Diversity & Inclusion Blog<p><img alt="Diversity & Inclusion Blog" class="img-responsive" src="/resources/diversity/DIVERSITYBLOG.jpg" /></p>
uuid:bd4fa5c1-5e58-e811-a2eb-0050569d7db5;6380075880000000002022-10-07T17:00:00Zuuid:ace6b718-5f46-ed11-a83c-002248202b63;638007585240000000Indigenous Peoples' Day in 2022<p>To many Indigenous and Native Peoples in the North, Central and South Americas, the celebration of Columbus Day is painful. Columbus was responsible for what some consider to be the catalyst of the centuries of genocide, colonization, and slavery committed by European colonizers. Shifting the narrative to centering Indigenous and Native American history is a step towards repairing relations between the United States and sovereign Indigenous and Native American nations and tribes.</p>
2022-10-07T17:00:00Z2022-10-07T16:55:24ZEquity News Staffuuid:4d48ca3d-5db7-ec11-a82b-002248225d15;637850474060000000Hispanic Heritage Month: Poder Y Justicia: Latinamericanos, Activism & Theatre Artistry<p>On Monday, September 27 Equity’s Diversity & Inclusion Department hosted an EEOC dialogue for Hispanic Heritage Month entitled “Poder Y Justicia: Latinamericanos, Activism & Theatre Artistry.”</p>
2022-04-08T16:54:00Z2022-04-08T20:43:26ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:e558f23d-5704-ec11-a82f-002248225d15;637661113980000000Retrofit Update<p>On Wednesday, July 28, the Diversity & Inclusion Department of Actors' Equity Association provided members and update on its Diversity & Inclusion Retrofit of the organization.</p>
2021-09-01T21:13:00Z2021-09-01T16:43:18ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:73cda27e-5a0b-ec11-a82f-002248225d15;637661865830000000Let's Talk Hair Event<p>On June 30, Equity’s diversity and inclusion department hosted “Let’s Talk Hair,” a discussion of the context of the April resolution passed by council to include hair texture as a protected characteristic in union contracts.</p>
2021-09-01T19:24:00Z2021-09-02T13:36:23ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:c02306d1-420b-ec11-a82f-002248225d15;637661113730000000EEOC DIALOGUES: RACE (2021)<p>On Thursday, June 3, Equity’s Equal Employment Opportunity Committee held its biannual dialogue on race, with theatre artist and activist Kaja Dunn.</p>
2021-09-01T16:34:00Z2021-09-01T16:42:53ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:0a9b917c-2105-ec11-a82f-002248225d15;637656032650000000EEOC Dialogues: Disability<p>On Wednesday, June 2, Equity’s Equal Employment Opportunity Committee held its biannual dialogue on disability, featuring artist and inclusion expert Claudia Alick.</p>
2021-08-24T21:20:00Z2021-08-26T19:34:25ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:8b176290-1d05-ec11-a82f-002248225d15;637654947290000000Claiming Our Power: AAPI Agency, Representation and Justice in the Workplace<p>On Monday, May 24, Actors’ Equity Association’s diversity and inclusion department hosted an event for AAPI Heritage Month entitled Claiming Our Power: AAPI Agency, Representation and Justice in the Workplace.</p>
2021-08-24T20:54:00Z2021-08-25T13:25:29ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:21cee09f-75e9-eb11-a82d-002248225d15;637624960480000000Open Access<p>On Tuesday, May 18th, 2021 at an Equity Council Meeting, council approved the “Open Access” resolution to enact a series of recommendations to eliminate barriers to Equity membership, making our union stronger and more inclusive. Central Principal Councilor and Open Access Action Team Leader Bear Bellinger, who helped develop those recommendations, shares his experience with the process of creating this ground-breaking change.</p>
2021-07-20T16:05:00Z2021-07-21T20:27:28ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:e25a4a24-66c5-eb11-a827-002248225d15;638212300170000000Member Update: Let’s Talk Hair!<p>The “Hair Texture as a Protected Characteristic” resolution mandates that Equity bring to all negotiations going forward the addition of “hair texture” to the protected characteristics in the anti-discrimination clause.</p>
2021-07-01T14:21:00Z2023-06-01T15:26:57ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:8df14975-08d5-eb11-a828-002248225cbb;637601586620000000Equity Council Renews and Updates Black Lives Matter Resolution<p>Following the recommendation of Equity's first national convention, council adopted amendments to their Black Lives Matter resolution of June, 2020.</p>
