{"id":208,"date":"2023-01-24T12:01:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-24T12:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/?p=208"},"modified":"2023-01-19T18:40:08","modified_gmt":"2023-01-19T18:40:08","slug":"those-people-does-your-arts-organization-understand-equity-really","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2023\/01\/24\/those-people-does-your-arts-organization-understand-equity-really\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cThose People\u201d – Does Your Arts Organization Understand Equity? Really?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/a>
\u00a9 2023, Alan Harrison.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve never been a big fan of synopses\u2014especially if the synopsis is lengthy and appears in a program for a play in modern English. I, as it happens, understand contemporary English very well as it is the language in which I speak, write, and think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opera in Italian? Sure, why not. But a play in English for an English-speaking audience? Not a fan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that doesn\u2019t mean that there shouldn\u2019t be synopses in programs for English-speaking plays. If I see one, I generally just\u2014get this\u2014turn the page. It is not for me to say who in my community requires a synopsis. And if it makes the play more interesting for that person, who am I to judge? Why should anyone?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So why do some board members, executive directors, and other nonprofit arts folks feel so empowered as to speak for those people in their own community who do not share their background, experience, and, let\u2019s face it, their privilege? Not only empowered, but confident in their opinion about \u201cthose people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was speaking with an educator recently who bemoaned the face that his middle school had just adopted a new DEI policy. Yet, when it came to sending email to parents of kids whose families not only did not speak English, but had specifically asked to be sent information in their own language on the school\u2019s annual questionnaire (a state requirement), the staff balked at the 15 second process of running the email through Google Translate because, \u201cthe administration said that \u2018those people\u2019 would be offended, and how can we force them to learn English if we\u2019re capitulating to their needs?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I guess they didn\u2019t read the definition of equity, or understand that equity is \u201cabout each of us getting what we need to survive or succeed<\/a>\u2014access to opportunity, networks, resources, and supports\u2014based on where we are and where we want to go.\u201d Acts of equity allow everyone to reach their best self given the individual obstacles that stand between what is and what could be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If that obstacle requires a synopsis, fine\u2014do it. If it requires a letter from school translated into broken Spanish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Mandarin, or Arabic, fine\u2014do it. If the receiver doesn\u2019t want to view it, will they complain? Or will they just turn the page? And if a receiver can\u2019t read that letter and you put the onus on them to solve the problem<\/em>, will they (or their children, in that teacher\u2019s case) reach their best self, or just be isolated into yet another group of \u201cthose people?\u201d By now, you\u2019ve seen this image. I used it when discussing the difference between equity and equality<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
(Image by Leigh Blackall is licensed under CC BY 2.0)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ve probably even seen a third variation where the fence is taken down entirely, with the caption \u201cJUSTICE,\u201d noting that the systemic barrier had been removed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you care about your community, you have to serve them on their terms, not yours. <\/em>It\u2019s as bad as unskilled teachers who declaim their lessons to their students, thinking that just because they said words out loud, that constitutes teaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In education, the object isn\u2019t teaching. It\u2019s learning. Teachers are there to serve the student, especially when the student already has barriers to learning. Not the other way around.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the nonprofit arts sector, the object isn\u2019t presentation. It\u2019s about contextualizing life. Nonprofit arts organizations (both visual and performance) are there to serve the community, especially when the community already has barriers to life. Not the other way around.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m fatigued by those who claim that this new world of diversity, equity, and inclusion is tiring and takes too much energy. Your board members and staff don\u2019t think of themselves as today\u2019s Archie Bunkers, but too often, they are. To those among us who continue to believe that DEI initiatives are inconvenient, tough tacos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t understand what that means, I\u2019d be happy to provide a synopsis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a taco.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
(Photo by Los Muertos Crew on Pexels)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Using the alliteration of \u201ctough\u201d ahead of the \u201ctaco\u201d (which, incidentally, is a delicious Mexican dish composed of various meats, vegetables, cheeses, or other items folded into a tortilla, often with a sauce) has nothing whatsoever to do with the food item. Instead, it is a euphemism for a bawdier phrase that has been deemed impolite for public use. Generally, then, \u201ctough tacos\u201d is a phrase that implies that the listener\u2019s viewpoint is, in this particular case, invalid, and should be dismissed entirely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you didn\u2019t need to read that, were you offended by its inclusion? I didn\u2019t think so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Based in Kirkland, Washington, <\/em>Alan Harrison<\/em><\/a> is a writer and speaker specializing in nonprofit organizations, strategy, the arts, and life politics. His columns appear regularly in major publications. Contact him directly at <\/em>alan@501c3.guru<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re feeling generous or inspired, just <\/em>click on the coffee cup<\/em><\/a> above. You don\u2019t have to, of course, but if you can afford it and find some value here, please provide the desperate need for caffeine.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alan is always looking for good opportunities to write and consult for nonprofits that need a hand. And, of course, that elusive <\/em>Perfect Opportunity\u2122.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

BIG NEWS: Alan\u2019s new book, \u201cScene Change: Why Nonprofit Arts Organization Must Stop Producing Art and Start Producing Impact\u201d will be published in September or October by Changemakers Books<\/a>. Stay tuned for information on how you can buy a\u00a0copy.<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So why do some board members, executive directors, and other nonprofit arts folks feel so empowered as to speak for those people in their own community who do not share their background, experience, and, let\u2019s face it, their privilege? Not only empowered, but confident in their opinion about \u201cthose people.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":211,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,20,22,32,29,28,19,18,17],"tags":[44],"class_list":{"0":"post-208","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-culture","8":"category-board-of-directors","9":"category-board-of-trustees","10":"category-charity","11":"category-dei","12":"category-diversity-equity-inclusion","13":"category-leadership","14":"category-nonprofit","15":"category-nonprofit-arts-organizations","16":"tag-tacos","17":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/pexels-los-muertos-crew-7613564.jpg?fit=1280%2C854&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":291,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2023\/03\/28\/nonprofit-arts-organization-boards-an-epilogue\/","url_meta":{"origin":208,"position":0},"title":"Nonprofit Arts Organization Boards: An Epilogue","author":"Alan Harrison","date":"March 28, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"If you are a nonprofit arts board member, you have a chance to build something great. 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