C-SED Values

We believe there is no neutral. Equity is a constant pursuit. Each of us comes with a lifetime of experiences shaped by our identities.

At C-SED we believe that designing and building toward sustainable solutions necessitates human engagement, contextual understanding, and reflection. Our hope is that the Center is both a physical place and a platform to help explore, develop, and share collaboratively, and learn together along the way. In order to do this work, we aspire to uphold the following values with each other and our broader communities of higher education and design.

Relationships

We seek collaborative, Reciprocal Relationships, where resources and knowledge are intentionally shared. Built on trust and respect, these relationships are mutually beneficial in order to support continued partnership.

Diversity & Expertise

We Embrace Diverse Perspectives and believe Everyone has Expertise to Share. We avoid either/or thinking. Every situation is unique and diverse voices and viewpoints are needed to take on our world’s most intractable challenges.

Balanced Power

We acknowledge the role power plays in all relationships – institutional, social, cultural, personal, etc. and seek to Balance Power Asymmetries in relationships between design and communities impacted by design. 

Justice Oriented

We are Justice-Oriented, acknowledging that many societies are built on systemic injustice. We recognize that addressing these injustices require us to examine our own privilege, identities, and histories to design in a way that advocates for justice.

These values are not exclusive nor inclusive of all we hold as important in our work, and we continually seek opportunities for growth and learning. These values and our understanding of them will evolve as we continually learn and grow through each experience. Join us on this journey.

We are inspired by the principles of Design Justice and recognize the need to articulate values specific to our community and context. The academy perpetuates white supremacy culture. We recognize that we are sitting in a context that often does not live these values and we would like to be a countervoice.