ANTI-RACISM COMMITMENT STATEMENT

Theater Latté Da is committed to recognizing, addressing, and opposing racism and discrimination in our work, art, community, and industry. We affirm our resolve to actively create an anti-racist arts organization demonstrating our commitment through action. We believe in the power and impact of equitable, inclusive environments and value the lived experiences of our collaborators. We will hold each other accountable to honor this commitment, in the rehearsal room, the office, the theater and the board room.

 + As a primarily white-led organization we know that we have benefited from a position of white privilege and must work more intentionally towards becoming an anti-racist and inclusive organization.

In turn, Theater Latté Da is committed to rigorous self-assessment, robust training, and implementing practices and policies to create a more inclusive organization. We will prioritize equity throughout every aspect of the organization in our words, actions, and finances.

+ We believe theater is a powerful tool to create social change. The stories we choose to tell, the characters we choose to represent, and the bodies we choose to inhabit those characters matters deeply. A society is reflected, defined, and inspired by the stories it tells. We acknowledge that in our past we have been limited in what stories are represented on our stage.

In turn, Theater Latté Da is committed to diversity, expanding the stories we tell, broadening the cast of characters we represent, and widening the community of actors who inhabit those characters. We will actively engage artists of color as writers, composers, actors, directors, choreographers, musicians, technicians, and designers crafting stories that represent the diversity of our communities and work towards deeper understanding.

+ The craft of acting is inherently a practice of empathy. The actor's job is to fully understand and align themselves with a character whose life experience is different than their own. In addition to experiencing the story, an audience simultaneously witnesses the practice of empathy. We believe this dynamic is unique to the theater, making our art form an incredibly powerful tool in building a more compassionate society. 

In turn, Theater Latté Da commits itself to facilitating creative processes that prioritize the practice of empathy. We will create a process that will provide the time, resources, and expertise to create work that is culturally competent, free of dangerous stereotypes, and possesses a deep understanding of the community or communities a given work represents.

+A theater company is more than the work on stage. While we believe the work onstage needs to lead, we also recognize that the organization includes the board, staff, audience, and the broader community. We must prioritize diversity and access in every facet of the organization: in our board recruitment and selection, in our audition processes, and in our hiring practices. We acknowledge that the current makeup of our staff, board, and audience does not reflect this commitment.

In turn, Theater Latté Da will institutionalize hiring practices and human resource procedures that will create and support a more diverse and culturally competent staff, board, and artistic roster.

+We believe theater should be an ongoing part of every citizen's life experience and not be limited to the most privileged members of our society. We acknowledge that we have not done enough to mitigate the barriers to attracting a racially diverse audience.

In turn, Theater Latté Da is committed to building new relationships and expanding our outreach efforts to those who have not previously been reached. We will be intentional about connecting to a diversity of audiences and build opportunities to ensure the work is accessible to everyone. We recognize that this will demand time, resources, and a rigorous commitment, building significant partnerships based on trust and mutual respect.

We have not always lived up to the ideals we hold dear. This is our commitment to change and accountability…to create theater that promotes deep understanding of both our similarities and our differences, that expands the circle and inspires change. 

OCTOBER 15, 2020

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We gratefully, and humbly acknowledge the Native Peoples on whose Ancestral Homelands we gather, as well as the diverse and vibrant Native Communities who make their home here today.