Mission
We are a diverse college student-led organization shaping our future by applying pressure to decision-makers to act on the urgency of the climate crisis. We are building a world that prioritizes just and equitable resiliency in California.
Vision
CSSC is motivated by the danger the fossil fuel industry and their leaders have imposed on our air, water, homes, and futures. This exploitation is on a historic level and has reached a global scale. Therefore, as students, alumnx, and community members, we exist to take bold action on and off higher education campuses to challenge fossil fuel dominance of our government and schools. We aim to push fossil fuels out of popular support and to address the harm this industry has caused.
Theory Of Change
Our theory of change is to challenge dominant institutions. In this theory, we acknowledge the existing systems but strive to improve them through impactful, pointed, and thoughtful critique.
Our approach to this theory of change is to run non-violent direct action campaigns, and to hold dramatic actions and mass mobilizations.
More information on theories of change and movement ecology from the Ayni Institute can be found here.
Organizational Principles
Empower Students
We are a movement of early adopters who: view society as dynamic and fluid, are youth without an age, and are people who welcome change. We understand our social obligation to speak out.
We are committed to training students, while acknowledging the cyclical nature of their involvement. Growth and potential for growth are our most important indicators for leadership. We strive to set the groundwork for engaged citizens with a lifelong passion for change.
Nurturance culture
We expect strong relationships with trusted and supportive peers at CSSC. Our members take physical and mental care of themselves and each other. We particularly encourage men to embrace genuine emotions.
Social Awareness
We strive to understand and address our innate social advantages while respecting the experiences and distinctiveness of others. We also understand that compounding experiences and identities can lead to further disadvantage. We acknowledge that we inhabit inherently flawed places of living and learning with inaccurate representation of people in leadership positions. Both in our organization and in the outside sphere, we support, encourage, and advocate for equitable representation. We admonish those who seek to harm people based on their traits.
Evidence Based
We use science and social science to prevent environmental and communal harm, and apply a precautionary approach where knowledge is limited.
Aggregate and Amplify
We aim to advance the study of sustainability and promote the open exchange and wide application of the knowledge acquired. We focus on stories and storytellers that are often ignored or silenced by corporate media.
Democracy
We work to strengthen democracy at all levels of our organization and provide transparency, accountability, and access to decision-making roles. We strive to provide information regarding decisions to stakeholders when non-confidential.
Financial Equity
We do our best to acknowledge and address the historical financial issues in the nonprofit world. We prioritize paid internships for underprivileged people. We endeavor to pay competitive wages with reasonable hours.
Community Agreements
Accessibility and Awareness
CSSC is an organization that accepts and celebrates all people. We prioritize making the organization as accessible as possible to all by promoting equitable experiences and voices. We aim to be self aware of privilege and experience. We demonstrate this by sharing opportunities to communicate, decide, and expand our skills.
CSSC encourages its members to speak authentically from their own experiences. We encourage questioning and learning rather than making assumptions about the identity, background, and knowledge of others. We understand mistakes happen and encourage members to recognize the harm mistakes can cause, and apologize. CSSC supports those who are harmed and hopes that the harmed party acknowledges well-intentioned, if misguided, actions when they exist.
Learning Culture
As an organization of students and allies, we are well poised to retain a perspective of learning and curiosity. We aim to create a space where members feel comfortable not having knowledge of everything. Members should actively contribute to CSSC by addressing organizational problems. We understand that naming a problem, although socially difficult, can create a better solution.
Root Causes
Even though we acknowledge the reality of a capitalistic, racist, colonial, and patriarchal society, we emphasize an understanding of the root causes of our embodied crisis. In our own organization and in our communities, we seek to dismantle these systems of oppression by promoting the collective liberation of communities and by supporting underrepresented minorities in attaining powerful positions.