Why We STAND
Democracy demands that all voices are raised up and valued.
We build community to assert and defend the dignity of all people.
How it Started
STAND started with a question:
In the face of governance by cruelty, what can we do to push back and positively impact the world?
We came up with three answers:
Support community members harmed by bad policy
Communicate truth, and demand it where it is hidden
Protest cruel policy through community building and mobilization
We talked, we organized, we invited the public for a meal and a meeting, and in March of 2025, STAND was born.
Matt talks about STAND – who we are, what we do, and why we do it.
STAND began as a working group of individuals who routinely attend North Decatur United Methodist Church, a community who has generously provided our movement with a space to meet, funds to grow, and the support of a congregation that truly wants good done in the world. But STAND is not a religious organization. While NDUMC serves as a home base for STAND, we are a community of neighbors and friends spanning across race, belief, socioeconomic status, sexuality, and gender identity. We are not all united by background, but by common belief: that all life is inherently and irrevocably valuable. We confidently assert, as does NDUMC, that whether you are black or white, rich or poor, young or old, gay or straight, cis or trans, believer or non-, you are welcome here. Drive by sometime – it’s right there on the sign.