just opportunity to seek legal citizenship.

There is never a valid justification for policies or actions that limit rights based on race, ethnicity, class, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, country of origin, etc.

Policies or actions that are inhumane or disproportionately target people on these bases run counter to our values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.

The current government practice of separating and mistreating families from Latin American countries trying to escape to safety in our great melting pot is cruel, inhumane, and discriminatory and as such runs counter the American values of justice that we hold dear.

Dogwood’s staff and board are committed to advancing an inclusive, equitable, and just society.

Our internal policies as well as our programs and approach to organizing reflect and prioritize this. Our organization will continue to work at the highest levels to strengthen our resolve and leadership as an ally in the struggle for justice. We invite you to explore more of our work to see us putting our principles into action.