Our Values
- Action over idealism – We can only have better lives if we are willing to work hard for it. The highly unfavorable conditions in existence require certain kinds of adaptive pragmatism. Our ideals mean little if we are not successful in bringing them into existence.
- Community-centered decision making – Those affected by political and economic decisions should have power in those decisions. We are building leverage for consumers, workers, and all other individuals generally excluded from public life.
- Accountability and Self-Criticism – Our program is only as strong as we are able to critically analyze its effectiveness in solving important shared issues. Our effectiveness is also contingent upon the social conduct of our organization’s leadership, which we constantly analyze and adjust according to feedback from those who work closely with us.
- Everything is connected – Human society is a whole system embedded in a larger earth system. Actions taken in reality produce a ‘domino effect’, moving through certain causal pathways in the world. The higher the scale of decision, the more widespread the impact on the whole system.
Meet the Team
Alessandro Mitchell
Director
Alessandro operates as the system manager of the organization. He makes sure all aspects of MNU are functioning in conjunction with one another. Alessandro has years of experience in housing organizing that have lead to major improvements in the lives of dozens of people living in low-income housing and in shelters. He has also provided strategic and logistical support to multiple individuals running for Missoula City Council. Alessandro has utilized his background as an artist and his deep understanding of dynamics to create an organization that can thrive in a time when possessing a strong understanding of public appeal as well as scientific and technological principles are key to developing a successful humanistic enterprise.
Crow
Co Director - Site Manager
Crow grew up in Missoula, having experienced many of the local nonprofits first hand, she understands the many inadequacies and much needed improvements that need to be made within our community. Crow operates as the sites manager, having developed a fascination with the odd, obscure and niche side of the internet at an early age, she integrates this curated creativity into website design, hoping to spark a revival of fun but professional sites beyond just MNU’s. Crow also takes on roles such as tenant organizer, lead researcher, and co director. Crow hopes to use her experiences, skills and love for the community to help it thrive and fight for the justice it desperately needs.