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The subject of race can be very touchy. As finance executive Mellody Hobson says, it's a "conversational third rail." But, she says, that's exactly why we need to start talking about it. In this engaging, persuasive talk, Hobson makes the case that speaking openly about race — and particularly about diversity in hiring -- makes for better businesses and a better society.

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The subject of race can be very touchy. As finance executive Mellody Hobson says, it’s a “conversational third rail.” But, she says, that’s exactly why we need to start talking about it. In this engaging, persuasive talk, Hobson makes the case that speaking openly about race — and particularly about diversity in hiring -- makes for better businesses and a better society.

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In talking about issues of race, a common vocabulary is essential to avoid misunderstandings and misinterpretations. Words often have different meanings to different people, based on their experiences. The purpose of this glossary, which is a work in progress, is to help avoid such misunderstandings. Not everyone will agree on the definition of every word; but everyone should have a common understanding of how words are being used in particular circumstances.

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Internalized Racism

Internalized racism is the situation that occurs in a racist system when a racial group oppressed by racism supports the supremacy and dominance of the dominating group by maintaining or participating in the set of attitudes, behaviors, social structures and ideologies that undergird the dominating group's power. It involves four essential and interconnected elements:

D ec isi on-m ak i ng - Due to racism, people of color do not have the ultimate decision-making power over the decisions that control our lives and resources. As a result, on a personal level, we may think white people know more about what needs to be done for us than we do. On an interpersonal level, we may not support each other's authority and power - especially if it is in opposition to the dominating racial group. Structurally, there is a system in place that rewards people of color who support white supremacy and power and coerces or punishes those who do not.

Re s ou r ces - Resources, broadly defined (e.g., money, time, etc.), are unequally in the hands and under the control of white people. Internalized racism is the system in place that makes it difficult for people of color to get access to resources for our own communities and to control the resources of our community. We learn to believe that serving and using resources for ourselves and our particular community is not serving "everybody."

S t anda r d s - With internalized racism, the standards for what is appropriate or "normal" that people of color accept are white people's or Eurocentric standards. We have difficulty naming, communicating and living up to our deepest standards and values, and holding ourselves and each other accountable to them.

Na m i n g the problem - There is a system in place that misnames the problem of racism as a problem of or caused by people of color and blames the disease - emotional, economic, political, etc., on people of color. With internalized racism, people of color might, for example, believe we are more violent than white people and not consider state-sanctioned political violence or the hidden or privatized violence of white people and the systems they put in place and support.

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In talking about issues of race, a common vocabulary is essential to avoid misunderstandings and misinterpretations. Words often have different meanings to different people, based on their experiences. The purpose of this glossary, which is a work in progress, is to help avoid such misunderstandings.

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Project Implicit, Harvard University

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Preliminary Information

On the next page you'll be asked to select an Implicit Association Test (IAT) from a list of possible topics . We will also ask you (optionally) to report your attitudes or beliefs about these topics and provide some information about yourself.

We ask these questions because the IAT can be more valuable if you also describe your own self-understanding of the attitude or stereotype that the IAT measures. We would also like to compare differences between people and groups.

Note: This site is designed for adults, aged 18 or older.

Data Privacy: Data exchanged with this site are protected by SSL encryption. Project Implicit uses the same secure hypertext transfer protocol (HTTPS) that banks use to securely transfer credit card information. This provides strong security for data transfer to and from our website. IP addresses are routinely recorded, but are completely confidential. For research purposes, data without directly identifying information is made publicly available. You can find more information on our Data Privacy page.

Important disclaimer: In reporting to you results of any IAT test that you take, we will mention possible interpretations that have a basis in research done (at the University of Washington, University of Virginia, Harvard University, and Yale University) with these tests. However, these Universities, as well as the individual researchers who have contributed to this site, make no claim for the validity of these suggested interpretations. If you are unprepared to encounter interpretations that you might find objectionable, please do not proceed further. You may prefer to examine general information about the IAT before deciding whether or not to proceed.

If you have questions about the study, please contact Project Implicit at questions@projectimplicit.net. To obtain more information about the study, ask questions about the research procedures, express concerns about your participation, or report illness, injury or other problems, please contact:

Tonya R. Moon, Ph.D.
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I am aware of the possibility of encountering interpretations of my IAT test performance with which I may not agree. Knowing this, I wish to proceed I am aware of the possibility of encountering interpretations of my IAT test performance with which I may not agree. Knowing this, I wish to proceed using a touchscreen OR using a keyboard.

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On the next page you'll be asked to select an Implicit Association Test (IAT) from a list of possible topics . We will also ask you (optionally) to report your attitudes or beliefs about these topics and provide some information about yourself.

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12 Diversity & Inclusion Terms You Need to Know

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12 Diversity & Inclusion Terms You Need to Know

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12 Diversity & Inclusion Terms You Need to Know - Catalyst

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The Windows and Mirrors of Your Child's Bookshelf - Grace Lin.

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The Windows and Mirrors of Your Child's Bookshelf | Grace Lin | TEDxNatick

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The Diversity & Inclusion Glossary [a List of 200+ Terms]

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The Diversity & Inclusion Glossary [a List of 200+ Terms]

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Diversity terms are all over the place. Do you know the meaning of BIPOC, Folx or Culture Add? I didn't...until I looked it up!

I started keeping a list of these D&I ("Diversity & Inclusion") terms for Ongig's clients and decided to put them all in one place in this glossary below. I'm up to 200+ diversity words and welcome your additions!

Diversity Glossary

Because this D&I glossary has 200+ terms, I've made this table of contents/shortcut below for you to get to a word faster:

Diversity Terms Starting with the Letter "A"

AAPI - AAPI is an acronym for Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders. Other similar acronyms are APA which means Asian-Pacific American and API which means Asian-Pacific Islander. These acronyms replace a derogatory term, "Oriental" in the 1960s.

AAVE - AAVE is an acronym for African American Vernacular English. AAVE is a dialect of American English characterized by pronunciations and vocabulary used by some North American Black people and is a variation of Standard American English.

Ableism - Ableism means the practices or dominant attitudes by a society that devalue or limit the potential for people with disabilities. Ableism is the act of giving inferior value or worth to people who have different types of disabilities (physical, emotional, developmental, or psychiatric).

Ace - Lacking sexual attraction to others. Other families under the ace umbrella are graysexual (little sexual attraction), aromantic (no romantic attraction), and demisexual (sexual attraction after a strong emotional bond).

Accessibility - Accessibility is the term for making a facility usable by people with physical disabilities. Examples of accessibility include self-opening doors, elevators for multiple levels, raised lettering on signs and entry ramps

Accountability - Accountability refers to ways individuals and communities hold themselves to their goals and actions, while acknowledging the values and groups to which they are responsible.

Acculturation - Acculturation means a process when members of a cultural group adopt the patterns, beliefs, languages, and behaviors of another group's culture.

ADA - ADA is an abbreviation for the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities.

ADHD/ADD - What is ADHD? Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (sometimes referred to as ADD or Attention Deficit Disorder) means that a person has difficulty with attention span, activity levels, and impulsive actions.

ADOS - ADOS means American Descendants of Slavery. ADOS is a group that seeks to reclaim and restore the critical national character of the African American identity and experience in the United States.

AFAB/AMAB - Assigned Female/Male At Birth, refers to intersex people born with ambiguous genitals. Its also used by trans and non-binary people.

Affinity Groups - Affinity Groups are a collection of individuals with similar interests or goals. Affinity Groups promote inclusion, diversity, and other efforts that benefit employees from underrepresented groups.

Affirmative Action - Affirmative Action is the practice of favoring groups of people who have been discriminated against in the past.

African American - The term African American refers to people in the United States who have ethnic origins to Africa.

Agender - Agender means a person who does not identify themselves as having a particular gender.

Alaska Native - Alaska Native is a term for the indigenous people of Alaska. Alaska Natives consist of over 200 federally recognized tribes who speak 20 different languages.

Ally - Ally is a term for people who advocate for individuals from underrepresented or marginalized groups in a society.

Allyship - Allyship is the process in which people with privilege and power work to develop empathy towards to advance the interests of an oppressed or marginalized outgroup. Allyship is part of the anti-oppression or anti-racist conversation, which puts into use social justice theories and ideals. The goal of allyship is to create a culture in which the marginalized group feels supported.

Amplification - Amplification is a term used for the techniques a person uses to give a member of a less dominant group more credit by repeating their message.

Androgyne - Androgyne is a term for a person identifying or expressing gender outside of the gender binary.

Anglo - Anglo or Anglo-Saxon means to be related to the descendants of Germanic people who reigned in Britain until the Norman conquest in 1066. Anglo often refers to white English-speaking persons of European descent in England or North America, not of Hispanic or French origin.

Anti-Black - Anti-Black refers to the marginalization of Black People and the unethical disregard for anti-Black institutions and policies.

Anti-Racism - Anti-Racism means to actively oppose racism by advocating for political, economic, and social change.

Anti-Racist Ideas - Anti-Racist ideas refer to the assumption that racial groups are equals despite their differences.

Arab - Arab refers to people who have ethnic roots in the following Arabic‐speaking lands: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

(ASD) Autism Spectrum Disorder - What is autism spectrum disorder? ASD means that a person has neurological differences because of atypical brain connections affecting their development. These differences might lead to unusual development, challenges, or special abilities. ASD is sometimes used synonymously with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC).

Asexual - An "asexual person' is used to describe people who do not experience sexual attraction.

Asian-American - Asian-American is a term that means to have origins in Asia or the Indian subcontinent. Asian-American includes people who live in the United States and indicate their race as:

Aspergers Syndrome - What is Aspergers syndrome? Asperger's Syndrome is a condition on the autism spectrum that affects how people communicate and interact with others. People with Asperger's can function highly and may not have learning disabilities associated with other types of autism.

Assimilation - Assimilation is a term for the concept where an individual, family, or group gives up certain aspects of their culture to adapt to the beliefs, language, patterns, and behaviors of a new host country.

Autism - What is autism? Autism is a developmental disability that appears during early childhood. Autism can have an impact on a person's ability to self-regulate, communicate, socialize, and form relationships. There are different types of autism, which is why some people refer to people as being "on the autism spectrum".

Diversity Terms Starting with B

BAME - BAME meaning "Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic" is an acronym used mostly in the United Kingdom to identify Black and Asian people.

Belonging - Belonging is a term used to define the experience of being accepted and included by those around you. Belonging means to have a sense of social connection and identification with others.

Bias - Bias means to have a prejudice against groups that are not similar to you or to have show preference for people that are similar to you.

Bicultural - Bicultural is a term that refers to people who possess the values, beliefs, languages, and behaviors of two distinct ethnic or racial groups.

Bigotry - Bigotry means to glorify a person's own group and have prejudices against members of other groups.

BIPOC - What does BIPOC mean? The BIPOC acronym stands for Black, Indigenous, People of Color. Read BIPOC: The Hottest (Controversial) Word in Diversity?

Biphobia - Biphobia means to have an irrational fear, hatred, or intolerance for people who identify as bisexual.

Biracial - Biracial is a term for mixed race. Biracial is used to describe a person who identities as being of two races, or whose parents are from two different race groups.

Birth Assigned Sex - Birth Assigned Sex refers to a person's biological, hormonal, and genetic composition at the time of their birth.

Biromantic Asexual - A person who is romantically attracted to multiple genders.

Biromantic Demisexual - A person who is sexually attracted to multiple genders, when they are romantically attracted to a person.

Bisexual - Bisexual, commonly known as Bi, is a term for individuals who are attracted to people of two genders.

Black - Black means to be related to people who have ethnic origins in Africa, or not of white European descent. Black is often used
interchangeably with African American in the United States.

Black-American - Black-American is a term used by Black people born in the United States who do not identify with having ethnic roots in Africa or other nations.

Black ethnic group - A phrase used in the UK to describe a person who identifies as Black. Other accepted terms are "people from a Black Caribbean background" and "Black people".

Black Lives Matter - Black Lives Matter is a movement that addresses systemic racism and violence against African Americans and other groups with ties to Black culture.

Block list - An inclusive replacement phrase in the U.S. and the UK for "blacklist" or "black list".

Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI) - The Bloomberg gender-equality index tracks the performance of public companies who disclose their efforts in supporting gender equality. The annual report shares diversity statistics for hundreds of companies. The GEI index measures performance and disclosure in:

female leadership & talent pipeline

equal pay & gender pay parity

inclusive culture

sexual harassment policies

pro-women brand

BME - What is BME? BME stands for Black [and Asian] & Minority Ethnic and is commonly used in the UK, interchangeably with BAME. (See GOV.UK's style guide on the use of BME, BAME, and people of colour)

Diversity Terms Starting with C

Caren Act - "CAREN Act" (Caution Against Racially Exploitative Non-Emergencies). The ordinance is similar to the statewide AB 1550 bill introduced by California Assemblyman Rob Bonta, making it unlawful and accountable for a caller to "fabricate false racially-biased emergency reports.".

Caucuses - Caucuses are groups that provide spaces for people to work within their own racial or ethnic groups.

CD&I - Acronym for Culture, Diversity and Inclusion. Walmart, the U.S. Navy and others use CD&I to describe their overall diversity initiatives.

Chicanx - Chicanx means a person related to Mexican Americans or their culture. Chicanx is a gender-neutral term used in the place of Chicano or Chicana.

Cisgender (CIS) - Cisgender means a person whose gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth. The abbreviation for Cisgeneder is CIS.

Cissexual - Cissexual is a term that refers to a person who identifies with the same biological sex that they were assigned at birth.

Classism - Classism is a term that means to have prejudicial thoughts or to discriminate against a person or group based on differences in socioeconomic status and income level.

Code-Switching - Code-switching means when a person changes the way they express themselves culturally and linguistically based on different parts of their identity and how they are represented in the group they're with.

Color Blind(ness) - Color Blind(ness) or being Color Blind means treating people as equally as possible without regard to race, culture, or ethnicity.

Collusion - Collusion is when a person acts to perpetuate oppression or prevent people from working to eliminate oppression.

Colonization - Colonization refers to forms of invasion, dispossession, or controlling an underrepresented group.

Color Brave - Color Brave is when a person has conversations about race that can help people better understand each other's perspectives and experiences to improve inclusiveness in future generations.

Coming Out - Coming Out is a phrase used to define the process of making others aware of one's sexual orientation, and is also known as Coming Out of the Closet.

Communities of Color - Communities of Color is used in the United States to describe groups of people who are not identified as White, with emphasis on common experiences of racism.

Corporate Social Responsibility - Corporate Social Responsibility means to practice positive corporate citizenship to make a positive impact on communities, not just focusing on maximizing profits.

Covert Racism - Covert Racism is an indirect behavior used to express racist attitudes or ideas in hidden or subtle forms.

Cross-Dresser - Cross-Dresser refers to people who wear clothing that is traditionally associated with a different gender than the one they identify with.

Cultural Appropriation - Cultural Appropriation means the act of stealing cultural elements for a person's own use or profit.

Cultural Identity - Cultural Identity means the identity or feeling of belonging to a group based on nationality, ethnicity, religion, social class, generation, locality, or other types of social groups that have their own distinct culture.

Culture - Culture is defined as a social system of customs that are developed by a group of people to ensure its survival and adaptation.

Culture Add - Culture Add refers to people who value company culture and standards, as well as bringing an aspect of diversity that positively contributes to the organization.

Culture Fit - Culture Fit refers to a person's attitudes, values, behaviors, and beliefs being in line with the values and culture of an organization. Culture Add, defined above, is becoming a preferred alternative to Culture Fit.

Diversity Terms Starting with D

D&I - D&I stands for "diversity and inclusion" and is often a catch-all for diversity initiatives.

The phrase "Diversity and Inclusion" (D&I) is not always used in the same order. For example, in the social media ad space, Facebook uses "Diversity and Inclusion (D&I)" while Twitter uses "Inclusion and Diversity (I&D)".

What is the difference between "diversity" versus "inclusion"? As written about in Top Diversity Job Titles,

"Diversity is the what (the characteristics of the people you work with such as gender, ethnicity, age, disability and education). Inclusion is the how (the behaviors and social norms that ensure people feel welcome)."

Some companies also use the words "equity" (Slack) and "equality" (Salesforce) in their diversity titles. Equity and equality are usually alternatives to "inclusion".

Deadnaming - Using someone's birth name instead of their chosen name, usually trans or non-binary.

Decolonization - Decolonization refers to the active resistance against colonial powers from indigenous culture groups.

DEI - What is DEI? DEI is an acronym that stands for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

Demisexual - A sexual orientation where people experience sexual attraction only to people they are emotionally close to.

Differbility/Diffability - Differbility and Diffability is the combination of the words "different" and‎ "ability".

"an alternative to the word "disability" intended to remove the term's negative connotations of disabilities." (source - Disabled World)

Disabled People - An inclusive replacement phrase used in the UK for "the disabled" or "people with disabilities".

Disability - Disability is a term used to describe people who have a mental or physical impairment which has a long-term effect on their ability to carry out day-to-day activities. What is the politically correct term for disabled? "Person with a Disability" is a more inclusive, less biased term to describe someone who is disabled.

Disablism - Disablism means promoting the unequal or differential treatment of people with actual or presumed disabilities; either consciously or unconsciously.

Diaspora - Diaspora is either voluntary or forcible movement of people from their homelands into new regions.

Discrimination - What is Discrimination? Discrimination is a term used to describe the unequal treatment of individuals or groups based on race, gender, social class, sexual
orientation, physical ability, religion, national origin, age, physical or mental abilities, and other categories that may result in differences.

Diversity - Diversity is defined as individual differences between groups based on such things as:

abilities

age

disability

learning styles

life experiences

neurodiversity

race/ethnicity

class

gender

sexual orientation

country of origin

cultural, political or religious affiliation

any other difference

Which term is a synonym for diversity? Popular synonyms are "mixture", "variance", "difference", and "un-alike".