2021-06-24T16:19:00Z2021-06-24T19:11:02ZLevy, Daviduuid:268feb20-a5cf-eb11-a828-002248225cbb;637595567220000000Equity Celebrates LBGTQIA+ Pride Month<p>The Diversity & Inclusion Department invites Equity members to celebrate LGBTQIA+ Pride Month by participating in virtual events presented by organizations both regionally and nationwide.</p>
2021-06-17T19:49:00Z2021-06-17T19:58:42ZLevy, Daviduuid:afabe6b2-5fc8-eb11-a827-002248225cbb;637588478060000000Phenomenal Women: Artistic Directors - Closing the Gender Gap<p>On Monday, March 15, 2021, the Equal Employment Opportunity Committee presented "Phenomenal Women: Artistic Directors - Closing the Gender Gap," a panel discussion in celebration of Women's History Month led by Western Regional Principal Councilor Barbara Roberts.</p>
2021-06-08T13:42:00Z2021-06-09T15:03:26ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:6698ea58-61c5-eb11-a827-002248225d15;637588511810000000The Business of the Buzz<p>Over 2020, the Equal Employment Opportunity Committee presented the webinar series “The Business of the Buzz." </p>
2021-06-04T18:11:00Z2021-06-09T15:59:41ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:54dc204c-97c4-eb11-a827-002248225d15;637584304220000000Meet the Producers: Escalating Diversity & Inclusion<p>On Thursday, January 28, Equity’s Equal Employment Opportunity Committee (EEOC) hosted “Escalating Diversity & Inclusion: Meet the Producers,” a conversation with a panel of producers to discuss efforts to ensure parity in the industry.</p>
2021-06-03T18:07:00Z2021-06-04T19:07:02ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:479d40c0-95c4-eb11-a827-002248225d15;6375842658200000009to5: The Story of a Movement<p>On Wednesday, March 31, 2021, in celebration of Women’s History Month, Actors' Equity Association's Diversity and Inclusion Department broadcast a screening of the documentary film <em>9to5: The Story of a Movement</em>.</p>
2021-06-03T17:56:00Z2021-06-04T18:03:02ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:20199f6e-93c4-eb11-a827-002248225d15;637584263320000000The Climb: Moving Forward in the Workplace<p>On Monday, February 22, Equity’s Equal Employment Opportunity Committee held “The Climb,” an annual celebration of Black History Month that uplifts the contributions and concerns of Black Equity members.</p>
2021-06-03T17:44:00Z2021-06-04T17:58:52ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:4fcd1cd3-3db7-eb11-a827-002248225cbb;637568740710000000Equity Celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with 'Claiming Our Power' Event Online<p>The Diversity & Inclusion Department invites you to attend “Claiming Our Power: AAPI Agency, Representation and Justice in the Workplace,” a webinar addressing the urgent issues facing people of the AAPI diaspora in the workplace and in society. This event will be held over Zoom and live streamed publicly via Facebook on Monday, May 24 at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT.</p>
2021-05-17T18:26:00Z2021-05-17T18:47:51ZLevy, Daviduuid:bf136729-35ac-eb11-a823-000d3a17bd8e;637557365530000000EEOC DIALOGUES: GENDER (2021)<p>On March 18, 2021, the Diversity and Inclusion Department and Equal Employment Opportunity Committee of Actors' Equity held a dialogue on sex and gender, hosted by Gender Consultant Josephine Kearns and Equity's Diversity and Inclusion Strategist Bliss Griffin.</p>
2021-05-03T17:27:00Z2021-05-04T14:49:13ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:477d0826-1c9f-eb11-a823-000d3a17bd8e;637548099830000000Working Collaboratively to Create a Landscape That is Just, Inclusive and Anti-Racist.<p>While we cannot share our core responsibilities to the members as a union, like contract bargaining and grievance investigation, we welcome collaborations for member engagement events, public industry talks and long term member education programming.</p>
2021-04-17T01:27:00Z2021-04-23T21:26:23ZLevy, Daviduuid:489522be-869c-eb11-a822-000d3a17bd8e;637553942000000000EEOC DIALOGUES: RACE<p>On November 12, 2020, the Diversity and Inclusion Department and Equal Employment Opportunity Committee of Actors' Equity held a diversity webinar on race and ethnicity, presented by Kaja Dunn, UNC Charlotte Assistant Professor of Theatre.</p>
