Let’s reimagine what public safety looks like in Knoxville.

MISSION, VISION, & VALUES

Our Mission

Our mission is to advocate for an alternative first response team in Knoxville to improve outcomes for people in crisis and reduce demand for police involvement.     

Our Vision

Organizing and building with communities to reimagine safety to protect, uplift, and empower people, with an emphasis on those who experience oppression and vulnerabilities due to race, sexual orientation, gender/gender identity/gender expression, socioeconomic status, religion, health status, disability, substance use, houselessness, etc. 

Our Core Values

Decriminalization - We hold that the decriminalization of poverty, mental health, substance use, houselessness, sex work, immigration status, along with ending the targeting of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities, is essential to building a more equitable and just East Tennessee community. 

Empowerment - We believe that every person is the expert of their own experience. We respect individuals’ autonomy, voice, and uphold their right to make their own choices.

Harm Reduction - We take a harm reduction approach. We advocate for interventions and policies to reflect diverse individual and community needs. We believe services should be provided without judgment or coercion, meeting people where they are. We believe that all people have inherent dignity and worth, and deserve safe, compassionate care.

Community Engagement - We prioritize the inclusion, leadership, and voices of people with lived experiences. We understand that the realities of poverty, classism, racism, social isolation, trauma, gender based discrimination, and homophobia affect people’s vulnerabilities and capacity to deal with crisis. 

Accessibility - We are committed to meeting people where they are and increasing access to services by going into the community. We advocate for policies to eliminate barriers in access due to language, ability, age, culture, health status, history of exclusion with traditional services, housing, occupation, incarceration, substance use and mental health, immigration status, and socioeconomic status.

Integrity -  We are accountable to our values and the people we serve through every word, action, and decision.  

We affirm the inherent dignity and worth of all people and confront systems of oppression.