Dominant Culture - Dominant Culture is a term that refers to the cultural beliefs, values, and traditions that are based on those of a dominant society. Practices in a Dominant Culture practices are considered "normal" and "right."

Drag Queen/King - A drag queen performs femininity, in a comedy or in a pageant for entertainment. A drag king performs masculinity.

Dyscalculia - What is dyscalculia? Dyscalculia is when a person has difficulty with calculations and numbers.

Dysgraphia - What is dysgraphia? Dysgraphia is when a person has difficulty spelling or putting thoughts together on paper.

Dyslexia - What is dyslexia? Dyslexia is when a person has difficulty reading. People with dyslexia may also have difficulty with comprehension, spelling, and writing.

Dyspraxia - Dyspraxia is when a person has difficulty with movement and coordination. Many people with Dyspraxia also have ADHD or other sensory processing issues.

Diversity Terms Starting with E

Echolalia - What is echolalia in Autism? Echolalia is when a person with autism repeats something they hear back to another person.

EDI - EDI Is an acroynm that stands for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. It's used by such organizations as University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), American Library Association and the National Institutes of Health.

EEO - EEO stands for Equal Employment Opportunity. EEO is part of the United States Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits discrimination in any aspect of employment based on an individual's race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Emotional Tax - Emotional Tax refers to the effects of being on guard to protect against bias at work because of gender, race, and/or ethnicity. Emotional Tax has effects on a person's health, well-being, and the ability to be successful at work.

Enby - Enby is an abbreviation used for a nonbinary person in the LGBTQ community. It's a phonetic pronunciation of NB, short for nonbinary, or people who do not identify their gender as male or female.

Equality - The term "Equality" (in the context of diversity) is typically defined as treating everyone the same and giving everyone access to the same opportunities. It is sometimes used as an alternative to "inclusion". The company Salesforce, for example, uses Chief Equality Officer as the job title for the top diversity and inclusion executive.

Equity - The term "equity" (in the context of diversity) refers to proportional representation (by race, class, gender, etc.) in employment opportunities. The company Slack, for example, uses "Equity" in some job titles (e.g. Senior Technical Recruiter, Diversity Equity Inclusion Lead).

ERG - ERG stands for Employee Resource Group. ERGs are employee identity or experience-based groups that are meant to build the feeling of community in the workplace. ERGS are sometimes known as Affinity Groups or Diversity Groups. Google has over 16 Employee Resource Groups with more than 250 chapters globally that support professional development opportunities for underrepresented communities. Creating ERGs are often a part of a company's Steps to Implement a Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

Ethnic Diversity - The term Ethnic Diversity refers to the presence of different ethnic backgrounds or identities.

Ethnic Minorities - Used in the UK when referring to all ethnic groups except the "White British Group. Ethnic minorities include White minorities, such as Gypsy, Roma, and Irish Traveller groups."

Ethnicity - Ethnicity, or Ethnic Group, is a way to divide people into smaller social groups based on characteristics like:

cultural heritage

values

behavioral patterns

language

political and economic interests

ancestral geographical base

ESL - ESL is an acronym for English as a Second Language. ESL refers to individuals who do not speak English as their first language but may still be proficient in speaking English.

Exclusion - Exclusion means leaving someone out based on their differences. These differences can be related to race, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, class, or other social groups.

Diversity Terms Starting with F

Femme - Femme is a gender identity where a person has an awareness of cultural standards of femininity and actively carries out a feminine appearance or role.

Filipinx - Filipinx means a person who is a national of the Philippines, or a person of Filipino descent. Filipinx is a gender-neutral term used in the place of Filipino or Filipina.

First Nations - First Nations is a term used to describe indigenous people from Canada who are not Inuit or Métis. Many First Nations people prefer to define or identify themselves by their specific tribal affiliations.

Folx - Folx is an umbrella term for people with non-normative sexual orientation or identity.

FTM - FTM is an acronym for the Female-to-Male Spectrum. FTM is used by people who are assigned female at birth but identify with or express their gender as a male part of the time.

Diversity Terms Starting with G

Gay - Gay is an umbrella term used to refer to people who experience a same-sex or same-gender attraction. Gay is also an identity term used to describe a male-identified person who is attracted to other male-identified people in a romantic, sexual, and/or emotional sense.

Gender - Gender is a term used to describe socially constructed roles, behaviors, activities, and attributes that society considers "appropriate" for men and women. It is separate from 'sex', which is the biological classification of male or female based on physiological and biological features.

Gender Binary - Gender Binary is a term used to describe the classification system consisting of two genders, male and female.

Gender Dysphoria - Gender Dysphoria is a phrase used to describe a feeling of discomfort that occurs in people whose gender identity differs from their birth assigned sex.

Gender Expression - Gender Expressions means that a person shows external displays of gender (masculine or feminine) based on one or more of the following:

Gender Fluid - What do you call someone who is Gender Fluid? A person who is gender fluid changes their gender over time or may switch between dressing as male or female day-to-day.

Gender Identity - Gender Identity means a person's perception of their gender. Gender Identity may or may not correspond with their birth assigned sex.

Gender Neutral - Gender Neutral, or Gender Neutrality, means that policies, language, and other social institutions should avoid distinguishing roles based on sex or gender in order to avoid discrimination.

Gender Non-Conforming (GNC) - Gender Non-Conforming sometimes called Gender-Variant is a term used to describe a person who does not conform to society's expectations of gender expression.

Gender Policing - Gender Policing means the enforcement of normative gender expressions on a person who is perceived as not participating in behavior that aligns with their assigned gender at birth.

Gender Queer - Gender Queer, or Genderqueer, is a catch-all term for people who have non-binary gender identities. What do you call a non-binary person? Calling them by their preferred pronouns is preferred.

Gender Role - A Gender Role is a socially assigned expectation or cultural norm related to behavior, mannerisms, dress, etc. based on gender.

Gender Spectrum - Gender Spectrum refers to the idea that there are many different genders, besides male and female.

Greygender - A person with strong ambivalence about their gender identity and expression.

Greysexual (aka Graysexual)- A person who has a limited feeling of sexual attraction.

Groupthink - Groupthink is when people discourage a person from thinking a certain way or making decisions using individual creativity.

Gypsies (Gypsy Travellers) - A recognized ethnic group in the UK under the Race Relations Act.

Diversity Terms Starting with H

HBCU - HBCU is an acronym that stands for "Historically Black Colleges and Universities". HBCUs were established, post-American Civil War, in the United States to primarily serve the Black community, although they allow admission to students of all races.

Hepeating - Hepeating is when a man repeats a woman's comments to takes them as his own to gain credit or praise for the idea.

Heteroflexible - A person who identifies as straight but may have occasional homosexual activity. This is not bisexuality because a straight person doesn't experience same-sex attraction.

Heteronormativity - Heteromnormativity is the assumption that heterosexuality is natural, ideal, or superior to other sexual preferences. Examples of Heteronormativity include:

the lack of same-sex couples in media or advertising

laws against same-sex marriage

Heterosexism - Heterosexism is a term used to describe the belief that heterosexuality is superior or "normal" compared to other forms of sexuality or sexual orientation.

Heterosexual - Heterosexual a term used to identify a female-identified person who is attracted to a male-identified person, or a male-identified person who is attracted to a female-identified person.

Hispanic - Hispanic is a term used to describe people who speak Spanish and/or are descended from Spanish-speaking populations.

Homophobia - Homophobia means to have an irrational fear or intolerance of people who are homosexual or having feelings of homosexuality.

Host Culture - Host Culture refers to the dominant culture in a place people live in after leaving their home country.

Hypersensitivity - when a neurodivergent person has a very high or intense response to a certain stimulus. (e.g., colors, smells, textures, or sounds)

Hyposensitivity - when a neurodivergent person has a very low response to a certain stimulus. (e.g., light, sound, pain)

Diversity Terms Starting with I

Implicit Bias - What is Implicit Bias? Implicit Bias, or hidden bias, refers to the attitudes or stereotypes that affect a person's understanding, actions, or decisions unconsciously as it relates to people from different groups. Also known as Unconcious Bias.

Imposter Syndrome - Imposter Syndrome is common in members of underrepresented groups. Imposter Syndrome is present when high-achieving individuals are in constant fear of being exposed as a fraud and are unable to internalize their accomplishments.

Inclusion - The term Inclusion refers to the process of bringing people that are traditionally excluded into decision making processes, activities, or positions of power. Inclusion is sometimes called Inclusiveness and allows individuals or groups to feel safe, respected, motivated, and engaged.

Inclusive Language - Inclusive Language refers to the use of gender non-specific language to avoid assumptions around sexual orientation and gender identity.

Indigenous People - Indigenous People is a term used to identify ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area, also known as First People in some regions.

Individual Racism - Individual Racism is when a person acts to perpetuate or support racism without knowing that is what they are doing. For example, racists jokes, avoiding people of color or accepting racist acts.

In-Group Bias - In-Group Bias is when people respond more positively to people from their "in-groups" than they do for people from "out-groups".

Institutional Racism - Institutional Racism means that institutional practices and policies create different outcomes for different racial groups. These policies may not specifically target any racial group, but their effect creates advantages for white people and oppression or disadvantages for people of color. Often used interchangeably with Structural Racism.

Integration - Integration is when an individual maintains their own cultural identity while also becoming a participant in a host culture.

Intersectionality - Intersectionality means to intertwine social identities like gender, race, ethnicity, social class, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity which causes unique opportunities, barriers, experiences, or social inequality.

Intersex - Intersex means to be born with a combination of male and female biological traits.

Inuit - Inuit is a term used to describe a member of an indigenous group from northern Canada and parts of Greenland and Alaska.

Irish Traveller - A recognized ethnic group in the UK under the Race Relations Act.

Diversity Terms Starting with K

Karen - Karen is a common stereotype of white women who use privilege to demand something out of the scope of what is necessary. Wikipedia says a Karen would:

"demand to "speak to the manager", anti-vaccination beliefs, being racist, or sporting a particular bob cut hairstyle. As of 2020, the term was increasingly being used as a general-purpose term of disapproval for middle-aged white women"

Diversity Terms Starting with L

Latino - Latino is a term used to describe people who are from or descended from people from Latin America.

Latinx - What is Latinx? Latinx is a gender-neutral term used to replace Latino or Latina when referring to a person of Latin-American descent.

Lesbian - Lesbian is a term that refers to a female-identified person who is attracted emotionally, physically, or sexually to other female-identified people.

Lesbophobia - Lesbophobia is an irrational fear or hatred of, and discrimination against lesbians or lesbian behavior.

LGBT - Abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (often used to encompass sexual preference and gender identities that do not correspond to heterosexual norms).

LGBT is an acronym with multiple variations such as:

LGBTQ - Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (or questioning).

LGBTQIA - Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or questioning), intersex, and asexual (or allies).

LGBTA - Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and asexual/aromantic/agender.

LGBTIQQ - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer, and Questioning.

LGBTQ2+ - Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or sometimes questioning), and two-spirited. The "+" signifies a number of other identities and is used to keep the abbreviation brief when written out. Some write out the full abbreviation which is LGBTTTQQIAA.

Diversity Terms Starting with M

Mansplain - Mansplain is a word used to describe when are men explaining something to a person in a condescending or patronizing manner, typically a woman.

Marginalization - Marginalization means to exclude, ignore, or relegate a group of people to an unimportant or powerless position in society.

Melting Pot - Melting Pot is a metaphor people use to describe a society where various types of people blend together as one.

Métis - Métis is a French word that refers to someone with mixed ancestry. Métis is a common term referring to a multiancestral indigenous group whose homeland is in Canada and parts of the United States between the Great Lakes region and the Rocky Mountains.

Metrosexual - Metrosexual means refers to a well-groomed style for non-queer men that is a mix of the words "heterosexual" and "metropolitan".

Mexican American - Mexican American refers to the group of Americans of full or partial Mexican descent in the United States. What do you call a Mexican American? Chicano, Chicana, or Chicanx or accepted terms for Mexican Americans.

Microaggression - Microaggression is a term that describes daily behavior (verbal or nonverbal) that communicates hostile or negative insults towards a group, either intentionally or unintentionally, particularly culturally marginalized groups.

Minority - Minority is a term used to describe racially, ethnically, or culturally distinct groups that are usually subordinate to more dominant groups. These groups are called Minority Groups.

Misgender - To refer to someone using a word (especially a pronoun or form of address) that does not correctly reflect the gender with which they identify.

Mixed Race - What do you call a person of Mixed Race? Mixed Race means a person who has parents that belong to different racial or ethnic groups.

(MLM) Men-Loving-Men - An umbrella term for gay, bisexual and pansexual men.

Model Minority - According to the Racial Equity Tools Glossary, Model Minority is:

"A term created by sociologist William Peterson to describe the Japanese community, whom he saw as being able to overcome oppression because of their cultural values."

Movement Building - Movement Building refers to an effort to address systemic problems or injustices while promoting alternative solutions or visions.

MTF - MTF is an acronym for the Male-to-Female Spectrum. MTF is used to describe people who are assigned the male gender at birth but identifies or express their gender as a female all or part of the time.

Multicultural - Multicultural means pertaining to more than one culture.

Multicultural Competency - Multicultural Competency refers to the process of learning about other cultures and becoming allies with people from different backgrounds.

Multiethnic - Multiethnic describes a person who comes from more than one ethnicity.

Multi-ethnic - A commonly used term in the UK that means consisting of, or relating to various different races.

Multiracial - Multiracial describes a person who comes from more than one race.

Diversity Terms Starting with N

Native American - Native American is a broad term that refers to people of North and South America but is generally used to describe the indigenous people from the United States. Native American is often used interchangeably with American Indian, although many Native Americans find the word "Indian" offensive and prefer to identify themselves by their specific tribe.

Some companies and sports teams are even changing their names or mascots, because of racial bias related to the word "Indian".

NB - NB is an acronym for nonbinary (people who do not identify their gender as male or female). The abbreviation Enby is sometimes used as an alternative to NB.

Neurodivergent (ND) - Neurodivergent, sometimes known as ND, means having a brain that works in a way that diverges significantly from the dominant societal standards of "normal."

Neurodiversity - Neurodiversity is a relatively new term coined in 1998 by autistic, Australian sociologist Judy Singer in 1998. The neurodiversity definition began as a way to describe people on the Autistic spectrum. Neurodiversity has since broadened to include people with:

Autism

Dyslexia

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Order)

Dyscalculia

DSD (Dyspraxia)

Dysgraphia

Tourette Syndrome

and other neurological differences

What does it mean to be on the spectrum? Check out Neurodiversity: The Definitive Guide for more about the meaning of neurodiversity and examples of it in the workplace.

Neurodiverse - What is neurodiverse? Neurodiverse is used to describe a group of people where some members of the group are neurodivergent.

Neurodiversity Movement - The Neurodiversity Movement is a social justice movement that is seeking equality, respect, inclusion, and civil rights for people with Neurodiversity.

Neuroatypical - A person who does not have a neurological difference, like autism.

Neurotypical - Neurotypical is often abbreviated as NT and it means to have a style of neurocognitive functioning that falls within the dominant societal standards of "normal." Neurotypical can be used as either an adjective ("They're neurotypical") or a noun ("They are a neurotypical").

Neurominority - Neurominority refers to an underrepresented group of Neurodiverse people who may face challenges or bias from society.

Non-Binary - What do you call a gender-neutral person? The preferred term is Non-Binary. What does it mean to be non-binary? Non-Binary is a term used to describe people who identify with a gender that is not exclusively male or female or is in between both genders.

Non-White - Using this phrase in the UK is not recommended according to the GOV.UK Writing About Ethnicity Style Guide "because defining groups in relation to the White majority was not well received in user research."

Diversity Terms Starting with O

On the Spectrum - On the spectrum refers to someone who is on the Autism spectrum or with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder).

Oppositional Sexism - Oppositional Sexism is the belief that femininity and masculinity are rigid and exclusive categories.

Oppression - Oppression refers to systemic and institutional abuse of power by a dominant or privileged group at the expense of targeted, less privileged groups.

Outgroup Bias - Outgroup Bias is when people view people from outside their "group" as less similar and have negative bias against them.

Diversity Terms Starting with P

Pacific Islander - Pacific Islander, or Pasifika, is a term that refers to the indigenous inhabitants of the Pacific Islands, specifically people with origins whose origins from the following sub-regions of Oceania:

Pansexual - Pansexual is a term used to describe a person who has an attraction to a person regardless of where they fall on the gender or sexuality spectrum.

Passing - When a transgender person is perceived as the gender they identify as and not as a trans person.

Patriarchy - Patriarchy refers to a social system where power and authority are held by men.

People-First Language (PFL) - People-first language puts a person before a diagnosis or way of being. It describes what a person "has" rather than saying what a person "is". (e.g., "person with a disability" vs. "disabled")

People of Color - People of Color, or Person of Color, is a phrase used in the United States to describe people who are not white and is meant to be inclusive of non-white groups, with emphasis on common experiences of racism.

POC - POC stands for People of Color. It is commonly used as an acronym in the United States to describe people who are not white.

Polyamory - The consensual practice of intimate relationships with multiple partners. All parties may be involved with each other or only with a specific person.

Polygender - a person with several gender identities.

Power - Power (in the context of diversity) is considered to be unequally distributed globally due to the following things:

Prejudice - Prejudice means to pre-judge or have a negative attitude towards one type of person or group because of stereotypes or generalizations.

Privilege - Privilege (in the context of diversity) means an unearned social power for members of a dominant group of society including benefits, entitlements, or a set of advantages in society.

Pronouns - Pronouns (in the context of diversity) are consciously chosen phrases that people use to represent their gender identity. There are certain pronouns to avoid like "he" or "she", especially during the hiring process or in the workplace.

Diversity Terms Starting with Q

QPOC - What is QPOC? QPOC is an acronym for Queer People of Color used in the UK and Canada. Another similar acronym is QTIPOC which stands for Queer, Transgender, and Intersex People of Color.