2021-04-13T18:27:00Z2021-04-30T15:43:20ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:63f6c7f0-e696-eb11-a822-000d3a17bab6;637556484340000000Diversity & Inclusion Workshop: Intimacy in the Theatre<p>On January 13, 2021, the Diversity and Inclusion department held a workshop over Zoom entitled “Intimacy in Theatre: It’s More Than Sex.”</p>
2021-04-06T14:44:00Z2021-05-03T14:20:34ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:96511d55-0d60-eb11-a303-0050569d2b93;637477928240000000INTRODUCING EQUITY'S STYLE GUIDE<p>Actors’ Equity Association has a new Brand Book and Style Guide, outlining Equity’s standards when visually or verbally representing the union.</p>
2021-01-26T19:25:00Z2021-02-01T16:13:44ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:7b88ebe3-2549-eb11-a309-0050569d1c04;637448595460000000EEOC Dialogues: Disability<p>The Diversity & Inclusion department presented the third of an event series requested by the Equal Employment Opportunity Committee: The EEOC Dialogues. This webinar focused on disability and was facilitated by Claudia Alick, cultural producer, performer, intersectional inclusion consultant and founder of Calling Up Justice, a transmedia company.</p>
2020-12-28T15:45:00Z2020-12-29T17:25:46ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:c6f51513-e633-eb11-a309-0050569d1c04;637432122860000000ANNOUNCING THE FREDERICK O'NEAL AWARD<p>The Equal Employment Opportunity Committee of Actors’ Equity Association is pleased to announce the Frederick O’Neal Award.</p>
2020-12-01T14:56:00Z2020-12-10T15:51:26ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:b82ec82d-e029-eb11-a309-0050569d1c04;637432122860000000A Letter on the 2020 Election<p>The impact of Kamala Harris holding the post of Vice President of the United States of America is truly monumental.</p>
2020-11-18T20:43:00Z2020-12-10T15:51:26ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:06af80fc-e6a9-eb11-a823-000d3a17bd8e;637554073260000000EEOC DIALOGUES: GENDER (2020)<p>On Wednesday, April 15, 2020, and on Thursday, October 15, Actors’ Equity Association’s Equal Employment Opportunity presented two online seminars on gender, facilitated by Josephine Kearns, a theatre artist, educator and gender consultant specializing in transgender, queer and intersex issues.</p>
2020-11-01T19:38:00Z2021-04-30T19:22:06ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:ba4c34e1-9714-eb11-a300-0050569d2b93;637432122860000000DEAF ARTISTS ROUNDTABLE<p>On Monday, September 21, the Equal Employment Opportunity Committee presented the event “Deaf and Hard of Hearing Theatre Artists Roundtable,” a virtual panel discussion.</p>
2020-10-22T18:44:00Z2020-12-10T15:51:26ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:1d2cd1d4-ce13-eb11-a307-0050569d1c04;637432122860000000CREATING YOUR OWN WORK: ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT – IDENTIFYING AND WORKING YOUR GENRE<p>Actors of marginalized identities often find that there are fewer traditional pathways to participation in the theatre industry for them than there are for their peers. While the industry is making strides to counteract its own systemic marginalization, it is still vital for under-represented industry professionals to forge their own paths.</p>
2020-10-21T18:41:00Z2020-12-10T15:51:26ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:0023de55-830d-eb11-a30c-0050569d0108;637432122860000000MARCH ON WASHINGTON: HOPE IN A DIVIDED NATION<p>On Friday, August 28th, 2020, Equity member Shawn Bowers joined the March on Washington led by The National Action Network in Washington, D.C. This is an account of his experience at the event.</p>
2020-10-13T18:29:00Z2020-12-10T15:51:26ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:d0f99f9d-aef6-ea11-a30f-0050569d79d2;637432122860000000Business of the Buzz: Worth the Work<p>This panel discussion, followed by a Q&A, invited theatre and wellness experts to offer on actions and resources that Black Equity members can use to support their overall well-being as they navigate the industry, particularly in these times of pandemic, the Black Lives Matter protests for justice and economic collapse.</p>
2020-09-14T17:16:00Z2020-12-10T15:51:26ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:b33c5592-4533-eb11-a309-0050569d1c04;637432122860000000Theatre on the Spectrum<p>In a panel, a neurodiverse group of theatre makers and disability rights advocates, which included those on the autism spectrum, shared their experiences in working in theatre and suggested ways to increase neurodiversity.</p>
