Who we are
High Country Mutual Aid is a grassroots community movement, based in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, funded entirely by public donor support. We are an ever evolving group, comprised of folks of diverse identities and backgrounds, working to educate about the numerous ways our current systems are failing us, and utilizing collective coordination to create systems of care to meet the needs of our communities and strengthen all our relations.
We take care of us!
Building the mycelium network of liberating community through care and solidarity.
HCMA Story & Vision
Germinating from the recognition of how deeply the roots of inequity run in our current systems, a small group of friends formed HCMA in January 2024, with the intention of creating connections to weave nets of support, closing the gaps we see around us. HCMA arose from the intimate understanding of what it’s like to fall through these gaps, experiencing housing insecurity, poverty, food insecurity, lack of access to medical care, and the isolation these situations can bring. We are grounding into the work of collective action and learning from one another, growing and evolving with the needs of our community. We believe our connection to each other has the opportunity to cultivate solidarity, collaboration, resiliency, and strength.
We proactively envision a reality in which our communities are thriving places, fostering care, equity, education, inclusivity, creativity, solidarity, and nourishment. We strive to practice interdependence with the land and resources, our immediate circles, and the larger global community. We work to eliminate all boundaries to any forms of survival needs, for anyone, for any reason; including free access to nourishing food, clean water, safe and warm shelter, all types of medical care, public transportation, self determination, education and skill sharing, and loving community spaces.
Values
We value honoring each other through collaborative, non-hierarchical structures, and horizontal organizing practices, seeking to consistently hold ourselves accountable to meet them.
We value all peoples’ rights and advocate for everyone to have access to clean drinking water, nutritious food, adequate shelter, healthcare, community, and agency.
We value environmental justice and land stewardship, recognizing we reside on occupied Tsalaguwetiyi (Cherokee) lands ("Boone, NC"), and stand for and work towards Land Back.
We value the inter-dependency of the tapestry woven together to create the communities that hold us, recognizing community is an inherent right and our greatest strength, not a privilege.
We believe everyone has something of value to offer and that we collectively have access to all we need to meet each others’ needs and to thrive, when we work together as equals.
We value transparency, as it is absolutely necessary for effective communication, collaboration, and trust. We do not willfully withhold, obscure, or delay information regarding our operations, and strive to be responsive to requests for information from our members, partners, and community. Note that we also maintain private persons', businesses', and organizations' right to determine how and what information is shared about them by us.
We value agency of self-direction and freedom from constraint. We trust individuals’ knowledge of their own needs and of their communities. When offering assistance, we allow folks to lead while we do our best to provide support when asked.
We value diversity of perspectives, identities, and lived experiences.
We value creative expression as a vital form of revolution building; a catalyst and a tool for engaging, sparking motivation, and transforming community.
HCMA does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religious affiliation, age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, organizational affiliation, political alignment, past or current incarceration, medical history, color or style of hair, dietary preferences, height, mode of transportation, astrological chart, transgressions committed in past lives, occupation, fashion sense (or lack thereof), or presence on government watch-lists.
We strive to grow inclusive, safe spaces for anyone wishing to engage in community building with us, while ALSO standing firm in our resolve to actively dismantle all forms of oppression, harm, and injustice, inside and outside of our organizing spaces. We aim to provide opportunities for deconstructing patriarchal and colonial behaviors, reclaiming personal responsibility, and exploring relational accountability skills.
Lastly, we acknowledge that this work is multi-generational and we all are walking this long journey of unlearning and learning, together.
Spread the Word
Get connected with community, stay connected, and spread the word!
Mutual Aid depends on the movement of information and communication through individuals talking and sharing with one another in their daily lives. So, strike up conversations with your friends, family, and neighbors about Mutual Aid and the work we are doing!
Contact us
Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!