Our Values

To our members, "progressive" means taking real action to bring material, systemic change for racial, social, environmental, and economic justice.

Progressive should mean — and means to our members — advocating for:

The improved health & wellbeing of residents

Address food insecurity

Use Town resources to do so when required. A recent study by the town (see “Food Access” section) reveals that many community members struggle to secure a stable, nutritious diet — particularly low-income residents, BIPOC individuals, and older adults.

Fully fund services for older adults

Ensure institutions like the Senior Center are amply staffed and resourced, so older adults can age comfortably and healthily.

Refurbish public housing units

Deal with the mold, pests, unmet repairs, and lack of basic appliances BHA tenants have reported. All Brookline residents deserve a healthy and safe living space.

Provide ample resources for public school students and teachers

Commit to making the Brookline public school system more equitable, regardless of race, color, national origin, or income.

Forward-looking, community-driven planning

Deliver housing justice

Build more affordable housing; not just any housing, but specifically more homes affordable to traditionally excluded people and older adults, family public housing, co-ops, and community land trusts.

Charter change

A bottom-up, grassroots approach to charter change and other structural changes that would increase voter turnout and civic participation.

Address the climate crisis

Commit to such efforts with the urgency, magnitude, and social justice lens that it demands.

Reimagine public safety

Reallocate funds from the police budget to services that would better fulfill people's social, health-related, and economic needs — which would, in turn, improve public safety.

Empower our youth

Make the Town's government more accessible to the 18.6% of Town residents below the age of 18. After all, local policy decisions will directly affect their futures.

Principled, open-minded leadership

Racial justice

Use a racial equity framework that clearly names Brookline's history in creating and maintaining racial inequalities. Furthermore, we must acknowledge and provide restitution for the Town's racist actions and history.

Gender bias

Ensure women, as well as non-binary and genderfluid individuals, have representation in all aspects of Town government.

Intersectionality

Pursue measures that reflect the interconnected nature of social and economic inequality, systems, and justice.

LGBTQIA+ liberation

Advocate for policies, education and actions that combat heteronormativity. Promote healthy perspectives regarding sex, gender identity, and sexuality.

Reproductive justice

Support unconstrained access to abortion care. Additionally, we must dismantle the additional barriers that people of color and low-income individuals face to contraception access.

Support for labor

Stand with workers and labor unions.

Good governance

Inclusivity

Adopt hybrid (in person and virtual) meeting options, and ensure residents have the technology for virtual access to meetings.

Accessibility

Address the interests, concerns, and needs of those with physical, mental, and developmental disabilities or who have limited English proficiency.

Representative

Push for Town budgets that better reflect our Town's progressive principles and priorities.

Empower the unrepresented

Center the voices of people closest to the issues. Make space for individuals from typically under-represented communities to not only have a seat at the table — but become leaders.

Sufficient resources

Work towards predictable and regularly scheduled operating overrides.