We Finally Named Our Values—Joy and Rest Are Rights

What Our Values Mean for Fire Island

Joy and rest are rights, not privileges. Since day one, we’ve said we work with value‑aligned people, businesses, and organizations—but we never published the values themselves. For five years we let the work speak for us; today we’re finally naming them. If you’ve cheered the events, imagine the infrastructure: leadership pipelines, year‑round resources, and community connections. Too much of Fire Island has settled for performative “inclusion”; we’re here to build QTPOC‑led presence—without centering white comfort. Here are the values that will get us there.

BaBEC Core Values: Joy, Rest, and Belonging

• Center QTPOC — Every decision starts with QTPOC. We do not center white comfort or systems.

• Healing Justice & Joy — Rest, joy, and celebration are rights—not privileges.

• Principled Disruption — We make bold, targeted change where it counts.

• Economic Abundance — Move resources and remove barriers so thriving is the standard.

• Community Accountability — Transparency for safety and repair; we name harmful norms.

How BaBEC’s Values Show Up on Fire Island

Infrastructure over one‑offs: space, leadership, and coalition.

Why We’re Naming BaBEC’s Values Now

Names are alignment. They maintain consistency in yes and no across programs, partners, and seasons.

A Neighbor-to-Neighbor Story: Juneteenth Fire Island

Budget relief, real presence.
Two years, two neighbors, two homes. In 2022 and 2023, different homeowners offered their houses for Juneteenth weekend so our board and staff had a place to land. For a small organization, this saved us a meaningful chunk of our budget—and our team worked rested and showed up as hosts, not guests. That felt like growth, understanding, and a quiet yes from the community.

What’s Next for BaBEC on Fire Island (Summer 2026)

You’ll see these values reflected in our communication over the coming year and on-island starting Summer 2026. Juneteenth weekend remains a visible expression—not the whole calendar. Help us make that a reality.

How You Can Help (Time, Introductions, Signal-Boost, Give)

• Time: Take a 2-hour volunteer shift during an event.

• Introductions: Connect us with one person who’s curious about our work or aligned with our values.

• Signal boost: Forward this post with one line on why it matters to you.

• Give: Make a donation to power year-round work. This work is expensive—and it doesn’t fund itself.

Joy and rest are rights—let’s make sure they’re not the exception