Our Values

ACLU-HI Values Doctrine

In an era of darkness and division, justice warriors at the ACLU of Hawai‘i seek alignment through shared values to propel our movements forward.

• Acceptance (of others without judgment)

• Accountability (pursued for the sake of growth)

• Ahonui (patience expressed with perseverance)

• Akahai (kindness in all interactions)

• Aloha (presence as the essence of life)

• Altruism (the spirit of giving back)

• Aspiration (attaining new virtues)

• Compassion (for community, for the vulnerable)

• Courage (strength in the face of adversity)

• Curiosity (light-hearted inquisitiveness)

• Directness (fearless and thoughtful assertiveness)

• Discretion (praising in public and criticizing in private)

• Empathy (sensitively feeling the pain and joy of others)

• Excellence (in our work as a form of self-reflection)

• Fairness (cultivating equity between colleagues)

• Generosity (donating our time and resources to help)

• Grace (granting others the benefit of the doubt)

• Gratitude (thankfulness even in hard times)

• Ha‘aha‘a (humility, ability to receive criticism)

• Impermanence (of life to motivate our limited time)

• Integrity (operating with honesty and ethics)

• Joy (cultivating space for happiness)

• Kuleana (sense of responsibility and duty)

• Liberation (a collective goal for emancipation)

• Lokahi (inter-connectedness of all things, unity)

• Mercy (forgiveness as a form of relief)

• Non-reactivity (breathing before responding)

• ‘Olu’olu (warmth and pleasantness towards others)

• Opacity (never assuming hearts and intentions)

• Openness (ability to seek and accept change)

• Passion (enthusiasm and devotion to the work)

• Pono (balance and harmony leading to equanimity)

• Relativism (accepting that great minds disagree)

• Resilience (elasticity and the capacity to withstand)

• Respect (treating others how you want to be treated)

• Sincerity (genuine and clear intentionality)