Diversity, equity, and inclusion
We aspire to have our board and staff reflect the rich diversity of the students and community we serve. We commit to ensuring equity is built into our policies and practices that govern the Foundation. We work to cultivate an inclusive environment, allowing every voice and idea to be heard and valued.
We are committed to realizing these core ideals. We have sometimes fallen short of these ideals and commit to learning from our shortcomings as we move forward with intentionality, action, and accountability.
To that end, our approach to embedding equity and inclusion in the Foundation’s DNA is as follows:
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee – We have formed a DEI Committee to ensure that our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is realized across all of our board and programmatic work, including having a DEI committee member serve as a part of the board’s leadership on the Executive Committee.
- DEI Training – We are committed to ongoing DEI training for all staff and board members.
- Partnership with NOCCA’s Equity Core Team – We are partnering with NOCCA’s Equity Core Team to align our practices with the school, including funding DEI workshops with NOCCA staff.
- Programming – We commit to a goal of equity and inclusion in all programs we operate. These programs provide funding to students for essential supplies and equipment; offer students the chance to study with renowned artists from around the globe; facilitate access to audition opportunities; and provide trauma-informed services to students, which has been particularly essential during the COVID-19 pandemic. We further provide funding for faculty to participate in professional training and development programs.
Our work does not stop there. We are deeply committed to this ongoing and iterative process and will continue to learn from each other by leaning into the difficult conversations that will enable us to do our best work.