Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Social Justice Value Statement
Using the power of the arts as a means to healing and justice, ArtPride New Jersey Foundation, Inc. (ArtPride) is committed to becoming an anti-racist organization. We seek social justice for the historically excluded and oppressed, specifically those that identify as Black, LatinX, Asian Pacific Islander, Indigenous, and/or a Person of Color. ArtPride must view its mission through an intersectional framework that also includes the LGBTQ+ community, People with Disabilities, and all historically excluded individuals.
ArtPride acknowledges the existence of systemic inequity within New Jersey’s arts and cultural community. We will work to promote healing from the damage done by systemic racism through increased public awareness of the value and impact of the arts; grassroots advocacy; and engaging historically excluded artists, and arts organizations in all of our efforts. Because of our own history as a predominantly white-led organization, ArtPride commits to transforming our organization to better reflect the diversity of our state’s residents.
ArtPride seeks equitable access to the arts for all, and believes that creating, sharing, and experiencing art is crucial to the wellbeing of individuals, communities, and a functioning democracy. ArtPride commits to listening to, learning from, and collaborating with arts organizations, creative workers, artists, trustees, volunteers, and patrons in order to help shape a fairer and more just New Jersey.
To further racial justice practices, ArtPride must:
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honor the diversity of artistic expression across New Jersey by actively working against conscious and unconscious bias in communications, content, and promotions;
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continually assess and evolve all of our organizational practices to those that will include all historically excluded communities;
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foster a more equitable distribution of power and wealth and nurture a culture of mutual respect among our staff, board, and volunteers.
As a leader in the arts and cultural community, ArtPride must:
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listen to arts organizations and artists from historically excluded communities to identify needed resources, and help to provide resources to address those needs;
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ensure access to cultural opportunities for all people and organizations through advocacy for equitable and increased funding for arts and culture at local, state, and federal levels;
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collaborate with strategic partners to challenge and dismantle systemic racism and support social justice for historically excluded artists and arts organizations;
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assist historically excluded arts organizations, artists, and supporters to effectively advocate for public policy that addresses systemic inequities.
ArtPride’s Board of Trustees and staff commit to transparency and the highest standards of or accountability as we move toward our vision of operating as a true anti-racist organization. Progress will be defined by the actions of the organization in pursuit of clearly defined goals and metrics. ArtPride will consistently listen to, and report back to, members, partners, and collaborators to ensure that its path and work remain true to the ongoing structural work of dismantling racism and supporting historically excluded artists and arts organizations in New Jersey.
ArtPride continues to evolve as an organization through this work. In the spirit of transparency, ArtPride will continue to share assessments, reports, plans and other information as they are created. This statement was created in collaboration with Tangible Development, Staff, and Board and was approved by ArtPride’s Board of Trustees on August 23, 2021.
EDISJ Strategic Action Plan Committee Members Internal Assessment Report Progress Update
Social Justice for Arts Resources
- Arts for Social Justice: This website aims to connect groups needing help with volunteers, who are willing to donate their time in support of the greater good.
- In June 2020, the City of Newark launched the Social Justice Public Art Initiative, starting with two ground murals in response to calls for racial justice. Seven murals were completed in 2020, and additional murals will be commissioned throughout 2021.
- The Inclusion Project - Rutgers: We develop ideas for transformational change using legal and policy research and in collaboration with affected communities to anchor our understanding.
- The New Jersey Institute for Social Justice uses cutting-edge racial and social justice advocacy to empower people of color by building reparative systems that create wealth, transform justice and harness democratic power—from the ground up—in New Jersey.
Additional Resources
- 65 Resources for Racial and Health Equity: Racial Equity Toolkits for Government Agencies and Other Groups
- New Jersey Arts and Culture Administrators of Color (NJACAC) A network of professional arts administrators of color dedicated to advancing efforts related to equity, diversity, and inclusion within New Jersey’s arts community. This initiative is a partnership between New Jersey Theatre Alliance (NJTA), the state’s service organization for professional producing theatre companies; ArtPride New Jersey, the state’s largest arts service and advocacy organization; and New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
- Taneshia Nash Laird: Your 3-Step, Uncomplicated Formula For a More Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Workplace
- NJTA Antiracism Resources: Foundational resources about diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism, in theatre and beyond.
- Good Good Good Antiracism Resources: These resources are intended to deepen our anti-racism work.
- Fighting Anti-Blackness Resource List: This resource list, compiled by HarvardWIT+, covers some of the ways in which non-black folks can support the current #BlackLivesMatter movement.
Funders
ArtPride New Jersey would like to extend their gratitude to the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the Grunin Foundation for their specific support of the organization’s work in equity, diversity and inclusion.
