Statement of justice, equity & inclusivity

We center the humanity of all peoples in our space and the spaces we are invited to collaborate with across intersections of race, age, color, disability, faith, religion, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, social class, economic class, ethnicity, gender identity, gender expression, and all other identities represented among our diverse membership.

Equity, justice, access, and inclusivity are woven into every aspect of our organization. We cannot think of equity, justice, inclusivity, or access as special topics as they are active requirements we must tend to and nurture in order to live our mission and values. 

As we write this equity statement, we are asking ourselves the question– what does it mean to have an equity statement in 2025 and beyond? During the COVID-19 pandemic, it became a trend for organizations to release equity statements out of social pressure. We are writing this statement not out of fear or obligation, but to redefine what it means to have an equity statement and to use it to supplement and balance our mission, values, and power sharing practices. Having an equity statement today is an ongoing commitment to the people that continuously commit to us, regardless of what trends or social pressures are circulating. 

Equity: At Rising Youth Theatre, our work aims to honor wisdoms rooted in liberation and decenter Whiteness and Eurocentric leadership practices. It is not enough to only convene diverse groups of people, and organizationally we understand that we must work in an active dialogue with the social systems, histories, and power flows that our diverse membership negotiates in daily lived experience. We understand that systemic oppression impacts people in different ways and can cause imbalance in the care and support that people need. We commit to recognizing these impacts and distributing resources as equitably as possible. 

Justice: The nature of our work at Rising Youth Theatre requires us to be responsive and attentive to the current and past systems of oppression that have marginalized the people in our communities. We know that being honest about where we have been and where we are creates the space for more joyful futures. To uphold this honesty and transparency, we commit to the consistent examination of our own structures in order to promote justice within the organization.  As an arts organization we use our artistry and platform to advocate for justice and live our values within the wider community. 

Access: This responsibility requires us to center care and access in our work, to ensure that our artists and educators of all backgrounds and experiences are considered in the organizational structure, the planning of meetings/events/rehearsals, and our communication. It is also necessary to consider the active contributions and leadership of disabled artists in our ensemble and to prioritize access needs present in the spaces we work in.

Inclusivity: We are responsible for the radical welcoming of people to our organization, and for ensuring our space is a loving, humanizing, joyful, and care-filled place. Inclusivity for us means you come as you are, are loved for who you are, and you are also willing to grow, learn, and change alongside collaborators. Inclusivity means we share power, decision making, imagination space, vision, and cultivate cycles of welcome into our leadership spaces. 

We commit to honoring the desires, dreams, and needs of our ensemble and wider community. We will continue to actively seek and incorporate feedback, and openly invite our ensemble and community to participate in this process.