Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility

At New 42, we aspire to be an organization that embraces, cultivates and sustains diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion as a collective group of individuals and throughout all our projects, programs and spaces. We acknowledge how essential it is for us to re-think and dismantle white-centered practices that have been embedded in our nonprofit for decades, and have caused harm and pain.

As a community of practitioners and learners, our approach has been uniquely communal and our plan to move the work forward involves the participation of everyone in the organization. What follows is a summary of the first steps in this stage of our anti-racism journey and the internal work we’ve done so far, including our internal definitions, our staff learning and decision-making structure, and the areas of focus on which our organizational plan is based.

Progress & Updates

Follow our progress examining and recreating how our work as an organization builds a positive impact as we join community efforts to dismantle systemic oppression in our society at large.

Definitions

At the beginning of 2020, a group of staff from across different departments of the organization drafted definitions of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility for the work of New 42, which we have since adopted.

Equity

The result of combining diversity and inclusion to ensure a transparent, fair and just environment for all. When meaningful efforts are made to provide each individual with what they need to feel a sense of belonging, agency, and the potential for success, equity is more likely to be achieved.

Diversity

The extent to which an organization has people from diverse backgrounds represented throughout. It is recognition of individual differences. These differences can be along the dimensions of: race, color, ethnicity, nationality, language, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs or socioeconomic background.

Inclusion

The active, intentional, and ongoing engagement of an organization’s diverse culture through its formal systems, informal practices and accountability protocols.

Accessibility

The intentional and thoughtful actions it takes to ensure that all people—with apparent or non-apparent disabilities or individuals without disabilities—have equitable and independent access to buildings, programs, services and digital content at New 42. Accessibility also encompasses how to reduce the socioeconomic, racial, physical and historic barriers to create equitable opportunities for all.

Anti-Racism Areas of Focus

Anti-racism is central to our community practice. The work the Board and Staff is embarking on comes from areas of focus developed through input from the entire company, including New Victory Teaching Artists and the young people in the New 42 Youth Corps program. The areas of focus, as follows, are unranked.

  • Provide Anti-Racist, Implicit Bias, Anti-Oppression, and Bystander Training for all Board and Staff
  • Review and revise policies and guidelines on anti-racist practice and share those internally and externally with stakeholders
  • Change staff recruitment procedures to reach more Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) candidates and focus on hiring more BIPOC staff, especially on the senior team
  • Re-invent procurement processes and grow the number of BIPOC-led business and vendor partnerships
  • Increase the number of BIPOC artist-led shows in the New Victory season
  • Use images that accurately reflect our current audiences and constituents, particularly in marketing and fundraising campaigns
  • Establish organizational salary review processes and increase transparency across the organization
  • Increase the diversity of the Board of Directors
  • Create protocols for staff to report concerns related to equity, diversity and inclusion without repercussion

EDI Subcommittees

EDI work will include learnings, sharings and trainings, and accountability, mutually defined and shared through, the work of the following six EDI subcommittees.

Language

Drafts EDI Statement(s) for review and eventual adoption and publication on the company website and elsewhere. Ensures the language New 42 uses in its practices and processes reflect its EDI objectives.

Culture

Supports the formation of organizational affinity groups and other New 42 cultural change initiatives. Provides materials and guidance for staff interested in starting an affinity group. Drafts affinity group policy to include in employee handbook.

Partnership

Liaison to the Anti-Racism consultant and other EDI partners. Supports partner work inside the organization and seeks new partnerships as required.

Progress

Supports and tracks the work of the EDI subcommittees and works with subcommittees, Staff and Board to help define, share and report on EDI accountability, helping New 42 to progress EDI goals. Liaises on a regular basis with all committees and arranges for EDI progress reports at All Staff meetings.

EDI Learnings

Coordinates and creates agendas for all-staff EDI meetings to include learnings, sharings, and trainings. Meets with the Executive team and other subcommittees to discuss content and scheduling.

Accessibility

Evaluates the accessibility of New 42’s processes and programs to foster inclusion of diverse participants, continuing the accessibility work of the organization.