Queer - What does it mean to be queer? The term Queer is an umbrella term that allows non-heterosexual people to identify their sexual orientation without stating who they are attracted to. The term Queer includes gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgendered people.

Questioning - A person who might be unsure of their sexuality or gender and is exploring preferred labels. If a person goes between labels, comes out and then changes their mind, or experiments safely, this is natural and should be supported.

Diversity Terms Starting with R

Race - What does race mean? Race is a social term that is used to divide people into distinct groups based on characteristics like:

physical appearance (mainly skin color)

cultural affliction

cultural history

ethnic classification

social, economic, and political needs

When was the term race first used? According to Wikipedia:

"The word "race", interpreted to mean an identifiable group of people who share a common descent, was introduced into English in about 1580, from the Old French rasse (1512), from Italian razza."

Racism - Racism is the oppression of people of color based on a socially constructed racial hierarchy that gives privilege to white people.

Racial and Ethnic Identity - Racial and Ethnic Identity refers to a person's experience of being a member of an ethnic and racial group. Racial and Ethnic Identity is based on what a person chooses to describe themselves as based on the following:

biological heritage

physical appearance

cultural affiliation

early socialization

personal experience

Racial Justice - Racial Justice means to reinforce policies, practices, actions, and attitudes that produce equal treatment and opportunities for all groups of people.

Reclaimed Language - Reclaimed Language is language that has traditionally been used to degrade certain groups, but members of the community have reclaimed and used as their own. For example, "queer" or "queen".

Religion - Religion is a system of beliefs that are spiritual and part of a formal, organized institution.

Restorative Justice - Restorative Justice is an effort to repair the harm caused by crime and conflict related to bias or racism.

Reverse Racism - Reverse Racism is perceived discrimination against a dominant group or majority.

Roma Traveller - A recognized ethnic group in the UK under the Race Relations Act.

Diversity Terms Starting with S

Safe Space - Safe Space means a place people can be comfortable expressing themselves without fear as it relates to their cultural background, biological sex, religion, race, gender identity or expression, age, physical or mental ability.

Savant - A person who has special talents, usually in math, art, or music.

Scoliosexual (aka Scoliosexuality) - A person who is attracted to people who are transgender or nonbinary.

Segregation - Segregation is a systemic separation of people into racial or ethnic groups during the activities of daily life.

Self-stimulating/stimming - Behaviors used by people on the autism spectrum to assist with concentration or calming. (e.g., rocking back and forth, making noises, spinning, moving hands, or skipping)

Separation - Separation is when an individual or group rejects a host culture and maintains their cultural identity.

Sex - Sex, as it relates to diversity, means the biological classification of male or female based on the physical and biological features of a person. A person's sex may vary from their gender identity.

Sexual Orientation - Sexual Orientation refers to the sex(es) or gender(es) a person is connected to emotionally, physically, sexually, or romantically. Examples of sexual orientation include:

"Sexual orientation" is considered more politically correct thatn "sexual preference" since "preference" implies a conscious choice.

Sponsorship - Sponsorship is an action by allies that are taken to advance the career of members of marginalized groups. These may include mentoring, protecting, or promoting.

Stereotype - A Stereotype is an over-generalized belief about a particular group or category of people. A Stereotype represents the expectation that something is true about every member of that group.

Straight - Straight refers to a person who is attracted to a person of a different gender to their own.

Structural Racism - Structural Racism, sometimes called Institutional Racism, refers to institutional practices or policies that create different outcomes for various racial groups. The effects of Structural Racism usually create advantages for white people and oppression or disadvantages for people of color.

Diversity Terms Starting with T

TERFs - "trans-exclusionary radical feminists", TERFs constitute "a minority of a minority of feminists," says Grace Lavery, a UC Berkeley literature professor and writer.

Third Gender - Third Gender refers to a category of people who do not identify as male or female, but rather as neither, both, or a combination of male and female genders.

Tokenism - Tokenism is a practice of including one or a few members of an underrepresented group in a team or company.

Tourette's Syndrome - What is Tourettes syndrome? Tourette's Syndrome is a condition that normally starts in childhood. It affects the brain and nerves, causing people to have uncontrollable motor or vocal tics.

Trans*/Trans+ - An umbrella term for a person whose gender identity is not the same as their assigned sex. Avoid the outdated phrases: transvestite and transsexual.

Transfeminine - Transfeminine describes a person who identifies as "trans" but identifies their gender expression as feminine.

Transgender - What do you call a man that becomes a woman? Or a woman that becomes a man? Transgender is an umbrella term for people whose gender expression or identity is different from their assigned sex at birth.

Transmasculine - Transmasculine means a person who identifies as "trans" but identifies their gender expression as masculine.

Transition/Transitioning - Transition, in terms of diversity, is a process that people go through to change their physical appearance or gender expression through surgery or using hormones to align with their gender identity.

Transphobia - Transphobia means fear, hatred, or discrimination towards people who identify as Transgender.

Transvestite - A person who dresses as the binary opposite gender expression. What is the politically correct term for a transvestite? The more politically correct term is "Cross-dresser".

Triad of impairments - An autism theory that identifies neurological characteristics that affect communication, imagination, and social interactions.

T wo-Spirit - Two-Spirit is a phrase that refers to a person who is Native American that embodies both masculine and feminine genders.

Diversity Terms Starting with U

Unconscious Bias - Unconscious Bias, also known as Implicit Bias, refers to attitudes or stereotypes about certain groups which are often based on mistaken or inaccurate information.

Underrepresented Group - An Underrepresented Group refers to a subset of a population with a smaller percentage than the general population. For example, women, people of color, or indigenous people.

Unity - Unity in Diversity is an expression of harmony between dissimilar individuals or groups. Who coined the term unity in diversity? Toppr.com says:

"The phrase 'unity in diversity' is coined by Jawaharlal Nehru."

URM - Acronym for under represented m inorities.

Diversity Terms Starting with V

Values Fit - Values Fit is being used in the place of Culture Fit to identify the connection of shared goals rather than viewpoints or background.

Diversity Terms Starting with W

White Privilege - White Privilege represents the unearned set of advantages, privileges, or benefits given to people based solely on being white.

White Supremacy - White Supremacy refers to the exploitation or oppression of nations or people of color by white people for the purpose of maintaining and defending a system of wealth, privilege, and power.

Wimmin - Wimmin is a nonstandard spelling of the word "women" used by feminists in an effort to avoid the word ending "-men".

(WLW) Women-Loving-Women: An umbrella term for lesbians, bisexual and pansexual women.

Womxn - Womxn is a term used to replace the word women in an attempt to get away from patriarchal language. Womxn is also meant to be inclusive of trans women, and some non-binary people.

Womyn - Womyn is a nonstandard spelling of the word "women" used by feminists in an effort to avoid the word ending "-men".

Workforce Diversity - Workforce Diversity means having a group of employees with similarities and differences like age, cultural background, physical abilities and disabilities, race, religion, gender, and sexual orientation. During which era was the term workforce diversity first used? Workforce Diversity came into the business scene in the early 1980s.

Work-Life Effectiveness - Work-Life Effectiveness is a talent management strategy that focuses on doing the best work with the best talent regardless of the diverse aspects of individuals.

Workplace Inclusion - Workplace inclusion is an intentional effort to create an atmosphere of belonging where all parties can contribute and thrive regardless of their age, gender, race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation.

Diversity Terms Starting with X

Xenophobia - Xenophobia is prejudice or a dislike for people from other countries.

Diversity Terms Starting with Z

Zi/Hir - Zi/Hir are gender-inclusive pronouns used to avoid relying on gender binary based language or making assumptions about people's gender.

Shout-Outs to these Pros on Diversity Terms

In my research, I leveraged the awesome writings of these people and publications:

Mark Peters of the Boston Globe for Womyn, wimmin, and other folx

Paul McFredries (Writer, Coder, Runner, Baker, Human)

Strategic Planning at Winston-Salem State University: Working Toward Equity

W hat is Neurodiversity? (The National Symposium on Neurodiversity at Syracuse University), Neurodiversity Definition via Wikipedia

Neurodiversity: Some Basic Terms and Definitions (by Dr. Nick Walker)

What is Ableism? by stopableism.org

What Is Marginalization & What Can You Do About It? (by Beth Castle)

What Does ADA Stand For? (by abbrevations.com)

About ADOS (by ADOS101.com)

Indeed's blog on What Is An Affinity Group? A Guide for the Workplace

12 Diversity & Inclusion Terms You Need to Know (by Catalyst)

The University of Washington's Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Glossary of Terms

Diversity and Inclusivity Glossary of Terms (by Scripps College)

An Incomplete Guide to Inclusive Language for Startups and Tech (by Courtney Seiter)

Which is the correct term? Black vs. BIPOC vs. African American vs. POC vs. BAME (by Gabby Beckford)

The Value of Belonging at Work (by Evan W. Carr, Andrew Reece, Gabriella Rosen Kellerman, and Alexi Robichaux)

Christine Li's article on Diversity Without Inclusion is Exclusion

What Does It Mean to Be Non-Binary or Have Non-Binary Gender? (by Elizabeth Boskey Ph.D.)

The Difference Between Hispanic And Latino (by Hispanic Network)

Exploring Identity: Who are the Métis and what are their rights? (by Rhiannon Johnson)

A Weatherhead Case Study on The Evolution and Future of Diversity at Work

What is Racism? (by the Anti-Defamation League)

Courtney Seiter's blog on Why We've Stopped Saying "Culture Fit" and What We're Saying Instead

Alex Regan's blog on Should women be spelt womxn?

Queer Glossary (by Bowling Green State University)

Who coined the phrase 'Unity in Diversity'? (by toppr)

Racial Equity Tools Glossary (by Racial Equity Tools)

What "Cultural Add" really means in the World of Recruiting (+Why it's so Important) (by wepow)

Hive Learning's A-Z D&I Glossary

Karen (pejorative) (by Wikipedia)

Alisha Ebrimiji's article on San Francisco official proposes 'CAREN Act,' making racially biased 911 calls illegal

AAVE (by dicitonary.com)

GOV.UK Writing about Ethnicity Style Guide

multi-ethnic Cambridge Dictionary

Here's an A-Z of all the LGBTQ+ words and phrases you need to know (by Elizabeth Train-Brown)

What Does It Mean to Be Graysexual? Here's How Experts Define This Sexual Identity (by Claire Gillespie)

What Is Biromantic Asexuality? (by WebMD)

What Is Skoliosexuality? (by WedMD)

What diversity terms did I miss?

I'm sure I missed some terms or fumbled a definition or two. Please comment below to chime in and help improve this list, Thanks for working together to create the largest and best diversity glossary on the planet!

Why I wrote this?

Our mission here at Ongig is to transform your job descriptions to attract top-tier and diverse talent. Our Text Analyzer software analyzes every word of your job descriptions to ensure they are inclusive to everyone. Diversity & Inclusion terms are an important piece of attracting diverse talent.

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The Diversity & Inclusion Glossary [a List of 200+ Terms]

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Diversity terms are all over the place. Do you know the meaning of BIPOC, Folx or Culture Add? I didn't...until I looked it up! I started keeping a list of these D&I ("Diversity & Inclusion") terms for Ongig's clients and decided to put them all in one place in this glossary below.

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Definition and analysis of institutional racism

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Definition and analysis of institutional racism

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The difference between being "not racist" and being antiracist"

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The difference between being "not racist" and antiracist | Ibram X. Kendi

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From Bridgerton to Hamilton: A History of Color-Conscious Casting in Period Drama

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From Bridgerton to Hamilton: A History of Color-Conscious Casting in Period Drama

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Critics can keep attacking inclusive period dramas for being too "woke,” but series like Bridgerton are here to stay.

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Features
Critics can keep attacking inclusive period dramas for being too "woke," but series like Bridgerton are here to stay.

Photo: Netflix

Note: This Bridgerton article contains no book or series plot spoilers.

Bridgerton is a unique mix of Shonda Rhimes' dedication to Black representation on American television and the British period drama tradition. White critics may dismiss this trend as unnecessary "pandering" to Black and POC viewers, but the number of productions designed around reforming all white-casting has increased over the past 10 years-and has only added to the success of the genre. The number one reason driving demand for diverse period dramas is from Black and POC fans of the genre. The impact of seeing an actor that looks like you can't be measured in ratings or clicks online. Despite facing years of content and fandom overtly or covertly claiming that the universal themes in period dramas are not "for us"; the tide is starting to turn as fans use social media and the power of ratings to ask for more representation.

A quick overview of recent Regency England-set productions leaves much to be desired. Although the 2018 Amazon Prime/ITV miniseries and the 2005 movie adaptations of Vanity Fair left in West Indian and Jewish heiress Miss Schwarz, she is one of many supporting characters. PBS/ITV's Sanditon, on the one hand, improved representation by prominently featuring Georgiana Lambe. However, her story was a huge disappointment to Black and POC fans who expected her plotline to end happily or at least have her conflicts resolved.

There have been three paths traditionally towards increasing diversity in period dramas: 1) blind casting (also called racebending), where Black and POC actors play traditionally white characters adding original Black characters to existing fictional works, and 2) Own Voices, where Black and POC writers share their own stories. These two are not mutually exclusive, but, in the world of British period drama, the former is more frequently used, as the bedrock of the genre is adapting existing novels and plays by white authors.

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The theoretical framework for inclusive casting begins in the world of staging period drama at the theater. In Shakespeare's day, men played women's roles as women were not allowed to appear on stage. The genre evolved in later centuries to allow women to appear on stage, but the tradition of having actors who didn't match the original descriptions remained. This is even true of his history plays where real women royalty were characters. Ira Aldridge in the 1840s was the first Black actor in Britain to play traditionally white roles on stage. Later on, in the 19th century, several stage adaptations of Jane Austen's works had all-women casts.

Fast forward to 2015, when Lin-Manuel Miranda in Hamilton redefined what it meant to cast inclusively in modern period dramas by using actors descended from slavery and colonialism to play the Founding Fathers. Every aspect of the musical was designed to reframe the existing narrative of early American history. The costume design also reflected the identities of the actor by featuring braids, locs, and textured hairstyles over 18th century white hairstyles. Rap lyrics conveyed to the audience the names, dates, and other descriptions of the Revolutionary War. The old adage that someone must "look the part" to play a biographical role was thrown out the window.

Hamilton proved that many of the old excuses used to sideline diverse period dramas no longer held to be true. Millions of white people listened to the cast album, brought tickets, or streamed the movie on Disney+. UK theater patrons flocked to the West End cast of Hamilton, as well, before the pandemic. Memes, parodies, and more on social media proved that white audiences can conceptualize historical figures as fictional characters while also knowing the real figures looked and acted quite differently. Fans of the show pushed Ron Chernow's biography back onto the bestseller lists as they wanted to read what really happened.

The first clear impact the show had on the genre of British period drama comes from a mystery. Daisy Coulam, Grantchester's head screenwriter, cited reading an interview with Miranda as the inspiration behind the exit plotline for James Norton's character Sidney Chambers. UK crime dramas For those unfamiliar with the series, Grantchester is a mystery procedural based on a series of books about a 1950s crime-solving Anglican vicar by James Runcie. Norton's exit plotline in Season 4 generated an original to the show character named Violet who was the daughter of a visiting African-American preacher. Violet was an original character who forced the audience to consider that the US civil rights movement indeed reached their treasured vision of the lily-white British countryside. Coulam already laid the groundwork for Violet in earlier seasons by abandoning large sections of the original novel timeline and but keeping the case of the week focused on addressing 1950's social issues. Fans heavily criticized Coulam's writing for style and pacing, but her imagination clearly indicates that Hamilton's provenformula for disrupting established historical aesthetics can just as easily be applied to fictional depictions of the UK's past as blind casting a biography-based series or depicting real figures of Black British history.

Other period dramas released in recent years share traces of Hamilton's impact but in a more thematic and less direct different way.Some shows turned real Black British figures into fictional characters. Lina (Stephanie Levi-John) and Oviedo (Aaron Cobham) on The Spanish Princess are composites of Catherine of Aragon's servants and several famous B l ack Tudors. Catherine "Kitty" Despard (Kerri McClean) inPoldark Season 5 was a forgotten Black British figure added in to expand the world outlined in the novels. Victoria featured Ira Aldridge (Ashley Zhangazha) mentioned earlier, plus spotlighted the Queen's adopted daughter Sarah-Forbes Bonetta and Cuffay (C.J. Beckford) as the leader of the proto-socialist Chartists. Lucille Anderson (Leonie Elliott) on Call the Midwife was not mentioned in the original memoirs, but she was added to represent the Caribbean nurses from the Windrush Generation of UK immigrants.

Racebent casting also increased. Dev Patel's role as the title characterin the movie The Personal History of David Copperfieldproved that Dickens adaptations could indeed include POC casts without changing the fundamental plot and message.PBS/BBC's Les Miserables miniseries also extended the Broadway tradition of casting Black actors in traditionally white coded classic literature characters. Hulu's The Great featured Sacha Dhawan and several Black actors as Russian nobility, politicians, and courtiers.

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All of these series, however, carefully attempted to stay grounded in recreating the original source material or invested in faithfully replicating the era they were set in. Bridgertonradically expands upon Hamilton's formula by divorcing inclusive casting from any desire to accurately recreate historical events, eras, or figures. Romance, fantasy, and social/familial drama are universal themes that don't depend on having a white-dominant vision of society. Quinn's original novel series sparingly referred to historical events during the Regency Era. Her focus was on creating a world where the most important events were balls and weddings. More Dukes and other holders of inherited titles exist in her vision of the Ton (the most elite members of Regency society) than in reality. Historians would likely dispute her characterization of the elite social season as well. Characters' internal dialogue is in modern English peppered with regional accents and slang. They rarely lampshade or criticize the way of society beyond their romantic desires and family obligations. Readers see the physical intimacy on the page Austen never mentioned. This literary environment is ripe for inclusive casting on screen.