2020-08-26T18:46:00Z2020-12-10T15:51:26ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:dd232837-d9e6-ea11-a30e-0050569d79d2;637432122860000000SOLO PERFORMERS: 50+<p>On Monday, June 15, 2020, Actors’ Equity Association’s Equal Employment Opportunity Committee presented the second event of its 2020-21 event series. “Solo Performers: 50+” was a panel discussion with performers over 50 years of age who have created and performed their own solo work.</p>
2020-08-25T13:38:00Z2020-12-10T15:51:26ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:91cb443c-7bc8-ea11-a30e-0050569d79d2;637432122860000000STRIKE FOR BLACK LIVES<p>This Monday, July 20, is the Strike for Black Lives, a worker-led response to the ongoing injustices in the United States. Its focus is to dismantle racism and white supremacy as obstacles to economic, climate and immigration justice, as well as emphasizing the importance of labor unions. The day of action features a walkout, and many unions and other organizations are planning to protest.</p>
2020-07-17T22:13:00Z2020-12-10T15:51:26ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:21885d43-93bf-ea11-a30b-0050569d0108;637438205170000000Workplace Inclusion Lab<p>Racism is a workplace safety issue. It needs to be addressed the same way we talk about the safest way to get on-or-off-stage.</p>
2020-07-06T14:10:00Z2020-12-17T16:48:37ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:426f2e45-90b1-ea11-a307-0050569d0108;637601490120000000EQUITY COUNCIL TAKES ACTION ON BLACK LIVES MATTER RESOLUTION<p>Following a recommendation of the Executive Committee, Equity’s National Council has taken action to in regard to the Black Lives Matter Movement, approving on the following resolution at their June 2020 meeting:</p>
2020-06-18T18:18:00Z2021-06-24T16:30:12ZGeselowitz, Gabrielauuid:328ceed1-a58f-ea11-a30b-0050569d79d2;637432122860000000Discrimination During the COVID-19 Outbreak <p>In this time of global crisis, we are alarmed to see discrimination on the rise.</p>
<p>Actors’ Equity condemns the surge in COVID-19 related hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States.</p>
2020-05-06T14:26:00Z2020-12-10T15:51:26ZLevy, Daviduuid:70725bab-fdb2-e911-a2fc-0050569d7f2d;637432122860000000Intent Vs Impact In the Workplace<p>How can we stop the cycle of “harmless intent, horrible impact?” When finding ourselves in similar situations, what if we didn't have to bear the onus of hurtful comments? What if we could speak truth to power, while also emboldening the health of our relationships? How can our allies learn to be conscious of when their behavior might be insensitive?</p>
2019-07-30T12:00:00Z2020-12-10T15:51:26ZJohnson, Christine Toyuuid:53c38653-945f-e911-a2f4-0050569d7f2d;637432122860000000Working Towards Intentional Inclusion<p>This fall, we launched a revamped version of our voluntary self-identification questions, after a lot of careful thought and research by the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Committee and our staff.</p>
2019-04-13T12:00:00Z2020-12-10T15:51:26ZJohnson, Christine Toyuuid:405d7149-3a89-e811-a2d9-0050569d0108;637432122860000000Open Letter from The Roma People's Project at Columbia University to Actors’ Equity Association<p>It has come to our attention that the Actors’ Equity Association has recently decided to retire the name “Gypsy Robe,” from a ritual dear to them, a tradition that is over 60 years old. From today forward this ceremony that happens before the opening night of a Broadway musical will be called, “Legacy Robe.” The Roma Peoples Project at Columbia University welcomes the change of name initiated by the Actors’ Equity Association.</p>
2018-07-13T20:50:00Z2020-12-10T15:51:26ZLevy, Daviduuid:dd8367c5-2e89-e811-a2d9-0050569d0108;637432122850000000Introducing the Legacy Robe<p>Equity's National Council voted to rename the Robe in April and wanted to give members the opportunity to weigh in on the new name. That decision was made following the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Chorus Affairs (ACCA) and the National Equal Employment and Opportunity (EEO) Committee that the name should be changed. </p>
2018-07-13T19:24:00Z2020-12-10T15:51:25ZLevy, David