Echo Park Trash Club Community Agreement
The purpose of the EPTC community agreement is to create a set of shared principles with which to hold ourselves and one another accountable. We intend our group’s activities to align to our mission and these principles so that we can cultivate a safe community organization together.
Principles:
Understand and commit to all pillars of the EPTC mission.
Understand that EPTC defines a clean-up as a community coming together to offer cleaning services with consent and compassion. We often do clean-ups around and for people who are unhoused, only removing what they approve. We do not condone sweeps nor do we have political affiliations or ties to the LAPD.*
Commit to approaching and treating encampments, unhoused neighbors, and EPTC volunteers and leadership with dignity and respect — allowing for guidance, active listening, and considerate communication.
The EPTC continues to grow in size and in wisdom, so please attend events with an open mind while holding respect and compassion. Understand that those attending and in leadership will all be held to the same expectations.
Demonstrate a willingness to discuss any discrepancies related to our agreements regarding respectful trash removal and interactions with community members. The intention is not to pass judgment on one another, but to cultivate safety and care for all.
We present these principles to you as a living set of agreements. We are open to hearing feedback, making adjustments, and evolving as we grow together.
*Please read Theo Henderson and Ananya Roy’s interview in the LA Times to learn more about this distinction
To learn more, read our FAQs.