The most critical flip in characterization is Simon, Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page). His character is the romantic hero of the first book in the series The Duke and I and is the character that set fan expectations high for future novels. Simon having visibly African features and yet being an object of desire is incredibly subversive in a genre where white beauty standards dominate hetero and homosexual fiction.

Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh), Simon's godmother, is an elder stateswoman and a twist on the battle-ax aunt trope popular in period dramas. She isn't as caustic and insulting as some other famous widows and spinsters but she commands authority and a mansion filled with people to perform all the hard labor. Lady Danbury is even implied to be slightly higher in status than her white counterparts with children of marrying age Lady Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) and Lady Portia Featherington (Polly Walker).

Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuve) being played by a biracial woman is actually a subtle Easter Egg to existing history debates. Many have debated if her portraits were airbrushed to disguise African features. A few years ago, a documentary established her African ancestry is via the Portuguese royals. All of her scenes involve petting her Pomeranian, demanding to know the latest gossip, and manipulating the gentry into doing her bidding.

The miniseries doesn't end the racial diversity with those at the highest social rank or even at the lower orders of domestic servants. Marina Thompson (Ruby Barker) is a cousin of the Featheringtons and represents the "poor relation" character popular in stories based on the British gentry. A Black modiste (dressmaker) trained in French fashion makes all of the dresses the characters wear. Will Mondrich (Martins Imhangbe) is a boxer, likely a reference to former slave turned bare-knuckle boxer Bill Richmond. Alongside the characters with plot lines viewers follow, there is a conscious effort to hire Black and POC extras to fill in crowd scenes at balls, park scenes, and other public events. The viewer sees people who look like themselves in every class level of society and can feel like they too can become part of their world.

Attire is a critical part of upholding the fantasy and cultural diversity Bridgerton and also in communicating to the audience the series isn't your aunt's neutral tone Austen adaptation. Marina and Lady Danbury would never be caught dead in a plain white muslin frock. All of the popular Regency hairstyles for women have been modified and reworked for natural textured hair, braids, and locs. Some of the Black male extras even have modern African hairstyles left in tact. The only Black characters who wear the traditional white wigs are older men or servants in full formal uniform. Queen Charlotte's Black courtiers and servants wear a mixture of extravagant 1770s and 1780s attire and Regency court wear to create a physical separation between them and the rest of the ensemble cast. These style decisions are right out of the playbook of Still Star-Crossed, Shondaland's first foray into period drama. Although that series took place in 1300's Italy, the priority was on blending fantasy and Black fashion aesthetics over catering to white costume enthusiasts and reenactors.

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In the world ofBridgerton, slavery and colonialism are directly or indirectly referenced exceedingly sparingly. One reference is to Lord Dunmore's army of emancipated and runaway slaves during the Revolutionary War proclamation. (Hercules Mulligan's Black troops referenced in "Stay Alive" is the Patriot equivalent of Dunmore's forces). These sparing hints make it clear to the viewers that class, family, and personal family drama is the root cause of joy and pain in this series.

Since Bridgerton is completely ignoring the physical descriptions of the characters in many cases, the set design carries the bulk of the attention to historical detail. The series hired Dr. Hannah Greig as a historical advisor to ensure these details were as close to 1813 as possible. Greig has previously acted as a consultant to the Sanditon, Poldark, and The Duchess cast and crew is likely where the Easter Eggs in character references come from. Lavish mansions and castles and the more humble spaces ground the fantastical plot details in historical reality. Several previous period dramas have recreated the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, but these scenes in the miniseries are elevated to the next level thanks to Netflix 's budget.

The success of Bridgerton applying color-conscious casting to a fantasy/romance series has implications far beyond potential future seasons. Studios especially those in the UK have been hesitant to utilize recent historical romance books for screen adaptations. Modern historical fiction by Black and POC authors (called Own Voices fiction) which is crucial in the fight for increased representation. Novelists such as Beverly Jenkins, Courtney Milan, and Alyssa Cole have written romances set in the Regency and other eras of American and British History that can easily be transformed into movies and miniseries. Some of these novels recreate existing history while others lean into escapist fantasy. The ultimate goal in period drama representation is for Black and POC creatives to tell their own stories covering all the ranges of emotion, not just historical trauma.

Critics can keep attacking period dramas for being "too woke" (a term that was stolen from anti-racism activists) for remembering that white people aren't the only inhabitants of the British Isles and America, but series like Bridgerton are here to stay. Black and POC viewers and readers of period drama and romance fiction always existed, and viewership will only grow if more inclusive period romance projects are greenlit in the future.

Written by

Amanda-Rae Prescott

Amanda-Rae Prescott is a long time Outlander fan, period drama enthusiast and cosplayer. Her previous season Outlander commentary can be found at Blacklanderz and Nerdeek Life. When she's not...

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From Bridgerton to Hamilton: A History of Color-Conscious Casting in Period Drama | Den of Geek

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Features Critics can keep attacking inclusive period dramas for being too "woke," but series like Bridgerton are here to stay. Note: This Bridgerton article contains no book or series plot spoilers. Bridgerton is a unique mix of Shonda Rhimes' dedication to Black representation on American television and the British period drama tradition.

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Unpopular Opinion: Color-Blind Casting Isn’t ‘Woke’ — It’s Racist

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Unpopular Opinion: Color-Blind Casting Isn’t ‘Woke’ — It’s Racist

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You'd be hard-pressed to encounter someone who isn't familiar with "Hamilton," Lin-Manuel Miranda's critically acclaimed musical about United States founding father Alexander Hamilton. A Broadway production deemed so sensational that a full recording of the original cast's performance was released on Disney+, "Hamilton'' is a cultural phenomenon that challenges the ubiquity of whitewashing in American theater by selecting BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) actors to play white historical figures. But the progressiveness reflected in this racial diversity, which fans and critics alike celebrate, is also a source of controversy. Is "Hamilton'' really that innovative if it fundamentally engages in an absurd form of racism known as color-blind casting?

A similar question arose last month when it was revealed Black actress Jodie Turner-Smith would portray Anne Boleyn, Queen of England from 1533 to 1536, in a three-part Channel 5 series. Unsurprisingly, this news was met with varied responses. Some expressed their anger about a Black woman playing a white historical figure while others remarked on their desire to see Black actors in new narratives created by, for, and about people of color.

Recent examples of color-blind casting - casting that does not take race or ethnicity into account - reveal the complexities that develop when exclusion and rejection of authenticity are disguised as an egalitarian artistic convention. Its problematic, if not racist, nature is mostly overt - e.g. white actresses Scarlett Johansson and Emma Stone playing characters of Asian descent - but it can be covert, as is the case with "Hamilton" and Turner-Smith's upcoming Channel 5 series.

The perils of color-blind casting in "Hamilton'' are especially difficult to detect. For one, many consider it an example of color-conscious casting rather than color-blind casting. The latter is a practice rejecting the past and present in favor of an idealized post-racial future which it is desperate to symbolize. On the contrary, the former is cemented in the present and examines race and ethnicity during the audition process. Lin-Manuel Miranda, director Thomas Kail, and casting directors Bethany Knox and Bernie Telsey did exactly this by choosing to only cast white actors in one key part and a few small ensemble roles. In essence, they otherwise barred the actors from the cast to make room for artists of color. (The casting call for the Chicago production of "Hamilton" specified "non-white" for all but one of the major roles.)

Yet, reserving space for BIPOC performers is only one element of a successful color-conscious approach. Effective color-conscious casting places greater responsibility on the writer, director, and casting directors to execute an in-depth evaluation of the cultural connotations of requesting an actor insert themselves into a narrative that is not their own. Ideally, they will ensure marginalized actors are not burdened by their racial transcendence and, if need be, adapt the production to better suit their needs and perspectives.

Miranda's show does not align with those principles. Although the 'woke' composer and lyricist prioritizes diversifying his production, he blindly asks BIPOC performers to act in a piece detailing historical events benefiting their oppressors. These roles diverge to a significant degree from the actors' own rich familial and ancestral histories, which are just as worthy of sharing with the world as Alexander Hamilton's is. Curiously, the change in race does not lead to a shift in the characters' viewpoints and experiences, even if Black artists are personating slave owners or individuals related to them. Predominantly white audiences' tendency to overlook this discrepancy between the complexion of the actor and the historical context of their role is reflective of what, among other factors, has allowed color-blind casting to persist for so long - the unquestioning acceptance of superficial diversity and inclusivity.

"Hamilton" may be a revolutionary Black, brown, and multicolored agent of change on the outside, but it is a mainstream white history lesson on the inside: a history lesson taught through fantastic music, entrancing choreography, nuanced acting, and terrific set design. It is crucial, then, to separate how the show is brought to life artistically from who brings the show to life and why. "Hamilton"'s method of conveying history is problematic but it nevertheless redefines the boundaries of theater by foregrounding innovation, hip-hop, and BIPOC talent.

This duality is evident in other facets of the work. Despite taking race and ethnicity into account during the initial stages of production, the musical ultimately subscribes to the same racist notion characterizing color-blind casting. Co-occurring with inventive rap sequences and punchy dance numbers is the inadvertent implication that it is reasonable to not see race as well as its influence on the lens through which a story is viewed.

Given "Hamilton's" duality, it may be more appropriate to understand Manuel-Miranda, Kail, Knox, and Telsey's casting techniques as an enigmatic hybrid of color-blindness and color-consciousness. Indeed, the subtle distinction renders it nearly impossible to determine whether the external merits of "Hamilton" overpower its internal demerits.

That isn't to say clear stances for or against color-blind casting haven't been established in years past. Black American playwright August Wilson presents a preeminent argument against color-blind casting in "The Ground on Which I Stand," an address that he delivered at the 1996 TCG (Theatre Communications Group) Conference. "The idea of colorblind casting," he stated, "is the same idea of assimilation that black Americans have been rejecting for the past 380 years." It is an "attempt to blot [racial and ethnic minorities] out" and "reinvent history," he said. It is an "assault on [the BIPOC] presence...an insult to [their] intelligence...and [their] many and varied contributions to the society and world at large." According to Wilson, "mount[ing] an [all-BIPOC] production" of a play or musical "conceived for white actors as an investigation of the human condition through the specifics of white culture is to deny [the actors their] own humanity, [their] own history, and the need to make [their] own investigations from the cultural ground on which [they] stand."

Of course, the cultural ground on which Wilson stood in 1996 is far different from the one audiences stand on in 2020. Still, the racist sentiment expressed by color-blind casting remains an issue. With the exception of productions such as "Hamilton," which cannot be precisely described as color-blind or color-conscious, all color-blind castings are questionable and should be avoided, specifically when they cast a white person to play a BIPOC character.

Any moment a white actor adopts the role of a person of color and vice-versa, there is an underlying suggestion all humans navigate their surrounding environments in the same manner. Race and ethnicity are minimized and reduced to negligible factors that can be transferred from person to person. In reality, one's racial identity is an inalienable entity paramount to how they perceive themselves and are received by others. This has long gone ignored in all mediums of production: Natalie Wood, an actress of Russian descent, played Maria, the Puerto Rican lead in "West Side Story"; until recently, "The Simpsons" featured white actors voicing Black and South Asian characters; and Jonathan Pryce wore prosthetics to transform into a Eurasian nightclub owner in the original West End performance of "Miss Saigon." All three scenarios mark instances where white actors are thrust into the limelight for appropriating an unfamiliar culture and lifestyle.

Those who deny the whitewashing prompted by color-blind casting may reinforce their convictions by contending that an actor's role is to assume identities different from their own, even in terms of race. After all, one of the key tenets of the art form is what poet and aesthetic philosopher Samuel Taylor Coleridge coined as "the willing suspension of disbelief." Audience members are expected to submit to the world of the production, no matter how unrealistic it may be. Yet, it hardly seems appropriate to equate matters of racial identity with, say, a willing suspension of disbelief required to watch a man turn into a scarecrow in "The Wizard of Oz."

How, then, should writers, directors, casting directors, producers, and executives account for the rising demand to see non-white faces on the stage and the screen? First, they must consider, rather than ignore, ethnic background and race. It is essential to many individuals' selfhood and there is a necessity for it to be treated as such. Second, they must realize that blindness is not representation - consciousness is. The replacement of color-blind approaches with color-conscious methodologies is indispensable.

It is not enough, however, to be merely aware of the BIPOC bodies present in film, television, and theatre - it is imperative to identify and challenge the prejudices and stereotypes white audiences have attached, and continue to attach, to these bodies. Moreover, those possessing creative and management responsibility for productions must discern the socio-political and cultural implications of the on-screen, on-stage existence of bodies of color. "Hamilton's" inability to do so should serve as a clarion call to artists in power to clarify the standards of constructive casting strategies and reimagine the possibilities for change when there is a collective adoption of color-conscious mentality.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, there is an exigency for writers, directors, casting directors, producers, and executives to admit that neither color-blind nor color-conscious casting can function as an alternative to the global distribution of stories brought to fruition by BIPOC creative teams for BIPOC audiences. Hollywood and Broadway must take accountability for their past casting failures and accordingly, prioritize implementing sustained institutional change and not temporary solutions.

No excuses should be tolerated; there is an abundance of BIPOC artists who are equally capable, skilled, and accomplished as their white colleagues who are able to claim BIPOC roles using their white privilege. Regardless of concerns surrounding profitability and international reception, the efforts to decolonize show business should not cease until at least half of the movies, television series, plays, and musicals released in a year feature BIPOC actors performing principal roles that realistically depict the full spectrum of experiences unique to their ethnic and racial communities.

As August Wilson declared in 1996, "We do not need colorblind casting." What American film, television, and theatre need instead is a wide-scale redistribution of space. For far too long, white narratives have crowded the pages of screenplays and scripts, leaving little room for the development of stories amplifying the voices of racial minorities. In most situations, BIPOC actors are haphazardly given the roles of token characters embodying harmful, inaccurate stereotypes. In the worst cases, their tales are invisible. They are completely erased from the homepages of streaming services, sheets of Playbills, and minds of too many consumers; the remaining eraser shavings symbolizing the last vestiges of hope for BIPOC artists. Hope, though, can be engendered once more. In order to do so, it is vital for the entertainment industry to make a commitment to upending casting procedures that submit to white supremacy and deprive BIPOC actors of opportunity and visibility.

So, what is the industry waiting for? Now more than ever, the screen and the stage must be spaces where a variance of races and ethnicities are not only acknowledged but also embraced. Manuel-Miranda, in spite of his missteps, recognized this and made a well-intentioned, bold attempt to rebel against white American theatre and reclaim and redefine theatre-making. It is time for others - in particular, white people belonging to the upper echelons of the film, theatre, and television world - to follow suit. It is only then that the cultural ground on which we stand will be encompassed by what Wilson wished upon his fellow Black artists 24 years ago: "angelic grace, peace, prosperity, and the unencumbered pursuit of happiness."

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Unpopular Opinion: Color-Blind Casting Isn't 'Woke' - It's Racist | Arts | The Harvard Crimson

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You'd be hard-pressed to encounter someone who isn't familiar with "Hamilton," Lin-Manuel Miranda's critically acclaimed musical about United States founding father Alexander Hamilton. A Broadway production deemed so sensational that a full recording of the original cast's performance was released on Disney+, "Hamilton'' is a cultural phenomenon that challenges the ubiquity of whitewashing in American theater by selecting BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) actors to play white historical figures.

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Authenticity in casting: From ‘colorblind’ to ‘color conscious,’ new rules are anything but black and white

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Authenticity in casting: From ‘colorblind’ to ‘color conscious,’ new rules are anything but black and white

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(Edel Rodriguez / For The Times)

When Edward Albee's estate denied permission for a production of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" because the director had cast a black actor to play a character Albee had specified as white, social media boiled over. How can the theatrical canon remain relevant if creative casting isn't allowed? Why shouldn't a black man play a white character? Actors are actors, storytelling in the search for universal truths.

But discord also erupted when a white man played a Dominican American in a Chicago production of Lin-Manuel Miranda 's early musical "In the Heights" - and, conversely, when an open casting call for Miranda's "Hamilton" specified "non-white actors."

Casting in theater, as well as in film and television, has always been met with criticism. Everyone knows someone who was better for the part. But lately that criticism has taken on an unapologetically political - and often contradictory - bent that reflects both a need for diversity and a new demand for "authenticity."

Even as audiences celebrate the "Hamilton" multiracial vision of the Founding Fathers, some actors and advocates argue that certain types of characters should be played only by actors who share those characters' essential experiences. Just a week ago, an advocacy group for the disabled admonished Alec Baldwin for taking the part of a blind man in an upcoming film. Before that, protests decried the "whitewashing" of Asian characters through the casting of non-Asian performers in high-profile films.

The increasingly fraught and emotional dialogue pits the progressive ideals of inclusion not just against historical business practices but also the definition of acting itself.

If a role is written for a particular ethnicity, sexual identity, gender or disability, how far should the creative community go to find an actor who checks that particular box? And should the fact that many traditionally marginalized groups are fighting for better representation be taken into consideration? Who has the right to tell what stories? And who gets to make that decision?

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Actors love to act. And they can get Oscar-size accolades for showing their reach. Think Leonardo DiCaprio's nomination for playing a developmentally disabled teen in "What's Eating Gilbert Grape." Or Al Pacino's Oscar win for his depiction of a blind man in "Scent of a Woman." Or Jeffrey Tambor's Emmys for his role as a transgender woman in "Transparent."

Isn't that the point of acting: to suspend audience disbelief to the point of personal reinvention?

Still, rising tension over the authenticity question could be felt in Tambor's 2016 Emmy acceptance speech:

"Please give transgender talent a chance. Give them auditions. Give them their story," he said. "I would not be unhappy were I the last cisgender male to play a transgender female."

His words signaled a shift from the days when actors like Tom Hanks (who played gay in 1993's "Philadelphia"), Jake Gyllenhaal (who did the same in 2005's "Brokeback Mountain") and John Lithgow (who played a trans woman in 1982's "The World According to Garp") were celebrated for their bravery in bringing mainstream visibility to overlooked and often denigrated groups.

