Our Mission

Building Collaborative Community Economies in Kingston,  centered on collective Social and Environmental Needs by dismantling the structures of Institutional Racism and Oppression in our community through Civic Engagement, Education and Advocacy

The Problem

The roots of injustice, racism and all forms of oppression run deep within society, and have created a narrative that has prioritized individualism over interdependence.

The communities that are most impacted by these structures are the ones who are least involved in the decision making process. This Narrative has shaped the forming of our economies and building of our structures. These structures have allowed for the privatization of our economies, enclosures of our commons, and creation of unjust laws.

Our Criminal Justice, Educational, Housing, Healthcare, and Environmental Systems are all functioning within these structures. Lack of access to civic engagement opportunities allows the power to lie in the hands of a few, with the voices of those who are most impacted left out of the decision making processes.

This upholds the cultures of White Supremacy and Misogyny and limit opportunities for all people in the community - specifically people of color, low-income people and women.

The Solution

We must overcome and dismantle these deeply ingrained structures. We must take the time to collaborate, and build a shared vision of what we want the community to look like- what liberation looks like to us. We must do this work through Community Engagement, Education and Advocacy.

Strategic Community Engagement will bring shared understanding between Kingston Residents, and the greater kingston community and transition towards community control of all resources by helping residents understand their own power.  This work can only be done by deep grassroots organizing focusing on reframing our economy as a full community process. Our economy is the results of our collective decisions & actions.

Rise Up Kingston will work towards transitioning our economy to one that is centered on our collective knowledge, and experiences, and our interdependence.  

The Pillars of Our Work

Civic Engagement

• Creation of Community Table committed to an ethical reframing of our economy
   

• Creation of city wide survey to develop city-wide strategy for equity
   

• Civic Engagement as a step in structural changes to full community control of the economy
   

• Collaboration with city & County to engage people in decision-making & shift power to the people
   

• Increased participation & Representation of the most disenfranchised Communities to shift power

Advocacy

• Elevate the voices of the most directly impacted communities in order to dismantle the structures of Systemic Racism & Overlapping Oppressions
   
• Creation of alternate economy structures that allow basic needs to be met
   
• Shifting from appointed to elected commissions greater participation in community decisions
   
• Begin localized tracking of human rights complaints

Education

• Provide spaces to connect members of the community to people, ideas and stories to change the narrative
   
• Provide skills and tools for community organizing for ethical liberation
   
• Provide Anti-Racism, anti-oppression and political education training for the Greater Kingston Community including organizations and businesses
   
• Deep Leadership Development & Political Education to Community Members