Every organization has values on a wall somewhere. Most of them are interchangeable. We wanted ours to mean something — to describe how RIT actually operates, not how we wish we sounded in a brochure.
These twelve values were developed over months of conversation, research, and honest reflection about what kind of organization RIT needs to be. They aren’t aspirational slogans. They’re operational commitments.
1. Curiosity
We encourage people to ask questions, explore ideas, and learn together instead of clinging to rigid answers. Curiosity is how you cut through polarization — not by having the right answer, but by being willing to ask better questions.
2. Evidence
We ground our conversations, workshops, and materials in facts, transparency, and honest reasoning. Evidence before assumptions. Data before narratives. This isn’t about being cold or clinical — it’s about respecting the people we serve enough to give them real information.
3. Community
People matter more than arguments. RIT prioritizes relationships, empathy, and the shared well-being of neighbors above political wins. Community comes first because without it, nothing else we do has context.
4. Nonpartisanship
We maintain environments where all individuals — regardless of background or viewpoint — can participate safely, respectfully, and without fear of exclusion. RIT is not neutral on facts, but we are neutral on parties. Our spaces are for everyone.
5. Accessibility
Technology literacy and civics education should be available to all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. We design programs that are approachable, jargon-free, and hands-on. If someone can’t access it, we haven’t finished building it.
6. Dialogue
We foster discussions aimed at understanding, not victory. Constructive dialogue means listening first, speaking clearly, and engaging in good faith. RIT creates spaces where people can disagree without it becoming a fight.
7. Creativity
We use storytelling, art, humor, and collaborative media to teach complex concepts in engaging ways. Creativity isn’t decoration — it’s a civic tool. The best way to help someone understand a complicated system is to make it interesting.
8. Responsibility
Everyone has a role in strengthening their community. We uplift and empower local voices to take part in solutions and projects. Shared responsibility means no one is just an audience member — everyone is a participant.
9. Collaboration
We bridge in-person community building with digital tools and connections to link people, chapters, and ideas. Collaboration across boundaries — geographic, demographic, digital — is how small local efforts become something larger.
10. Progress
RIT focuses on real, meaningful improvements — even small ones — rather than waiting for perfect solutions. Progress over perfection means shipping something real today instead of theorizing about something ideal tomorrow.
11. Transparency
We are open about our methods, data sources, finances, and decision-making. Trust is built through clarity, not secrecy. If you want to know how RIT operates, the answer should always be available.
12. Ethical Stewardship
We commit to responsible use of AI and emerging technology, teaching communities how to navigate risks, misinformation, and digital rights. Technology is powerful, and power requires stewardship — not just enthusiasm.
Why Twelve?
Not because twelve is a magic number, but because these are the commitments that came out of the work. Each one addresses a specific gap we saw in how organizations typically approach civic engagement: too partisan, too inaccessible, too abstract, too closed. RIT exists to fill those gaps, and these values are how we hold ourselves accountable to that mission.
Want to see these values in action? Check out our community page to learn how we put them into practice, or support our work to help us keep building.