The sentiment that, say, transgender, Latino or deaf actors should be given a fair shot at portraying transgender, Latino or deaf characters seems to be growing as producers, directors and others try to balance artistic goals with social responsibility - and the expectations of an increasingly diverse, empowered audience. This is writ large in the American theater, where the term "colorblind casting" - selecting actors without taking ethnicity into account - is no longer in favor. The ascendant norm is "color-conscious casting," which implies an understanding of the profound implications of skin color. The shift carries potentially radical implications for the art form.

A study by the Asian American Performers Action Coalitionfound that white actors were cast in 78% of the roles on New York stages between the years of 2006 to 2015, whereas the U.S. Census estimates the white population of the city to be about 44%. Such discrepancies worry activists who note the slowness of change, even after incidents such as the 1989 London opening of "Miss Saigon," in which a white actor wore prosthetics to change the shape of his eyes. The resulting protests, partly spearheaded by playwright David Henry Hwang, called out the practice and spurred Hwang to write the satirical play "Yellow Face."

"For a decade or so I was thinking we sort of won the war even if we lost the battle, because we put producers on notice that there was going to be so much trouble if you cast a white person as Asian that you just wouldn't do it," Hwang said. Not so anymore, he said, noting the casting of Emma Stone (in the 2015 film "Aloha") and Scarlett Johansson (in this year's film "Ghost in the Shell") as characters originally written as Asian or part Asian. "For some reason white people really seem to like playing Asians."

Still, the discussion about who should be cast in which roles has evolved, Hwang said. As the theater grows more aware and diverse, the authenticity discussion has evolved with nuance.

"These debates are healthy," he said. "I think it represents a society that is attempting to come to grips and move forward into uncharted territory."

Each play or musical must be considered on a case-by-case basis, said Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes, who wrote the book for Miranda's "In the Heights."

"The danger of creating one hard-and-fast rule is that it diminishes the conversation," she says. "And, yes, it's absolutely OK to say this role calls for a specific actor, and if you're telling me you can't find that actor, you're not equipped to do the play."

Many of the roles in Hudes' work call for a particular ethnicity, and that should be honored, Hudes said. If it isn't, then the play is not being produced as it was meant to be produced. It doesn't convey what she intended the work to convey.

She doesn't write roles for minorities as a form of political activism, she said. The playwright, who is of mixed heritage and grew up in a diverse Philadelphia community, is simply writing about the world as she has experienced it.

The shift from "colorblind" to "color-conscious" may be attributed partly to the growing diversity of stories being produced. In eras past, when the vast majority of tales unfolding onstage were written by white playwrights about white characters, it took colorblind casting for an actor of color to be seen.

But now we're in the era of "Hamilton." A better term is "color-conscious," said Diep Tran, associate editor of American Theatre magazine, who writes a monthly column on equity, diversity and inclusion. "Color-conscious" means "we're aware of the historic discrimination in the entertainment industry," she said, "and we're also aware of what it means to put a body of color onstage."

Snehal Desai, artistic director of the Asian theater company East West Players in Los Angeles, the longest-running theater of color in the United States, agrees.

"The thing about colorblind casting is that it denies the person standing in front of you," he said. "It ignores identity, and for people of color, that further alienates us."

In the recent case of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" in Portland, Ore., casting a black actor in the role of Nick was a color-conscious choice, director Michael Streeter said by email. He believed the decision would add depth to the play.

"The character is an up-and-comer," Streeter said. "He is ambitious and tolerates a lot of abuse in order to get ahead. I see this as emblematic of African Americans in 1962, the time the play was written."

The estate of Albee, who died last year, countered that the role was written specifically for a Caucasian man. (The playwright's character description is 28 and "blond, well put-together, good looking.") To alter that would fundamentally change the meaning and message of the play, the estate said.

In the resulting social media firestorm, some pointed out that "Hamilton" had done the same thing, only in reverse - casting actors of color to play white historical figures.

Tran called that line of thinking nonsense.

"When you have something like 'Hamilton,' which was written to give opportunity to actors who would normally not get that opportunity, it's different than taking a job away from a white actor, because that white actor has the entire American canon to play with," she said.

Tran also argued that an audience should want to see a production from that canon, exactly as the author intended, only so many times. Inflexibility puts the work in stasis, whereas theater should be a living, breathing art form.

"What does this 50-year-old play say about the time we're living in now if we don't put it in a modern context?" she asked.

(Warner Bros. Home Entertainment / Warner Bros. Home Entertainment)

These debates are healthy. I think it represents a society that is attempting to come to grips and move forward into uncharted territory.

- David Henry Hwang, playwright

Casting plays in a modern context makes financial sense as well, Hwang said.

"If people like to see themselves on stage and screen, then our artistic fields aren't sufficiently preparing for audiences of the future," he said.

The conversation will change in two or three generations as the country becomes more mixed racially, East West Players' Desai said. He added that when it comes to representation, people of color long for consideration that extends beneath their skin.

"There are regulations about asking people their age or race," he said. "As a person of color, I want to be seen as a whole person and not just an Indian."

The danger of seeing only color, sexuality or disability is that it can lead to a ghettoization. Take the example of transgender actors, said Jon Imparato, the Los Angeles LGBT Center's director of cultural arts and education. Since Caitlyn Jenner went public as transgender two years ago, Imparato's phone has been ringing with requests for recommendations of good transgender actors.

"I say, 'Is she a hooker and does she get murdered at the end? If so, we want nothing to do with it. We've heard that story,'" he said.

In this day and age, Imparato believes all trans roles should go to trans actors - although the same doesn't hold true for gay roles. Why? First, it's illegal to ask about sexuality when casting. Second, plenty of gay actors now play straight roles and vice versa, he said.

"For me it always comes down to who's going to serve the play better? Do I have enough diversity in my cast?" Imparato said. "And are they the right actors?"
jessica.gelt@latimes.com @jessicagelt AUTHENTICITY IN CASTING: Stuck on the sidelines: One transgender actress' story Q&A with the artistic director of Deaf West Theatre Timeline: 200 years of authenticity, or lackthereof Perspective: A call for change #Protest: How the debate has played out in social media

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Authenticity in casting: From 'colorblind' to 'color conscious,' new rules are anything but black and white

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Can a white actor star in "Hamilton"? Can a black actor star in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf"? How standards are shifting for characters of color and roles written as transgender and disabled.

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Which is the correct term? Black vs. BIPOC vs. African American vs. POC vs. BAME

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Which is the correct term? Black vs. BIPOC vs. African American vs. POC vs. BAME

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Packs Light | Gen Z Travel & Lifestyle Blog

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In light of the heinous murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many others have forced communities around the world to confront systemic racism. As a Black, American woman-albeit a multi-racial and lighter-skinned Black woman-I've felt called to use my privilege and my platform to speak out how I can, with what I know.

One of the questions I've been asked the most often is what terminology non-Black allies should use. Is Black an offensive term? Is African American accurate for all Black Americans? What is BAME and where did the term pop up from?

This is my personal opinion-there is a video explanation on YouTube, originally published as an IGTV video. However, here I'll go into a slightly more detailed explanation:

Black

Black (with a capital B) is an umbrella term for anyone of African descent, regardless of nationality. Black is appropriate to use when referencing the general Black experience in the United States.

In the past, there seemed to have been a movement to use the term African-American as it was seen as more "PC". However, not all Black people in the United States are African-American!

Is Black a negative word? NO.

I've received private commentary from white people saying that in their home towns and growing up they felt that calling someone Black had a negative connotation. However, by talking to them they eventually agreed that it was likely the discomfort in addressing race at all, and often the inflection with which racist people would call Black people Black which was the issue, and not the word itself.

Say it loud: I'm Black, and I'm proud.

POC

POC is an acronym for People of Color, is for anyone visibly non-White (Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian, etc.) POC essentially means non-white. White people walk through the world with a set of privileges and treatment based on their whiteness and can be directly contrasted with non-white people.

That's not to say white people don't have struggles, grief, hardship, or pain, but they do not suffer from systematic repression because of the color of their skin as non-white-or POC-do. That's it!

There is a lot of terminology floating around with different ways to refer to ethnic minorities. Which are correct, in what context, and why? See my ideas on the topic here. Click To Tweet

BIPOC

BIPOC stands for Black/Indigenous/People of Color. This term has gained recent popularity as talks about race and individual racial experiences develop.

BIPOC is rising in popularity because it is more nuanced than POC toward the unique history and experiences that Black and Indigenous people face in the United States. Black people suffer unnecessarily because the color of our skin is not valued in a white-centric society. Indigenous people are continually erased, stolen from, and neglected American society.

While each individual race has their own struggles and none overshadows another, in the United States I believe it to be important to single out the Indigenous and Black experiences.

Hence why I personally like using BIPOC over POC when generally referring to non-white people.

African-American

This term often describes Black Americans who have a family history that directly links to African enslaved people who were brought to the United States between the 17th and 19th centuries.

Because of this, it's rare that know their historical ethnic and cultural roots because they were systematically and generational removed. Over the centuries these races, cultures, and traditions were blended and created something else completely-this is the African American identity.

ADOS (American Descendant of Slavery)

Another term that I've just heard of recently. Here is the official definition by the originators of the term: ADOS-which stands for American Descendants of Slavery-seeks to reclaim/restore the critical national character of the African American identity and experience, one grounded in our group's unique lineage, and which is central to our continuing struggle for social and economic justice in the United States.

Black-American

Someone might simply identify as Black-American if they're like me: my father is Jamaican and my mom is white/American. I'm biracial but visibly Black, but being born and raised outside of Jamaica I don't feel comfortable claiming to be Caribbean-American, because while that may be true technically (ethnically?), it's not true culturally.

Thus, I identify as Black/Black-American because I am racially Black and American by culture.

BAME

This term is the one that is the newest to me and that I'm the least familiar with. BAME stands for Black/Asian/Minority Ethnic. "Minority Ethnic" is relatively similar to 'POC', but more nuanced for Black and Asian people as it's a UK term and those are the ethnic majorities in that region.

I don't know the history as I mentioned, but I've received commentary by UK residents that the term has recently fallen out of favor like POC as well because it isn't nuanced enough. I expect to see a new UK term coming to light soon!

The Black Lives Matter movement is exactly that-Black

The ongoing movement called BLM is a Black rights movement and 'Black' is appropriate because racism is a worldwide issue. Black is not a negative or offensive term. But each term has it's own nuance and place in context!

When in doubt, I believe people should be as specific as possible when addressing societal issues and topics connected to a certain race, you should just reference those people.

When in doubt: be specific.

Not simple enough? Basically, if you're talking about Asian issues, say Asian, if you're talking about Black issues, say Black-same goes for Indigenous-Americans, Latinx, Asian-American, African American, etc.

Don't be lazy and use terms like BIPOC or POC when you really should be more specific because it erases that specific races' history and unique voice. When you're referring to a specific daughter or son's grades you don't say "the kids got a D in Biology". Be specific!

There are complex ideas behind these terms and they can be confusing, but they are worth researching and trying to understand if you intend to use them.

Why should you care?

Some people might ask: why all the labels? It seems like these terms change every 5 minutes. PC culture is annoying. These terms divide people. When I hear this I hear "I don't see color".

We operate in a white-centric society that does not see us as equal. And it's not about "not seeing" our differences. We'll always have differences! We should acknowledge them accurately and appropriately and embrace them.

So writers, media, and everyday people, please research these terms further on your own time if you intend to use them!
P.S. While we're here, race (Black, White) is what society sees you as, ethnicity is what you culturally and/or blood relation-ly identify as, and nationality is where your passport says you're from P.P.S. Capitalize the B in Black! But that's another discussion.
Did you learn anything reading this? Are you hearing of any of these terms for the first time?
Let's chat in the comments.

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Which is right? Black vs. BIPOC vs. African American vs. POC vs. BAME

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In light of the heinous murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many others have forced communities around the world to confront systemic racism. As a Black, American woman-albeit a multi-racial and lighter-skinned Black woman-I've felt called to use my privilege and my platform to speak out how I can, with what I know.

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Equity, Diversity, and InclusionGlossary of Terms

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Equity, Diversity, and InclusionGlossary of Terms

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The University of Washington’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Glossary of Terms

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Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Glossary of Terms

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Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Glossary of Terms

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The following is a list of carefully researched and thoughtfully discussed key social justice terms and definitions. It is by no means a comprehensive list as equity, diversity, and inclusion terms are ever-expanding and changing, but it is a good place to start.

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The following is a list of carefully researched and thoughtfully discussed key social justice terms and definitions. It is by no means a comprehensive list as equity, diversity, and inclusion terms are ever-expanding and changing, but it is a good place to start.

Able-ism | The belief that disabled individuals are inferior to non-disabled individuals, leading to discrimination toward and oppression of individuals with disabilities and physical differences.

Accessibility | The extent to which a facility is readily approachable and usable by individuals with disabilities, particularly such areas as the residence halls, classrooms, and public areas.

Accomplice(s) | The actions of an accomplice are meant to directly challenge institutionalized racism, colonization, and white supremacy by blocking or impeding racist people, policies and structures.

Acculturation | The general phenomenon of persons learning the nuances of or being initiated into a culture. It may also carry a negative connotation when referring to the attempt by dominant cultural groups to acculturate members of other cultural groups into the dominant culture in an assimilation fashion.

Actor [Actions] | Do not disrupt the status quo, much the same as a spectator at a game, both have only a nominal effect in shifting an overall outcome.

Adult-ism | Prejudiced thoughts and discriminatory actions against young people, in favor of the older person(s).

Advocate | Someone who speaks up for themselves and members of their identity group; e.g. a person who lobbies for equal pay for a specific group.

African American | Refers to the ethnic group of Americans who come from African descent.

Age-ism | Prejudiced thoughts and discriminatory actions based on differences in age; usually that of younger persons against older.

A-Gender | Not identifying with any gender, the feeling of having no gender.

Agent | The perpetrator of oppression and/or discrimination; usually a member of the dominant, non‐target identity group.

Ally | A person of one social identity group who stands up in support of members of another group. Typically, member of dominant group standing beside member(s) of targeted group; e.g., a male arguing for equal pay for women.

Androgyne | A person whose biological sex is not readily apparent, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

Androgynous | A person whose identity is between the two traditional genders.

Androgyny | A person who rejects gender roles entirely.

Androgynous | Someone who reflects an appearance that is both masculine and feminine, or who appears to be neither or both a male and a female.

Anti-Racist | Being critically aware of the existence of racism and understanding how it is systemic. An anti-racist person actively seeks to acknowledge the impacts of racism.

Anti‐Semitism | The fear or hatred of Jews, Judaism, and related symbols.

A-Sexuality | Little or no romantic, emotional and/or sexual attraction toward other persons. Asexual could be described as non-sexual, but asexuality is different from celibacy, which is a choice to not engage in sexual behaviors with another person.

Assigned Sex | What a doctor determines to be your physical sex birth based on the appearance of one's primary sex characteristics.

Assimilation | A process by which outsiders ( persons who are others by virtue of cultural heritage, gender, age, religious background, and so forth) are brought into, or made to take on the existing identity of the group into which they are being assimilated. The term has had a negative connotation in recent educational literature, imposing coercion and a failure to recognize and value diversity. It is also understood as a survival technique for individuals or groups.

Bias | Prejudice; an inclination or preference, especially one that interferes with impartial judgment.

Bigotry | An unreasonable or irrational attachment to negative stereotypes and prejudices.

Bi-Phobia | The fear or hatred of homosexuality ( and other non‐heterosexual identities), and persons perceived to be bisexual.

Bi-Racial | A person who identifies as coming from two races. A person whose biological parents are of two different races.

Bi-Sexual | A romantic, sexual, or/and emotional attraction toward people of all sexes. A person who identifies as bisexual is understood to have attraction to male and female identified persons. However, it can also mean female attraction and non-binary, or other identifiers. It is not restricted to only CIS identifiers.

BIPOC | Black, Indigenous, People of Color. Term commonly used to describe individuals who are not considered white.

Black | Any various populations that have a dark pigmentation of skin who identify as Black, including those in the African Diaspora and within Africa. Should be capitalized.

Brave Space | Honors and invites full engagement from folks who are vulnerable while also setting the expectation that there could be an oppressive moment that the facilitator and allies have a responsibility to address.

Categorization | The natural cognitive process of grouping and labeling people, things, etc. based on their similarities. Categorization becomes problematic when the groupings become oversimplified and rigid ( e.g. stereotypes).

Chicano/a/e | Used to describe people of Mexican descent. This term should not be used to refer to people or culturals of other Latin American or Spanish-speaking countries.

Cis-Gender | A person who identifies as the gender they were assigned at birth.

Cis-Sexism | Oppression based assumption that transgender identities and sex embodiments are less legitimate than cis-gender ones.

Class-ism | Prejudiced thoughts and discriminatory actions based on a difference in socioeconomic status, income, class; usually by upper classes against lower.

Coalition | A collection of different people or groups, working toward a common goal.

Codification | The capture and expression of a complex concept in a simple symbol, sign or prop; for example, symbolizing "community" ( equity, connection, unity) with a circle.

Collusion | Willing participation in the discrimination against and/or oppression of one's own group ( e.g., a woman who enforces dominant body ideals through her comments and actions).

Colonization | The action or process of settling among and establishing control over the indigenous people of an area. The action of appropriating a place or domain for one's own use.

Color Blind | The belief in treating everyone "equally" by treating everyone the same; based on the presumption that differences are by definition bad or problematic, and therefore best ignored ( i.e., "I don't see race, gender, etc.").

Color-ism | A form of prejudice or discrimination in which people are treated differently based on the social meanings attached to skin color.

Co-Option | A process of appointing members to a group, or an act of absorbing or assimilating.

Co-Optation | Various processes by which members of the dominant cultures or groups assimilate members of target groups, reward them, and hold them up as models for other members of the target groups. Tokenism is a form of co-optation.

