Anti-Racist Work in Review

In the summer of 2020, TDM staff began holding weekly meetings dedicated to ensuring that TDM’s policies, practices, and protocols reflect its stated anti-racist principles. This annual document will summarize the anti-racist work we have done in the previous year. It will also list ongoing projects and longer term goals for the coming year. As we continue this work, we welcome input and participation from any and all faculty and students who would like to contribute. All are welcome.

PROGRAMMATIC

  • Developed Land Acknowledgement templates to be used before all TDM events (online and in person/physical space upon return to campus). A version also appears on the TDM website
  • Created Anti-Racism Resource page for TDM website
  • Created boilerplate language for TDM course syllabi to highlight inclusive education, including an accessibility statement, land acknowledgement, grievance process, and a statement on TDM’s commitment to anti-racism
  • Started and convened a monthly BIPOC Play Discussion Group to discuss plays by Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color playwrights, whose works are all too often left off of the syllabi at institutions of higher education
  • Made a conscious shift in TDM’s hiring practices by researching and identifying BIPOC artist and technicians with the goal of hiring more BIPOC artists, educators, and technicians
  • Highlighted professional BIPOC artists in TDM weekly newsletters
  • Started developing the TDM Ethos/Values
    • TDM community contributed to a word cloud, generating a list of shared values that will be used to develop a formal Values Statement
  • Crafted a grievance reporting process for productions and classrooms
    • Discussed and developed process with feedback from concentrators
    • Introduced the process in this semester’s Production Studio
    • Conducted post-mort with Spring 2021 Production Studio students to discuss the production process

PHYSICAL SPACE OF FARKAS HALL

  • Assessed the imagery of Farkas Hall
    • Pulled imagery off of Farkas 2nd and 3rd floors
    • Started the process of revamping signage in the building
    • In the process of adding anti-racist signage to the building
    • Created inclusive welcome signage for outward-facing side of building
    • Engaged with the FAS Task Force on Visual Culture and Signage to consider how best to move forward with redesigning the Hasty Pudding Lobby
  • Restarted TDM’s Building Community Committee, consisting of concentrators and TDM staff, to make Farkas Hall a more welcoming space

TRAININGS

  • Held Anti-Racist Training hosted by anti-racist educator Nicole Brewer
  • Held a bystander training for faculty and staff, facilitated by the Title IX Office

ADDITIONAL GOALS FOR 2021-2022

  • Curricular Committee to continue work on considering broader TDM curriculum
  • Continue communicating with TDM’s Faculty Liaison for Inclusive Excellence (FLIE)
  • Meet with representatives from FAS Office for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging
  • Plan for future training sessions for students/staff/faculty, including discussing the frequency, frameworks, and approach of these trainings
  • Create plan to provide more opportunities to see more professional art by and featuring BIPOC artists
  • Revamp the TDM Production Modules to address more specific problem-solving and practical applications
  • Review Production Process/Onboarding Timelines