Misson

FreakDown’s mission is to build a multi-generational community, where we can explore creativity and self expression, deepen our connection to each other, and experience the value of interactive play. FreakDown invites you to embrace a childlike perspective, which has a rippling effect of joy and wonder that permeates throughout the event. By offering opportunities to play and create together, FreakDown empowers us to navigate life’s challenges and reminds us to find joy in our day to day. Playing together in community, allows us to not only increase our individual vitality but also strengthen our collective resilience and joy. By investing in this joy, we are better equipped to spark positive social change inside and outside of our community. 

VALUES

  • Inclusion - We strive to grow and expand our community by welcoming differences in economic, educational and cultural backgrounds, nationality, race, age, sexual orientation, gender expression, mobility, neurodiversity, and more.

  • Stewardship - We value tending for and caring for the land and waterways as utmost important. We deeply love the place where FreakDown occurs, and want the event to be sustainable for years to come.  

    • Important note: We also acknowledge that the land on which FreakDown takes place sits on the traditional and unceded territory of the Alsean people of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz. The effects of colonialism are on-going and pervasive, and the resulting inequity and harm is still felt by many Indigenous people. FreakDown is committed to supporting the Siletz Tribe and other Native  people by donating a portion of our proceeds each year to ongoing Indigenous justice work. FreakDown seeks to continue education and awareness around how to cultivate meaningful and reciprocal relationships with tribal citizens. 

  • Community Building - We strive to be a place where people build new friendships, strengthen old ones, have opportunities to connect deeply, and expand their community. We are immensely grateful for and celebrate the multi-generational FreakDown community. 

  • Next Level Play - At the FreakDown we have the opportunity to create supportive and fun learning experiences where we can explore our creativity, self expression, and the ways that we connect together. Along with increasing our creative potential, FreakDown strives to create a safe and inclusive space for everyone to step into powerful places for deepening relationships where we can explore our creativity, self expression, and the ways that we connect together through play. 

  • Equity & Belonging - As a community, we recognize power structures and oppression exist as a result of present and historical marginalization and colonization of people based on origin, nationality, race, gender, ability, religion, class, and more. We are committed to creating an environment where we can recognize the effects of oppression, recognize our potential involvement, and recognize our own biases.  The ultimate goal is to learn from each other and prevent further oppression so that we can be a community force of positive change. 

We also acknowledge that festival culture in the US has historically been predominantly white, and within that reality has existed overt and covert racism. The organizers of FreakDown are committed to the ongoing work that cultural change requires, and are open to feedback.

GROUP AGREEMENTS

In order to create a space where we can feel safe to explore our creativity, connect genuinely with each other, and build a long-lasting community, we need:

  • Consent first and always! We seek an environment built around mutual consent and respect for a person's decisions and autonomy of their own body. Cultivate the habit of asking.

  • Respect yourself and each other - this includes, personal boundaries, consent, creative expression, forms of communication, self talk, etc. We have no tolerance for harassment and discrimination of any kind. 

  • Respect the land, the infrastructure and the art - We are grateful to be on this land and co-create this event with you. Many people have poured their hearts and souls into the infrastructure and art, please don’t damage it. 

  • Make Space/Take Space - We encourage you to speak up and share, and to recognize when to make space for others. If you usually feel safe and confident speaking your thoughts, try creating space for others to share. We can learn so much by deeply listening to each other. If you aren’t one to usually speak up first, we want to hear from you! 

  • Share from your own perspective - share from your own experience, not from others.

  • Tend to impact - even with the best of intentions, there can be unintended harmful impact. Sometimes the best thing to do is apologize for the impact, rather than explaining the intention. Understanding the difference between intention and impact can help us to move into greater accountability and empathy as we listen to each other without the need to defend ourselves. 

Hold ourselves and each other accountable to these agreements