Conscious Bias (Explicit Bias) | Refers to the attitudes and beliefs we have about a person or group on a conscious level. Much of the time, these biases and their expression arise as the direct result of a perceived threat. When people feel threatened, they are more likely to draw group boundaries to distinguish themselves from others.

Critical Race Theory | Critical race theory in education challenges the dominant discourse on race and racism as they relate to education by examining how educational theory, policy, and practice are used to subordinate certain racial and ethnic groups. There are at least five themes that form the basic perspectives, research methods, and pedagogy of critical race theory in education:

1. The centrality and intersectionality of race and racism

2. The challenge to dominant ideology

3. The commitment to social justice

4. The centrality of experiential knowledge

5. The interdisciplinary perspective

Culture | Culture is the pattern of daily life learned consciously and unconsciously by a group of people. These patterns can be seen in language, governing practices, arts, customs, holiday celebrations, food, religion, dating rituals, and clothing.

Cultural Appropriation |The adoption or theft of icons, rituals, aesthetic standards, and behavior from one culture or subculture by another. It is generally applied when the subject culture is a minority culture or somehow subordinate in social, political, economic, or military status to appropriating culture. This "appropriation" often occurs without any real understanding of why the original culture took part in these activities, often converting culturally significant artifacts, practices, and beliefs into "meaningless" pop-culture or giving them a significance that is completely different/less nuanced than they would originally have had.

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy | Culturally responsive pedagogy facilitates and supports the achievement of all students. In a culturally responsive classroom, reflective teaching and learning occur in a culturally supported, learner-centered context, whereby the strengths students bring to school are identified, nurtured and utilized to promote student achievement.

D.A.C.A (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) | An American immigration policy that allows some individuals who were brought to the United States without inspection as children to receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and become eligible for a work permit in the U.S.

Drag Queen / King | A man or woman dressed as the opposite gender, usually for the purpose of performance or entertainment. Many times, overdone or outrageous and may present a "stereotyped image."

Dialogue | "Communication that creates and recreates multiple understandings" (Wink, 1997). It is bi-directional, not zero‐sum and may or may not end in agreement. It can be emotional and uncomfortable, but is safe, respectful and has greater understanding as its goal.

Disability | An impairment that may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, sensory, or some combination of these. It substantially affects a person's life activities and may be present from birth or occur during a person's lifetime.

Discrimination | The denial of justice and fair treatment by both individuals and institutions in many areas, including employment, education, housing, banking, and political rights. Discrimination is an action that can follow prejudiced thinking.

Diversity | The wide variety of shared and different personal and group characteristics among human beings.

Domestic Partner | Either member of an unmarried, cohabiting, straight and same-sex couple that seeks benefits usually available only to spouses.

Dominant Culture | The cultural values, beliefs, and practices that are assumed to be the most common and influential within a given society.

Ethnicity | A social construct which divides individuals into smaller social groups based on characteristics such as a shared sense of group membership, values, behavioral patterns, language, political and economic interests, history and ancestral geographical base.

Examples of different ethnic groups are but not limited to:

Haitian

African American (Black)

Chinese

Korean

Vietnamese (Asian)

Cherokee, Mohawk

Navajo (Native American)

Cuban

Mexican

Puerto Rican (Latino)

Polish

Irish

Swedish (White)

Ethnocentricity | Considered by some to be an attitude that views one's own culture as superior. Others cast it as "seeing things from the point of view of one's own ethnic group" without the necessary connotation of superiority.

Euro-Centric | The inclination to consider European culture as normative. While the term does not imply an attitude of superiority ( since all cultural groups have the initial right to understand their own culture as normative), most use the term with a clear awareness of the historic oppressiveness of Eurocentric tendencies in U.S and European society.

Equality | A state of affairs in which all people within a specific society or isolated group have the same status in certain respects, including civil rights, freedom of speech, property rights and equal access to certain social goods and services.

Equity | Takes into consideration the fact that the social identifiers ( race, gender, socioeconomic status, etc.) do, in fact, affect equality. In an equitable environment, an individual or a group would be given what was needed to give them equal advantage. This would not necessarily be equal to what others were receiving. It could be more or different. Equity is an ideal and a goal, not a process. It insures that everyone has the resources they need to succeed.

Feminism | The advocacy of women's rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes.

Femme | A person who expresses and/or identifies with femininity.

First Nation People | Individuals who identify as those who were the first people to live on the Western Hemisphere continent. People also identified as Native Americans.

Fundamental Attribution Error | A common cognitive action in which one attributes their own success and positive actions to their own innate characteristics ('I'm a good person') and failure to external influences ('I lost it in the sun'), while attributing others' success to external influences ('He had help and got lucky') and failure to others' innate characteristics ('They're bad people'). This operates on group levels as well, with the in-group giving itself favorable attributions, while giving the out-group unfavorable attributions, as a way of maintaining a feeling of superiority, i.e. "double standard.".

Gay | A person who is emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to members of the same gender.

Gender | The socially constructed concepts of masculinity and femininity; the "appropriate" qualities accompanying biological sex.

Gender Bending | Dressing or behaving in such a way as to question the traditional feminine or masculine qualities assigned to articles of clothing, jewelry, mannerisms, activities, etc.

Gender Dysphoria (Gender Identity Disorder) | Significant, clinical distress caused when a person's assigned birth gender is not the same as the one with which they identify. The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) consider Gender Identity Disorder as "intended to better characterize the experiences of affected children, adolescents, and adults."

Gender Expression | External manifestations of gender, expressed through a person's name, pronouns, clothing, haircut, behavior, voice, and/or body characteristics.

Gender Fluid | A person who does not identify with a single fixed gender; of or relating to a person having or expressing a fluid or unfixed gender identity.

Gender Identity | Your internal sense of self; how you relate to your gender(s).

Gender Non-Conforming | A broad term referring to people who do not behave in a way that conforms to the traditional expectations of their gender, or whose gender expression does not fit into a category.

Gender Queer | Gender queer people typically reject notions of static categories of gender and embrace a fluidity of gender identity and often, though not always, sexual orientation. People who identify as "gender queer" may see themselves as both male or female aligned, neither male or female or as falling completely outside these categories.

Hate Crime | Hate crime legislation often defines a hate crime as a crime motivated by the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, or sexual orientation of any person.

Hermaphrodite | An individual having the reproductive organs and many of the secondary sex characteristics of both sexes.( Not a preferred term. See: Intersex)

Hetero-sexism | The presumption that everyone is, and should be, heterosexual.

Heterosexuality | An enduring romantic, emotional and/or sexual attraction toward people of the other sex. The term "straight" is commonly used to refer to heterosexual people.

Heterosexual | Attracted to members of other or the opposite sex.

Hispanic | Describes people, descendants, and cultures of Spanish-speaking countries, including many Latin American countries and Spain.

Homophobia | The fear or hatred of homosexuality ( and other non‐heterosexual identities), and persons perceived to be gay or lesbian.

Homosexual | Attracted to members of the same sex.(Not a preferred term. See Gay, Lesbian)

Humility | A modest or low view of one's own importance; humbleness.

Impostor Syndrome | Refers to individuals' feelings of not being as capable or adequate as others. Common symptoms of the impostor phenomenon include feelings of phoniness, self-doubt, and inability to take credit for one's accomplishments. The literature has shown that such impostor feelings influence a person's self-esteem, professional goal directed-ness, locus of control, mood, and relationships with others.

Inclusion | Authentically bringing traditionally excluded individuals and/or groups into processes, activities, and decision/policy making in a way that shares power.

Inclusive Language | Refers to non-sexist language or language that "includes" all persons in its references. For example, "a writer needs to proofread his work" excludes females due to the masculine reference of the pronoun. Likewise, "a nurse must disinfect her hands" is exclusive of males and stereotypes nurses as females.

In-Group Bias ( Favoritism ) | The tendency for groups to "favor" themselves by rewarding group members economically, socially, psychologically, and emotionally in order to uplift one group over another.

Indigenous People | Individuals of specific cultural groups who live within (or are attached to) distinct traditional territories.

Institutional Racism | It is widely accepted that racism is, by definition, institutional. Institutions have greater power to reward and penalize. They reward by providing career opportunities for some people and foreclosing them for others. They reward as well by the way social goods are distributed, by deciding who receives institutional benefits.

Intercultural Competency | A process of learning about and becoming allies with people from other cultures, thereby broadening our own understanding and ability to participate in a multicultural process. The key element to becoming more culturally competent is respect for the ways that others live in and organize the world and an openness to learn from them.

Inter-Group Conflict | Tension and conflict which exists between social groups and which may be enacted by individual members of these groups.

Internalized Homophobia | Among lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals, internalized sexual stigma ( also called internalized homophobia) refers to the personal acceptance and endorsement of sexual stigma as part of the individual's value system and self-concept. It is the counterpart to sexual prejudice among heterosexuals.

Internalized Oppression | The process whereby individuals in the target group make oppression internal and personal by coming to believe that the lies, prejudices, and stereotypes about them are true. Members of target groups exhibit internalized oppression when they alter their attitudes, behaviors, speech, and self-confidence to reflect the stereotypes and norms of the dominant group. Internalized oppression can create low self-esteem, self-doubt, and even self-loathing. It can also be projected outward as fear, criticism, and distrust of members of one's target group.

Internalized Racism | When individuals from targeted racial groups internalize racist beliefs about themselves or members of their racial group. Examples include using creams to lighten one's skin, believing that white leaders are inherently more competent, asserting that individuals of color are not as intelligent as white individuals, believing that racial inequality is the result of individuals of color not raising themselves up "by their bootstraps". ( Jackson & Hardiman, 1997)

Intersectionality | An approach largely advanced by women of color, arguing that classifications such as gender, race, class, and others cannot be examined in isolation from one another; they interact and intersect in individuals' lives, in society, in social systems, and are mutually constitutive. Exposing [one's] multiple identities can help clarify the ways in which a person can simultaneously experience privilege and oppression. For example, a Black woman in America does not experience gender inequalities in exactly the same way as a white woman, nor racial oppression identical to that experienced by a Black man. Each race and gender intersection produces a qualitatively distinct life.

Intersex| An umbrella term describing people born with reproductive or sexual anatomy and/or chromosome pattern that can't be classified as typically male or female.

ISM | A social phenomenon and psychological state where prejudice is accompanied by the power to systemically enact it.

Latinx/o/a/e | Used to describe people and cultural of Latin American descent.

Lesbian | A woman who is attracted to other women. Also used as an adjective describing such women.

LGBTQIA+ | Acronym encompassing the diverse groups of lesbians, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and asexual and/or corresponding queer alliances/associations. It is a common misconception that the "A" stands for allies/ally. The full acronym is "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, with all other queer identities that are not encompassed by the letters themselves being represented by the "+".

Lines of Difference | A person who operates across lines of difference is one who welcomes and honors perspectives from others in different racial, gender, socioeconomic, generational, regional groups than their own. [Listing is not exhaustive]

Look-ism | Discrimination or prejudice based upon an individual's appearance.

Marginalized | Excluded, ignored, or relegated to the outer edge of a group/society/community.

Micro-Aggressions | Commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory racial slights. These messages may be sent verbally, ("You speak good English"), non-verbally ( clutching one's purse more tightly around people from certain race/ethnicity) or environmentally ( symbols like the confederate flag or using Native American mascots). Such communications are usually outside the level of conscious awareness of perpetrators.

Micro-Insults | Verbal and nonverbal communications that subtly convey rudeness and insensitivity and demean a person's racial heritage or identity. An example is an employee who asks a colleague of color how she got her job, implying she may have landed it through an affirmative action or quota system.

Micro-Invalidation | Communications that subtly exclude, negate or nullify the thoughts, feelings or experiential reality of a person of color. For instance, white individuals often ask Asian-Americans where they were born, conveying the message that they are perpetual foreigners in their own land.

Model Minority | Refers to a minority ethnic, racial, or religious group whose members achieve a higher degree of success than the population average. This success is typically measured in income, education, and related factors such as low crime rate and high family stability.

Mono-Racial | To be of only one race ( composed of or involving members of one race only; (of a person) not of mixed race.)

Multi-Cultural | This term is used in a variety of ways and is less often defined by its users than terms such as multiculturalism or multicultural education.

One common use of the term refers to the raw fact of cultural diversity: "multicultural education ... responds to a multicultural population." Another use of the term refers to an ideological awareness of diversity: "[multicultural theorists] have a clear recognition of a pluralistic society." Still others go beyond this and understand multicultural as reflecting a specific ideology of inclusion and openness toward "others." Perhaps the most common use of this term in the literature is in reference simultaneously to a context of cultural pluralism and an ideology of inclusion or "mutual exchange of and respect for diverse cultures."

When the term is used to refer to a group of persons (or an organization or institution), it most often refers to the presence of and mutual interaction among diverse persons (in terms of race, class, gender, and so forth) of significant representation in the group. In other words, a few African Americans in a predominantly European American congregation would not make the congregation "multicultural." Some, however, do use the term to refer to the mere presence of some non-majority persons somewhere in the designated institution (or group or society), even if there is neither significant interaction nor substantial numerical representation.

Multi-Cultural Feminism | The advocacy of women's rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes within cultural/ethnic groups within a society.

Multi-Ethnic | An individual that comes from more than one ethnicity. An individual whose parents are born with more than one ethnicity.

Multiplicity | The quality of having multiple, simultaneous social identities (e.g., being male and Buddhist and working-class).

Multi-Racial | An individual that comes from more than one race.

Naming | When one articulates a thought that traditionally has not been discussed.

National Origin | The political state from which an individual hails; may or may not be the same as that person's current location or citizenship.

Neo-Liberalism | A substantial subjugation and marginalization of policies and practices informed by the values of social justice and equity.

Non-Binary/Gender Queer/Gender Variant | Terms used by some people who experience their gender identity and/or gender expression as falling outside the categories of man and woman.

Non-White | Used at times to reference all persons or groups outside of the white culture, often in the clear consciousness that white culture should be seen as an alternative to various non-white cultures and not as normative.

Oppression | Results from the use of institutional power and privilege where one person or group benefits at the expense of another. Oppression is the use of power and the effects of domination.

Pan-Sexual | A term referring to the potential for sexual attractions or romantic love toward people of all gender identities and biological sexes. The concept of pan-sexuality deliberately rejects the gender binary and derives its origin from the transgender movement.

Persons of Color | A collective term for men and women of Asian, African, Latin and Native American backgrounds; as opposed to the collective "White" for those of European ancestry.

Personal Identity | Our identities as individuals including our personal characteristics, history, personality, name, and other characteristics that make us unique and different from other individuals.

Prejudice | A prejudgment or preconceived opinion, feeling, or belief, usually negative, often based on stereotypes, that includes feelings such as dislike or contempt and is often enacted as discrimination or other negative behavior; OR, a set of negative personal beliefs about a social group that leads individuals to prejudge individuals from that group or the group in general, regardless of individual differences among members of that group.

Privilege | Unearned access to resources (social power) only readily available to some individuals as a result of their social group.

Privileged Group Member | A member of an advantaged social group privileged by birth or acquisition, i.e. Whites, men, owning class, upper-middle-class, heterosexuals, gentiles, Christians, non-disabled individuals.

Post-Racial | A theoretical term to describe an environment free from racial preference, discrimination, and prejudice.

Queer | An umbrella term that can refer to anyone who transgresses society's view of gender or sexuality. The definition indeterminacy of the word Queer, its elasticity, is one of its constituent characteristics: "A zone of possibilities."

Questioning | A term used to refer to an individual who is uncertain of their sexual orientation or identity.

Race | A social construct that artificially divides individuals into distinct groups based on characteristics such as physical appearance (particularly skin color), ancestral heritage, cultural affiliation or history, ethnic classification, and/or the social, economic, and political needs of a society at a given period of time. Scientists agree that there is no biological or genetic basis for racial categories.

Racial Equity | Racial equity is the condition that would be achieved if one's racial identity is no longer predicted, in a statistical sense, how one fares. When this term is used, the term may imply that racial equity is one part of racial justice, and thus also includes work to address the root causes of inequities, not just their manifestations. This includes the elimination of policies, practices, attitudes and cultural messages that reinforce differential outcomes by race or fail to eliminate them.

Racial Profiling | The use of race or ethnicity as grounds for suspecting someone of having committed an offense.

Racial Trauma | Racial Trauma or race-based stress, comes from dealing with racial harassment, racial violence, or institutional racism ( see Instiutional Racism). Can result from major experiences of racism such as workplace discrimination or hate crimes, or it can be the result of accumulation of many small occurences, such as microaggressions.

Racism | Prejudiced thoughts and discriminatory actions based on a difference in race/ethnicity; usually by white/European descent groups against persons of color. Racism is racial prejudice plus power. It is the intentional or unintentional use of power to isolate, separate and exploit others. The use of power is based on a belief in superior origin, the identity of supposed racial characteristics. Racism confers certain privileges on and defends the dominant group, which in turn, sustains and perpetuates racism.

Rainbow Flag | The Rainbow Freedom Flag was designed in 1978 by Gilbert Baker to designate the great diversity of the LGBTIQ community. It has been recognized by the International Flag Makers Association as the official flag of the LGBTIQ civil rights movement.

Re-Fencing (Exception-Making) | A cognitive process for protecting stereotypes by explaining any evidence/example to the contrary as an isolated exception.

Religion | A system of beliefs, usually spiritual in nature, and often in terms of a formal, organized denomination.

Resilience | The ability to recover from some shock or disturbance

Safe Space | Refers to an environment in which everyone feels comfortable expressing themselves and participating fully, without fear of attack, ridicule or denial of experience.

Safer Space | A supportive, non-threatening environment that encourages open-mindedness, respect, a willingness to learn from others, as well as physical and mental safety.

Saliency | The quality of a group identity in which an individual is more conscious, and plays a larger role in that individual's day‐to‐day life; for example, a man's awareness of his "maleness" in an elevator with only women.

