Diversity, Equity, and Belonging in TDM

The urgent need to build an anti-racist community is at the core of Harvard Theater, Dance & Media’s values. Even as we strive for justice, we acknowledge how much work we have yet to do. In the past year, TDM has re-evaluated our curriculum and practices, making every effort to be more inclusive. We are examining our policies and procedures to make them as unbiased and equitable as possible. Our work has begun. We are committed to ensuring the dignity, safety, and freedom of BIPOC communities, women, queer, trans, and nonbinary folks, sex workers, service workers, street vendors, people un-housed, people in prisons, immigrants, the undocumented, refugees, and all who are targeted by racist violence. We aim to dismantle white supremacy, sexism, and classism in our spaces, and all spaces our students, faculty, staff, and community members occupy in this moment, and in the future. 
 

Theater Dance & Media stands with #StopAsianHate.

We at Harvard Theater, Dance & Media honor the lives of Xiaojie Tan, Delaina Ashley Yaun Gonzalez, Daoyou Feng, Paul Andre Michels, Soon C. Park, Hyun-Jeong Park Grant, Yong A. Yue, Suncha Kim and grieve their deaths. We condemn the racist attacks and anti-Asian violence in the US and recognize its origins in the long history of scapegoating of Asian-Americans during times of national crisis. Anti-Asian racism is not a new phenomenon in this country. During the pandemic, there has been a surge in anti-Asian violence and sentiment. Anti-Asian hate crime in 16 of America’s largest cities increased 149% in 2020, with the first spike occurring in March and April amidst a rise in COVID cases and negative stereotyping of Asians relating to the pandemic. Bigotry of this kind cannot be allowed to continue unchecked; therefore, we add our voice to the chorus of those calling to #StopAsianHate.

Theater, Dance & Media stands with #BlackLivesMatter.

The murders of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Tony McDade in Tallahassee, and Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, Georgia are the result of the long and enduring history of systemic discrimination and violence perpetrated against black communities and communities of color in the United States.

We at TDM stand with Black Lives Matter. We are called to say the names of the Black citizens and other citizens of color who have lost their lives at the hands of law enforcement officers. We support the protests occurring throughout the country and throughout the world, and we join the voices of those who call for police reform and accountability mechanisms, and for racial justice across society.

Public statements are proliferating, crystallizing a communal voice against racial inequity, and an unyielding, shared resolve for change.

We know that we as a faculty—and each of us individually—have failed on occasion to be the inclusive, anti-racist, uplifting community we want to be. We at TDM commit to working better to dismantle white supremacy, to raise awareness of ingrained racism, and to call out discrimination and prejudice in any form, particularly in our own program and institution. We are more committed than ever to making TDM a space where artists and scholars of color can perform their truths, and to representing, hearing, and elevating their voices. We redouble our commitment to fostering a civic education that challenges the realities of racial inequity and injustice, and advocates for the change and transformation our country needs today.

We look forward to engaging the TDM community in dialogue about how all our programming can participate in this crucial turning point for American society.

We have compiled resources available to support the fight against racial injustice and police violence. This list will be updated with additional resources as we continue to learn about them. 

Last updated: March 29, 2021