Transparency & Accountability is integral to SJPC’s definition of Social Justice.
NOTE: This focus area’s definition was developed specifically in regard to the behavior of our local government officials, but the same general principles apply to all shared spaces
We understand “Transparency & Accountability” as requiring a commitment to:
Erring on the side of oversharing and being overly transparent with the community they serve, maintaining a two-way open forum in which everyone has easy access to public information, decisions, and actions. Following through on promises made to the community they serve
Ensuring that information is accessible for folks who aren’t able to attend or watch meetings live, don’t speak English as their first language, are unhoused, or have any other intersecting identities that make engaging with local government activity challenging or out of reach
Providing low-barrier ways to participate in local government meetings; valuing communication with, and being accountable to, community members - specifically those who are oppressed and exploited by our current power structures
Understanding the power held by our dominant cultures and communities, and explicitly and publicly committing to building liberatory policies so that our marginalized community members have equitable access to health, safety, and ability the ability to thrive
Understanding how inequity makes civic engagement inaccessible, and actively working to change this; examples are virtual townhalls, easily digestible fact sheets, language interpretation, and public hearings
Collaborating and co-creating accountability policies and practices with guidance from the community and community-based organizations so that no decisions are made about us without us
Transparency & Accountability