Scapegoating | The action of blaming an individual or group for something when, in reality, there is no one person or group responsible for the problem. It targets another person or group as responsible for problems in society because of that person's group identity.

Sex | Biological classification of male or female (based on genetic or physiological features); as opposed to gender.

Sexism | Prejudiced thoughts and discriminatory actions based on a difference in sex/gender; usually by men against women.

Sexual Orientation | One's natural preference in sexual partners; examples include homosexuality, heterosexuality, or bisexuality. Sexual orientation is not a choice, it is determined by a complex interaction of biological, genetic, and environmental factors.

Social Identity | Involves the ways in which one characterizes oneself, the affinities one has with other people, the ways one has learned to behave in stereotyped social settings, the things one values in oneself and in the world, and the norms that one recognizes or accepts governing everyday behavior.

Social Identity Development | The stages or phases that a person's group identity follows as it matures or develops.

Social Justice | A broad term for action intended to create genuine equality, fairness, and respect among peoples.

Social Oppression | This condition exists when one social group, whether knowingly or unconsciously, exploits another group for its own benefit.

Social Self-Esteem | The degree of positive/negative evaluation an individual holds about their particular situation in regard to their social identities.

Social Self-View | An individual's perception about which social identity group(s) they belong.

Stereotype | Blanket beliefs and expectations about members of certain groups that present an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment. They go beyond necessary and useful categorizations and generalizations in that they are typically negative, are based on little information and are highly generalized.

System of Oppression | Conscious and unconscious, non‐random, and organized harassment, discrimination, exploitation, discrimination, prejudice and other forms of unequal treatment that impact different groups.

Systemic Racism | Complex interactions of culture, policy, and institutions that create and maintain racial inequality in nearly every facet of life for people of color.

Tolerance | Acceptance, and open‐mindedness to different practices, attitudes, and cultures; does not necessarily mean agreement with the differences.

Token-ism | Hiring or seeking to have representation such as a few women and/or racial or ethnic minority persons so as to appear inclusive while remaining mono-cultural.

Transgender/Trans | An umbrella term for people whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. The term transgender is not indicative of gender expression, sexual orientation, hormonal makeup, physical anatomy, or how one is perceived in daily life.

Transgressive | Challenging the accepted expectations and/or rules of the appropriateness of "polite society".

Trans Misogyny | The negative attitudes, expressed through cultural hate, individual and state violence, and discrimination directed toward trans women and transfeminine people.

Transphobia | Fear or hatred of transgender people; transphobia is manifested in a number of ways, including violence, harassment, and discrimination. This phobia can exist in LGB and straight communities.

Transexual | One who identifies as a gender other than that of their biological sex.

Two Spirit | An umbrella term for a wide range of non-binary culturally recognized gender identities and expressions among Indigenous people.

A Native American term for individuals who identify both as male and female. In western culture, these individuals are identified as lesbian, gay, bi‐sexual or trans-gendered.

Unconscious Bias (Implicit Bias) | Social stereotypes about certain groups of people that individuals form outside their own conscious awareness. Everyone holds unconscious beliefs about various social and identity groups, and these biases stem from one's tendency to organize social worlds by categorizing.

Undocumented | A foreign-born person living in the United States without legal citizenship status.

Undocumented Student | School-aged immigrants who entered the United States without inspection/overstayed their visas and are present in the United States with or without their parents. They face unique legal uncertainties and limitations within the United States educational system.

Veteran Status | Whether or not an individual has served in a nation's armed forces (or other uniformed service).

Whiteness | A broad social construction that embraces the white culture, history, ideology, racialization, expressions, and economic, experiences, epistemology, and emotions and behaviors and nonetheless reaps material, political, economic, and structural benefits for those socially deemed white.

White Fragility | Discomfort and defensiveness on the part of a white person when confronted by information about racial inequality and injustice.

White Privilege | White Privilege is the spillover effect of racial prejudice and White institutional power. It means, for example, that a White person in the United States has privilege, simply because one is White. It means that as a member of the dominant group a White person has greater access or availability to resources because of being White. It means that White ways of thinking and living are seen as the norm against which all people of color are compared. Life is structured around those norms for the benefit of White people. White privilege is the ability to grow up thinking that race doesn't matter. It is not having to daily think about skin color and the questions, looks, and hurdles that need to be overcome because of one's color. White Privilege may be less recognizable to some White people because of gender, age, sexual orientation, economic class or physical or mental ability, but it remains a reality because of one's membership in the White dominant group.

White Supremacy | White supremacy is a historically based, institutionally perpetuated system of exploitation and oppression of continents, nations and individuals of color by white individuals and nations of the European continent for the purpose of maintaining and defending a system of wealth, power and privilege.

Worldview | The perspective through which individuals view the world; comprised of their history, experiences, culture, family history, and other influences.

Xenophobia | Hatred or fear of foreigners/strangers or of their politics or culture.

Additional Resources

Best Practices for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion in Marketing via MarCom

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Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Glossary of Terms

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The following is a list of carefully researched and thoughtfully discussed key social justice terms and definitions. It is by no means a comprehensive list as equity, diversity and inclusion terms are ever expanding and changing, but it is a good place to start.

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Racial Equity Tools Glossary

Words and their multiple uses reflect the tremendous diversity that characterizes our society. Indeed, universally agreed upon language on issues relating to racism is nonexistent. We discovered that even the most frequently used words in any discussion on race can easily cause confusion, which leads to controversy and hostility. It is essential to achieve some degree of shared understanding, particularly when using the most common terms. In this way, the quality of dialogue and discourse on race can be enhanced.

Language can be used deliberately to engage and support community anti-racism coalitions and initiatives, or to inflame and divide them. Discussing definitions can engage and support coalitions. However, it is important for groups to decide the extent to which they must have consensus and where it is okay for people to disagree. It is also helpful to keep in mind that the words people use to discuss power, privilege, racism and oppression hold different meanings for different people. For instance, people at different stages of developing an analysis tend to attach different meanings to words like discrimination, privilege and institutional racism. Furthermore, when people are talking about privilege or racism, the words they use often come with emotions and assumptions that are not spoken.

Many of the terms in this glossary have evolved over time. For example, given the changing demographic trends in the United States, the word "minority" no longer accurately reflects the four primary racial/ethnic groups. The terms "emerging majority" and "people of color" have become popular substitutes. Also, the terms used to refer to members of each community of color have changed over time. Whether to use the terms African American or Black, Hispanic American, Latinx or Latino, Native American or American Indian, and Pacific Islander or Asian American depends on a variety of conditions, including your intended audiences' geographic location, age, generation, and, sometimes, political orientation.

SOURCE: Project Change's "The Power of Words." Originally produced for Project Change Lessons Learned II, also included in A Community Builder's Toolkit - both produced by Project Change and The Center for Assessment and Policy Development with some modification by RacialEquityTools.org.

The main source for each definition is noted with its term below. Some definitions are paraphrased or updated. If you plan to use a couple of the terms in your materials, we encourage you to keep the SOURCE citation(s) that we have listed for them.

You can download a PDF version of this glossary . Please feel free to share the RET Glossary PDF or post a link on your site. We request that you use the following citation: Racial Equity Tools Glossary, MP Associates, Center for Assessment and Policy Development, and World Trust Educational Services, July 2022.

For guidance on evaluation terms in particular, see .

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Words and their multiple uses reflect the tremendous diversity that characterizes our society. Indeed, universally agreed upon language on issues relating to racism is nonexistent. In this way, the quality of dialogue and discourse on race can be enhanced.

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Two perspectives on “Color-Blind vs. Color-Conscious Casting in Shakespeare”

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Two perspectives on “Color-Blind vs. Color-Conscious Casting in Shakespeare”

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Del Shakes asked its two Arts Journalists-in-Residence, Christian Wills and Gail Obenreder (one BIPOC, and one white), to both share reflections on Del Shakes' October online discussion. We hope these reflections add another dimension to the conversation. You can view the original panel HERE.
COLORFUL CASTING
by Christian Wills

Everyone can enjoy a cast of colorful characters, but it's important to see how impactful color can be on and off the stage. For some, the narrative around color-blind casting has been heard time and time again, but for others, the conversation has only begun.

On the evening of October 29th, Delaware Shakespeare hosted a panel discussion focusing on "Color-Blind vs. Color-Conscious Casting in Shakespeare" with seasoned Del Shakes actors: Newton Buchanan, Bi Jean Ngo, Tai Verley, and J Hernandez. Each panelist, being a person of color, brought their fair share of knowledge and experience when it came to the subject of color-blind and color-conscious casting.
Defining Color-Blind Casting and Color-Conscious Casting
Before questions were answered, panelists defined what color-blind casting and color-conscious casting meant to them. Color-blind casting (or non-traditional casting) is the practice of casting without considering the actor's ethnicity, skin color, body shape, sex, and/or gender. Color-conscious casting, then, is the opposite of color-blind casting: taking into consideration the actor's skin color, body shape, and other characteristics.

Ngo argued that the "idea of color-blind casting" needs to be cut entirely from the language of the arts. Hernandez added that the term can be simplified to casting "without consideration." Being conscious of an actor's skin color or ethnicity should be considered when casting someone for a specific role. Ngo later stated that "unless you're actually blind, we see color;" a statement true for those with seeing eyes on and off the stage.
Conversation on Race in Shakespeare
The atmosphere around these sensitive topics were equally heavy and light in tone, as there were moments of laughter and intensity ringing throughout the call. Verley opened up on how Shakespeare plays were more open to interpretation, since the roles were more diverse and universal for actors of any color to participate in. Buchanan stated how the disconnect and imagination of these plays could set anyone of any background into any role they choose to become.

On the flipside of the coin, others can see this kind of adaptation as a threat to their own reality and social consciousness. As Ngo mentioned, some audience members would have a problem seeing a diverse cast of characters play in roles created over 400 years ago, originally made for European actors and audiences. These problems present underlying themes and "certain layers of race and racism" that are greatly embedded within American society today. For many, and as Ngo also stated, "the default is white," which leads into color-blind casting from producers. However, when we add consciousness to it, we see how everyone can have a chance in the spotlight.
Tokenism vs Diversity
During the program, the discussion of having performers that represent tokenism and performers that add diversity to a stage show came into play. To create tokenism is to bring the allusion of diversity and inclusion; this can be achieved by bringing in a minority character or group to a production to prevent criticism from others. In contrast, diversity within a production is added when the minority roles are used to add or build inclusion within a homogenized environment. These are the differences between portraying a stereotype and exemplifying culture and purpose within a role.

Hernandez had asked an important question when it came to minority groups in theatre: "How do you open up the playing field"? Ngo addressed this question in how she had observed other token roles in the past. BIPOC characters were seen as "monstrous," "goofy," or the "other" archetype while the main majority cast were all white and exhibited none of these qualities. In order to give other minority actors space to become themselves within any given role, we must allow them to give purpose, include them into our narratives, and drive them away from a false sense of diversity.

The importance of tokenism and diversity settled into the conversation more when the focus shifted on the audience. As Buchanan mentioned, "the audience comes in and brings their own experience." If an all-Black, younger audience witnesses a Black man portrayed as the "goofy" or "monstrous" individual, it'll contrast with the rest of their real-life experience. Showing to an audience of all colors that everyone matters, no matter the role they play, can significantly impact the people you want to reach, both as an actor and producer.
My Experience
As a person of color, writer, poet and host, I've seen how my actions have affected others; those that look like me and those that don't. Performing poetry for POC and white audiences gives perspective to my life and theirs as well. Some can relate to my stories because of the color of our skin. Some can understand my background because of our similar past experiences with culture or race. For the few remaining, they can see into a world that, for them, previously didn't exist before. After watching the panelists and seeing their responses, I've now entered into another world previously unknown to me, yet familiar in some way. Though their experiences with color on stage may look different from my own, I can see their colorful storytelling in a new light and respect the differences each one holds.
Conclusion
This discussion of color-conscious and color-blind casting highlighted the importance of seeing race and why we should always acknowledge it, on or off the stage. When it comes to diversity, Buchanan mentioned that, as people of color, "we can live in these characters...and play in these truths." No matter the role we play, let's remind ourselves to stay true to who we are.

Looking not with the eye, but with the mind . . .
by Gail Obenreder

As someone with a long theatre history - audience, student, costumer, actor, producer, and now a critical writer - I was especially interested to see Delaware Shakespeare convene the panel "Color-Blind vs. Color-Conscious Casting in Shakespeare." This lively hour-long discussion featured four BIPOC Del Shakes regulars with extensive regional experience as actors, producers, and directors - Newton Buchanan, J Hernandez, Bi Jean Ngo, and Tai Verley.

The group first looked at two casting theories commonly used by Shakespeare companies. The term "color-blind casting" hit the theatrical mainstream in the 1960s, before I began working in the theatre, and it was in full force as I began my career. At the time, this novel idea was something toward which theatres actively began to work. Its goals included widening the roles available to actors and encouraging "traditional" Shakespeare audiences (mostly white) to take a broader view as producers and directors introduced casting without consideration for race, sex, or age.

Color-conscious casting is a practice that is more inclusive, rangier, thoughtful - and thus it's harder to pin down and define. Verley cited a definition given by the Harvard Business School as the ability to cast a play knowing the person's ethnicity. All agreed that this encompasses more BIPOC inclusion and a more diverse onstage world, and it's now become both the term of choice and a frequent theatrical goal.

Moderator David Stradley noted that the Bard seem to lend himself more readily to this kind of flexibility and exploration than other playwrights, engendering a lively consideration of why. Verley noted that contemporary playwrights often give specific directions in the script about place and race, but Shakespeare allows more universality. Hernandez - who has worked extensively in Shakespeare - felt that (with some exceptions) many roles in the canon are interchangeable and thus more available to BIPOC actors. "Everyone is given the invitation," he said, noting that "Shakespeare is the reason why I have a career now."

As the group began to discuss how theatre can be made safer and more viable for BIPOC actors and audiences alike, the four cited situations where they observed that "color-blind" casting went wrong.

Hernandez said that as an actor who has portrayed a range of Shakespearean characters, he has seen and experienced many micro-aggressions, especially in playing Shakespearean comedy. He cited how productions of Love's Labor's Lost often make a joke of the character of Don Armado, "that fantastical Spaniard." As a Latino and someone who has played the role, he finds that particularly difficult.

Ngo cited that she's experienced how often the "token person of color" is cast in the role of "the other," made silly or the butt of a joke, or otherwise distanced.

Verley told of her experience playing Nerissa in Del Shakes' production of The Merchant of Venice, noting her initial reluctance about being cast as a Black woman serving Portia (played by a white woman). After much thought, she accepted the role, and during the production worked with Stradley (who directed it) to find a satisfying pathway exploring that dynamic. "I'm a funny person and I'm probably going to play more comic parts," she concluded, "so I'll have to always have that conversation."

Stradley then urged the panel to consider two Del Shakes Summer Festival shows that worked diligently to achieve color-conscious casting. The first was the 2018 production of Much Ado About Nothing. As the director of this production, Ngo set a goal "to fill the world with a multi-racial cast," using this comic masterpiece to explore intentional representation that reflected the world through both the actors and the designers. She felt it important to discover "who we want to bring onstage and normalize."

Among a range of Ngo's color-conscious choices was her intentional casting of Hernandez in the rangy role of Benedick, the play's charming and witty leading man. The actor was taken aback to get this role after seasons of playing back-to-back monsters and servants. "My type, my niche, is not the romantic lead in Shakespeare. Except for high school, I never got a romantic lead, and I never saw a person like me onstage."

The group also discussed Del Shakes' 2019 production of The Merry Wives of Windsor, directed by Krista Apple, which approached color-conscious work differently. In this comedy, the Pages are the family that everyone respects and aspires to imitate, and Apple wanted them to be a Black nuclear family. She cast Buchanan as the father, a role central to the narrative. The family had other unifying features than race - they all wore glasses, for instance - and Buchanan (who had come to audition for another role) reveled in playing the truth of that family unit. "These are the people where everyone went to their house to have a party," he noted, and for him, that was a rare and welcome playing experience.

Stradley's query about how these four actors decide to accept a role elicited more lively discussion. Sometimes, says Hernandez with a laugh, you take the role because "everyone has to eat," but he always analyzes what opportunities (professional or financial) it may afford him later. Ngo looks to determine that in the role - whether small or large, comic or dramatic - the character has "agency and a great story. If it's a character that perpetuates a stereotype, I'll refuse it."

Advising younger BIPOC actors about their profession, Hernandez said, "Whenever you go on stage, this is your story, and there's no getting away from that. I am always proud of my story." Verley said, "You can ask us for help. Reach out to other BIPOC actors. We're around." Buchanan advised them to remember that "you are enough. More than enough." And Ngo brought the discussion back to the Bard, saying that "whatever role you get in Shakespeare becomes whatever race you are. That language becomes yours. Fight for what you believe in the room."

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Two perspectives on "Color-Blind vs. Color-Conscious Casting in Shakespeare"

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Del Shakes asked its two Arts Journalists-in-Residence, Christian Wills and Gail Obenreder (one BIPOC, and one white), to both share reflections on Del Shakes' October online discussion. We hope these reflections add another dimension to the conversation. You can view the original panel HERE.

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ACTORS’ EQUITY RELEASES FIRST-EVER DIVERSITY STUDY SHOWING DISPARITIES IN HIRING IN THE THEATRE INDUSTRY

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ACTORS’ EQUITY RELEASES FIRST-EVER DIVERSITY STUDY SHOWING DISPARITIES IN HIRING IN THE THEATRE INDUSTRY

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Study of anonymous member data shows members of color face fewer work opportunities and lower average salaries

Actors' Equity, the national labor union representing professional actors and stage managers, released a groundbreaking new diversity study of employment on two of its major contracts. The study, which examined the casts of new productions that opened between 2013 to 2015, shows that women and members of color have fewer work opportunities and often draw lower salaries when they do find work.

