Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Representation, Accessibility & Anti-Racism Commitment

When we formed Impact Arts in 2020, we knew that diversity and inclusion had to begin at the board level. We intentionally aimed to create a board that would be representative of the communities we engaged with: our Board of Directors is currently two-thirds BIPOC, one-third female, and one-third LGBTQ. However, this is just the beginning. We are committed to maintaining a diverse board and systematically ensuring that representation is built into our fundamental operating beliefs.

We consider the arts essential to the human experience. Arts education should be accessible, and our mission is to intentionally break down barriers to attending, learning, and creating musical theatre experiences—including barriers based on race, gender, sexuality, ability, and economics. It's not only enough to stand as allies; we also strive to amplify voices that have been historically underrepresented and under-resourced. We also work to incorporate anti-racist and anti-sexist practices across all aspects of our work.

We aim to create a safe and welcoming space for participants and community members. Our goal is to promote racial equity, justice, representation, and opportunities for every person. We know we must be available to provide the resources to enable the arts, but we must also proactively welcome people in. As we learn to implement best practices, we pledge to listen to our community, to learn from the past, and to question existing systems of privilege and access to resources that lead to inequities and exclusion.