We're a space for anyone trying to make sense of the world and their place in it—through stories, culture, community, and a deep belief in human dignity.
About Us
What We Believe
We're all born with dignity—a real, built-in worth that no system, headline, or person can take away. When we start from that truth, something shifts: I matter. My people matter. What I do next matters.
Our power doesn't come from titles or money. It starts in communities—friends who show up, neighbors who look out for each other, people who refuse to let anyone get pushed aside. When we know our rights and show up for one another, we turn confusion into clarity and clarity into momentum.
That's how change starts: person to person, community to community.
How We Got Here
Start With Dignity was born from Alliance San Diego, an organization working to build community power to bring human rights home. Since 2007, Alliance San Diego has developed leaders, engaged communities, advocated for policies, and protected civil and human rights.
Our work has always centered on one question: How do we reshape the world to be more reflective of and responsive to its diverse communities? Today, we're working to change U.S. policies and laws to align with international human rights standards—because everyone deserves to live with dignity, safety, and freedom.
Start With Dignity is where you can get grounded, learn your rights, connect with community, explore culture and stories, and find tools that actually help in everyday life. Here, you’re not just getting by: you’re building toward a future where you, and the people you care about, can truly thrive.
Why This Work Matters
Justice for Anastasio
In 2010, our community lost Anastasio Hernández Rojas—a San Diego resident, father, and human being whose life mattered. Anastasio encountered border agents who brutalized and killed him for one reason: he asserted his dignity.
Border agents told investigators that Anastasio was different from others they encountered. He looked them in the eyes. He held his head high. He asked for medical attention when they injured him. They saw his dignity as a threat—and used it to justify violence that took his life.
"Anastasio's story taught us something crucial: dignity should never be seen as threatening. It should be protected as the foundation of our humanity."
Anastasio's story is why Start With Dignity exists. Because when we understand our rights and our worth, we're better equipped to protect ourselves and others. Because dignity isn't just a feeling—it's a human right that should be protected by law.
Leadership Workshops
Start With Dignity leadership workshops are designed to help you and your community understand your rights, build confidence, and take action. Through interactive sessions grounded in human rights principles, we explore how dignity becomes the foundation for courage, clarity, and collective power.
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