Our Values

At ICHS our values are Inclusivity, Curiosity, Sustainability, and Accountability to Community.

ICHS strives to lead with these values in our community and in our professional practice. We commit to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in what we say and do. We aim to dismantle barriers to engagement and representation by partnering, collaborating with, consulting with, and uplifting diverse voices in our decision-making processes, collections, research, exhibitions, and programs, and the continual pursuit of learning about equity. We begin with racial equity but also aim to address accessibility to our work in income, gender identity, culture, language, ability, and any other forms of disenfranchisement that our community may experience.

Inclusivity

We are committed to building and sustaining an inclusive community, including addressing barriers to the full inclusion of historically underrepresented groups. Recognizing that multiple voices and perspectives enrich our work, we are dedicated to fostering an environment where differences are valued and respected, and where all members of our community are engaged participants in our mission.

We will do this by:

• Expanding our interpretive & programmatic strategies. We are committed to welcoming and empowering multiple perspectives by actively seeking diverse viewpoints in the development and evaluation of our exhibitions and programs, and training staff and volunteers to fully participate in an inclusive interpretive strategy. This will enable ICHS to deliver inclusive, accessible, and responsive exhibitions and programs.

• Build a diverse collection. All three of the museum’s sites, and the work of many of our partners, are impacted by the collections. ICHS will develop an inclusive collecting plan, which can include actively acquiring archives and objects representative of, or created by, underrepresented communities who have, and continue to, contribute to and influence Island County arts and heritage. By sharing these collections we will invite conversations with our visitors and build transparency about what we collect and why.

• Embody inclusivity within our internal culture. We commit to internal inclusive practices, policies, and behaviors, building a culture of mutual trust and respect. We strive to ensure that new and existing staff and volunteers feel welcomed, supported, and encouraged to express their identities in the workplace.

Curiosity

We are all learners and teachers. We believe in taking creative risks to surprise and delight visitors of all backgrounds with fun, engaging, and intriguing exhibitions and programs. We also believe that supporting curiosity leads to lifelong learning, and within our organization, creates a work environment that supports collaboration.

Accountability to Community

We are driven by our mission and are committed to listening with purpose, sharing resources, stewarding community stories and collections, and being accountable to our community and stakeholders. Being accountable to our community means inviting them behind-the-scenes to understand the process of interpreting and preserving history. Being Community-Centered means being responsive to community interests and needs, being transparent and ethical in our practices, and being authentic and honest in our relationships.

Sustainability

Sustainability is multifaceted at ICHS. To be sustainable means we have compassion for this planet and all its inhabitants, and we will strive to continually examine how to minimize our footprint and give back. We also strive to remain modern and relevant in our practices, responsible with the resources we are given, and financially transparent, always striving to achieve a high level of efficiency and sustainability. By integrating our work with our passions we will create a smart, coordinated, and supportive work culture that values our staff and volunteers as leaders in the community.

ICHS-sustainers are one of the communities of people we serve and who, in turn, support and guide the organization as staff, Board, volunteers, donors, and advocates. We are accountable to this community. We are committed to actively and regularly demonstrating our gratitude to this community.