DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

One day, every American theatre will be a safe, equitable, and inclusive workplace filled with arts practitioners who represent and reflect the wonderful diversity of the human tapestry, promoting the union values.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Diversity and Inclusion department is dedicated to promoting Actor’s Equity’s values of equal opportunity, diversity, and inclusion by leading the industry in creating cultures that promote diversity, celebrate inclusion, and foster a deep sense of belonging in Equity members, audiences, and all people who engage with the American theatre. In short, we’re here to #ChangeTheStage. We do that with four primary activities:

  • offering educational programming and talk space for members so they understand their rights regarding equal access to employment and a safe and inclusive workplace
  • advising council and staff on inclusion-related policy and practice
  • developing best practices that drive the equitable and fair representation in all theatre roles
  • collaborating with our colleagues across the industry to ensure that inclusion is a central tenet in all conversation about the American theatre

DIVERSITY STUDY

In June of 2017, Actors' Equity released its first-ever diversity study demonstrating hiring biases in the theatre industry. You can read about the key findings and view datasets here. You can also read more in the Spring 2017 issue of Equity News: Looking at Hiring Bias by the Numbers.

BLOG

Have you missed a recent diversity and inclusion event or Equal Employment Opportunity award presentation? Are you looking for food for thought regarding creating a more inclusive theater? You can find updates about all our programming on the D&I Blog.

CONTACT

For more information about Diversity & Inclusion at Actors’ Equity, please contact Diversity & Inclusion Strategist Bliss Griffin at diversity@actorsequity.org.

Members may want to:

  • Learn more about the Equal Employment Opportunity Committee
  • Ask questions about or make recommendations for future events
  • Request accessibility accommodations for Equity events
  • Raise a concern about discrimination, harassment, or disparate treatment on and Equity job

Equity employers may seek:

  • Best practices for inclusion in any aspect of theatre
  • A sounding board for handing programming that addresses inclusion or systemic marginalization
  • Resources for deepening and clarifying your organization’s inclusion conversation