"This study came about because our Council made diversity and inclusion a priority and our staff spent months working on the data," said Executive Director Mary McColl. "With this study, we can take an empirical look at hiring biases in our industry. Women and members of color have fewer work opportunities, and when they do get hired, they often are hired on lower-paying contracts. Equity has fought for diversity and inclusion at the bargaining table for years. What we learned with this study is that we won't negotiate our way out of this problem. We need an industry-wide conversation about how we can change the stage."

Notably, the study covers the casts of the Broadway and Production Tours as well as the Off-Broadway contracts, where Equity members make up the entire cast. Equity is the only organization that has the comprehensive member data to create such a study.

Diversity and inclusion challenges are apparent on both the Broadway and Production Tours and Off-Broadway contracts. Women of color who do find work almost always draw lower average contractual salaries. For example, Off-Broadway, women of color reported earning 16 percent less than the average in the principal in a musical contracts.

Diversity and inclusion is a problem not just on the stage, but also in the wings. While women make up a majority of stage managers Off-Broadway, that doesn't tell the full story. Female stage managers on an Off-Broadway contract reported lower salaries than men.

What's more, there are very few opportunities for members of color - across the three year study period, there were only 38 positions offered to stage managers of color in both Broadway and Production Tours and Off-Broadway. As stage managers, women of color earned 6 percent less than the Broadway and Production Tours contractual salary average and 12 percent less Off Broadway.

Key Points on Hiring Bias in the Broadway and Production Tours Contracts

Women are underrepresented in principal in a play (women make up only 35 percent of contracts), principal in a musical (42 percent of contracts) and stage manager (37 percent of contracts). Meanwhile, women who do find work are drawing lower salaries in both principal in a musical and chorus contracts.

Caucasians make up a majority of all onstage contracts - principal in a play (65 percent of contracts ) principal in a musical (66 percent of contracts ) and chorus (57 percent of contracts). Caucasians are generally hired with higher contractual salaries. African-American members reported salaries 10 percent lower than the average in principal in a play roles, for example.

A stunning 77 percent of stage manager contracts on the Broadway and Production Tours went to Caucasians - over three years there were only six (6) contracts given to African American members, for example.
To view the full dataset for the Broadway and Production Tours, click here.
Key Points on Hiring Bias in the Off-Broadway Contract

Off-Broadway, women are underrepresented when it comes to principal in a play (39 percent of contracts). Meanwhile, men are hired with higher contractual salaries than women in principal in a musical, chorus and stage manager contracts.

Caucasians are generally hired with higher contractual salaries. African-American members reported earning 16 percent less in principal in a musical roles, for example.

With 83 percent of stage manager contracts going to Caucasians, there are very few opportunities for stage managers of color. There were only five (5) Off-Broadway contracts given to African American members over three years.
To view the full dataset for the Off-Broadway contract, click here.
The study comes after Actors' Equity announced a commitment to hire the organization's first ever diversity director. Last year, Equity's National Council committed to taking a leadership role on diversity and inclusion and committed to working with the entire industry to help build forward-looking strategies - both within the organization and in the broader community -- to help change the stage.

Methodology

The study examined anonymous data of members in two contracts - the Broadway and Production Tours Contract and Off-Broadway Contract. Because these casts are all Equity members, it allows for a more comprehensive look at diversity and inclusion.

The study included the opening night casts of shows which opened between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2015. Shows running during the study period but which opened prior to the study, such as Phantom of the Opera, were excluded.

Member data was based on how members chose to self-identify their gender, race and ethnicity. Members earning $10,000/week overscale were excluded.

Both the Broadway and Production Tours Contracts and the Off-Broadway Contracts in this study include multiple tiers of minimum salaries. The Off-Broadway data does not include ANTC employment, which was separately negotiated until 2016.

READ MORE: Looking at Hiring Biases By The Numbers from the Spring, 2017 issue of Equity News

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Actors' Equity Releases First-Ever Diversity Study

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Actors' Equity, the national labor union representing professional actors and stage managers, released a groundbreaking new diversity study of employment on two of its major contracts. The study, which examined the casts of new productions that opened between 2013 to 2015, shows that women and members of color have fewer work opportunities and often draw lower salaries when they do find work.

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ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION RELEASES SECOND-EVER DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION REPORT

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ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION RELEASES SECOND-EVER DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION REPORT

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New York-- Actors' Equity Association, the national labor union representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers in live theatre, has released the union's second-ever diversity and inclusion report, tracking the demographics of how its members are hired for acting and stage management work, and how much they were paid from the years 2016-2019.

"Moving forward, Equity intends to publish a diversity report on an annual basis to hold ourselves and the entire industry accountable," said Mary McColl, executive director of Actors' Equity Association. "It is our duty to be part of the solution, to work to tear down barriers and rebuild a structure that is truly inclusive."

In short, there has been modest improvement since the 2017 study -- meaning that there has been more equitable distribution of contracts and earnings -- but most improvements have been extremely gradual, inconsistent and not enough to change longtime problems in the industry.

The study also found that - once again - hiring bias is not just a problem of who gets a contract, but how much they are paid. As in the previous study, when workers from marginalized groups actually do earn a contract, they are often paid less than their white male counterparts because white men more frequently are able to receive additional overscale pay beyond the contractual minimum salary. Additional highlights from the report:

Contracts going to people of color increased from 15.3% in the prior study to 23.3% in the current study. Contracts to Black members represent 45.7% of that increase. That change however, does not necessarily reflect improvement across the industry. For example, among Production Contracts used on Broadway and some tours, much of the increased representation of people of color can be attributed to multiple productions of Hamilton alone. Importantly, what little change has occurred since 2015 still falls short of reflecting our nation. The 2010 American Community Survey reported 39.6% of Americans identified as people of color, for example.

Contracts going to women increased from 43.5% of all contracts to 44.9% in the current study. A pay gap remains between genders because men are able to receive more overscale (payments above minimum requirements). Not only do women earn less than men, but trans, non-binary or gender-nonconforming members usually earn less than their cisgender peers in the same job categories on any given contract type.

Barely 1% of contracts issued from 2016-2019 were to members who report living with a disability. This number is surely higher in reality. Nationally, roughly one in four Americans are living with a disability. Furthermore, people with disabilities tend to earn less than their non-disabled counterparts.

There has been a decrease in the percentage of contracts going to members over 65 years of age since 2013-2015. In addition, contracts issued to members of color skewed younger compared to white members, who were most likely to be issued contracts beyond age 65. Nationally, 73.8% of all contracts for members 65 years old and older went to white members.

This report structure is more expansive and inclusive than the previous version, published in 2017 based on contractual data from the 2013 to 2015 theatrical seasons. It has added data about sexual orientation and gender identity. It has more data about hiring of disabled members and includes information on veteran status and age as well.
The full report is available to read here.
A supplemental report will be released later this year breaking down the data by major theatrical markets.

ACTORS' EQUITY ASSOCIATION, founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers. Equity endeavors to advance the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits (health and pension included). Member: AFL-CIO, FIA. www.actorsequity.org #EquityWorks

November 18, 2020

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Actors' Equity Association Releases Second-Ever Diversity and Inclusion Report

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New York-- Actors' Equity Association, the national labor union representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers in live theatre, has released the union's second-ever diversity and inclusion report, tracking the demographics of how its members are hired for acting and stage management work, and how much they were paid from the years 2016-2019.

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"Theatre Is A Mirror" - Reflecting on Diversity in Performing Arts

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"Theatre Is A Mirror" - Reflecting on Diversity in Performing Arts

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A lot of change has been going on at Waukesha Civic Theatre as new Managing Artistic Director Rhonda Schmidt dives into her first season with the organization. Those changes include the founding of the Diversity and Inclusive Practices Committee - a group of volunteers dedicated to helping Waukesha Civic Theatre become more inclusive and reach a more diverse audience. We sat down with Peter Kao, one of the members of the committee, to learn more about this impressive, important endeavor.

Why is diversity needed, specifically in the theater?

Playwright Yasmina Reza, author of God of Carnage, once stated, "Theatre is a mirror, a sharp reflection of society. The greatest playwrights are moralists."

If the theatre is a mirror, then the theatre does not reflect the world in which we actually live. When I speak of diversity in the theatre, I do not only mean ethnic diversity. I also include diversity of gender, sexual orientation, and different abilities. According to production.pro's "Broadway by the Numbers", the 2018-19 Broadway season saw the following statistics:

61% of named characters were identified as male
32% of named characters were identified as female

Behind the scenes, 87% of directors, 76% of choreographers, and 85% of writers were male.

7 shows employed zero women in any of the following production roles: director, choreographer, writer, set designer, costume designer, lighting designer, sound designer, hair designer, or makeup designer.

A 2018 article in the New York Times by Andrew R. Chow showed that in the 2015-16 Broadway season, 35% of all available acting roles on Broadway were played by actors representing ethnic minorities.
In non-musical plays, the percentage of roles played by actors of color dropped to 16%. Actors' Equity found that between the 2013-2015 seasons, women and people of color received fewer jobs and lower salaries than their white, male counterparts.

This past season, Rachel Chavkin was the only woman credited with directing a musical on Broadway and was only the fourth in 73 years to win the Tony for Best Direction of a Musical. (The first being Julie Taymor in 1998 for The Lion King.) Also in this past 2018-19 season, Ali Stoker won a Tony, the first person in a wheelchair to win the award for an acting role. In 2014, Norm Lewis became the first black actor to play the title role in The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway in its then-28 year history. The first Asian-American to win a Tony for Leading Actress in a Musical was Ruthie Ann Miles in 2015 for The King and I. Also that year, Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron won for Best Score and Best Book, becoming the first all-female writing team to win that award. It is 2019. Many of these "firsts" are only within the past five years. We have a lot of "firsts" that have yet to be achieved by women and people of color in the theatre.

So how does this affect the local community theater?
I may not be on Broadway, but I am a local actor who has appeared in productions in many local theatres including Waukesha Civic Theatre, Sunset Playhouse, Off the Wall, and Soulstice Theatre.

I often joke that I have an Asian actor's resume. On my resume, I have Miss Saigon (Ensemble), The King and I (Interpreter), Thoroughly Modern Millie - twice, once as Bun Foo and once as Ching Ho, and Anything Goes (Ching).

Unfortunately for actors of color, many times, local productions will emulate what was produced on Broadway. There is no reason why an Asian-American actress couldn't play the role Diana in Next to Normal or an African-American man play one of the Princes in Into the Woods. Yet, such castings are rare, especially for community theatres. The issue isn't always lack of talent or skill. So why aren't they getting the job? As a theatre community, both locally and industry-wide, we need to find out.

Until we tell stories portrayed by a variety of people, written by people from a multitude of backgrounds, we are missing what drew many of us to the theatre in the first place: telling stories and getting to explore and learn about all of humanity while doing so. The theatre is the perfect place to stretch the imaginations and boundaries of the real world.

How did the Diversity and Inclusive Practices Committee start at Waukesha Civic Theatre? How did you get involved?
In 2012, I was asked by then-Managing Artistic Director, John Cramer, to join the Board of Directors. At the time, I was not in a position in my personal or professional life to make such a commitment. The opportunity came around again just before the start of the 2017-18 season and I jumped at the chance.

I joined the Board of Directors because I wanted to make a change in the theatre community. The idea for the Diversity and Inclusive Practices Committee came from that desire for change, particular as an Asian actor. That change had already been started on Broadway with 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons bringing people of color to the Great White Way in shows like A Raisin in the Sun, Aladdin, The King and I, Eclipsed, The Color Purple, Shuffle Along, On Your Feet, The Gin Game, and Allegiance. Additionally, 2015 saw the critically acclaimed revival Spring Awakening, bring Deaf and hearing actors sharing the stage.

When Hamilton exploded onto the scene, there was an electricity buzzing throughout the whole theatre community, but especially for actors of color. I remember thinking, "Finally, a show where someone who looks like me can show off his acting chops without having to be in that 'ethnic show' or play the token character of color in a supporting comedic role."

Riding the excitement and momentum of Hamilton, I began to examine what I could do to incite change at the local community theatres. Thus, the Diversity and Inclusive Practices Committee was born.

What is a Sensory-Friendly Performance and why did you choose it as a focus for one first projects of the committee?
A Sensory-Friendly Performance is a performance that has been modified and designed with the needs of children and adults with sensory sensitivities in mind. Such modifications include reducing sound and/or light levels, changing staging to reduce loud noises or situations that may be perceived as dangerous, or making alternate acting choices that reduce the intensity of a scene without losing the integrity of the storytelling. Many people associate sensory sensitivities with autism, but there are other reasons why some might experience sensory needs including cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, or PTSD.

By day, I work as a speech-language pathologist with Milwaukee Public Schools. I saw the effect theatre can have on our children when one of my students from a field trip to a see a Sensory-Friendly Performance at First Stage, Spookley the Square Pumpkin. This student only spoke a few words but couldn't wait to act out the story he had seen using the stuffed animal toys in the classroom. I was immediately inspired and wanted to bring that same excitement and experience to the patrons at Waukesha Civic Theatre. I am proud that Waukesha Civic Theatre is at the forefront of this movement as one of the few theatres in the area offering Sensory-Friendly Performances to visitors from across Southeastern Wisconsin.

What's next for the Diversity and Inclusive Practices Committee at Waukesha Civic Theatre?
Waukesha Civic Theatre is already making plans to increase diversity at all levels of the theater, including highlighting some fantastic plays written by female playwrights and/or playwrights of color for the 2020-21 season. We are also working on increasing the number of roles and types of roles available to actors of color and actors in the LGBTQ community. Things won't change overnight, but we are working toward becoming a more diverse and inclusive place where everyone can experience the magic of theatre!

Waukesha Civic Theatre kicks off their season with The Little Prince - which will feature their first Sensory-Friendly Performance on Sunday, September 22nd. Learn more here!

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"Theatre Is A Mirror" - Reflecting on Diversity in Performing Arts

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A lot of change has been going on at Waukesha Civic Theatre as new Managing Artistic Director Rhonda Schmidt dives into her first season with the organization. Those changes include the founding of the Diversity and Inclusive Practices Committee - a group of volunteers dedicated to helping Waukesha Civic Theatre become more inclusive and reach a more diverse audience.

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You’ve Got to Be Taught: Cultural Competency in Theatre Training

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You’ve Got to Be Taught: Cultural Competency in Theatre Training

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One sign of a shift in traditionally Eurocentric theatre training practices: ‘Black Acting Methods’ was the best-selling theatre book this past summer

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The convergence of the pandemic of COVID-19 and the resurgent Black Lives Matter movement has theatre training programs expanding their learning methods this semester -and overhauling their curricula. As COVID caseloads rise and presidential election looms, teachers are tasked with the education and care of students, mostly through a screen.

The 30-page We See You, White American Theatre document released in July pointed to actionable items for theatre pedagogy to meet the moment with an outline of protections for students who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), including a call for change in the texts and tools used in the classroom. Anti-racism work in theatre- particularly in training -is hardly new, but 2020 has become an inflection point for decentering whiteness and transforming programs to full cultural competency.

To cite on data point: The 2016 book Black Acting Methods: Critical Approaches, by Sharrell D. Luckett and Tia M. Shaffer, was the best-selling theatre text this summer on Amazon, bumping such mainstays as Uta Hagen and Stanislavski from the top slots. While many schools recognize that this moment calls for studying and producing texts by BIPOC theatre artists, Black Acting Methods does more than bench Shakespeare and Chekhov for a season. The book features contributions from directors, scholars, and acting practitioners of color about approaches to performance through an Afrocentric lens.

"Acting theory suffers from what most curricula in the U.S. and even in the world suffers from, which is white supremacy and colonialism," says Luckett, an assistant theatre professor at the University of Cincinnati. "Most of the 'greats' are dead white men." But not all of the greats, she's quick to point out. Indeed, Luckett stands on the shoulders of many theatre practitioners of color who have folded mental health and well-being into their approach to performance . Barbara Ann Teer's "Technology of the Soul" and Freddie Hendricks's method are a few inspirations. Black Acting Methods: Critical Approaches, though, is the only literary resource that brings this work into the 21st century, Luckett notes.

Luckett was inspired to research and co-write Black Acting Methods because it was research she herself needed to complete her doctorate degree. Moreover, her former high school students wanted more information about the methods she used in the classroom. "There was no book to give them," she concedes. "I always knew that theatre began in Africa, and so this made me wonder: Where's all of that knowledge? It's been hidden, especially in the U.S., because of racism."

The book led to the opening of the Black Acting Methods Studio in 2017, which offers training in Luckett's method, coined the Luckett Paradigm. The approach pulls the life experiences of students of color out of the periphery and places it into the center of acting work, and the studio features a licensed in-house clinical psychologist to support that work. T his Afrocentric practice can be distilled with the acronym B.L.A.C.K.: building, love, accountability, checking, and knowledge.

"When you come into a room where we're doing the Luckett Paradigm, you're going to see building-building conversation, love, self-esteem, self-worth, self-actualization, self-confidence, community, and a constant building of knowledge," says Luckett.

The emotional palette required of any student actor is taxing, especially for students of color. The Luckett Paradigm lays the groundwork for digging into feelings before parsing through texts and building characters. "Helping the Black actor find their voice is one of the most important things you can do when you're training Black actor," explains Luckett. "It's not about voice work, it's not about literal physical work, it's not about character analysis-it is about building the Black actor's core sense of self. Once you have that foundation, you can do anything."

This approach isn't just for Black students, Luckett is quick to point out. The methodology has benefits for all students. In the time of COVID, the Black Acting Methods Studio teachers have been offering online workshops, training sessions, and residencies at university theatre programs. Some upcoming virtual events for the public include a panel about the book with Luckett, David Roman, and Isaih M. Wooden on Oct. 20; a special event with Tarell Alvin McCraney and Jonathan Mathias Lassiter, Ph.D., on Oct. 21; and a session on acting and directing featuring a conversation with Phylicia Rashad, Alana Arenas, and Tina Landau.

"People can take these online courses so they can start feeling really confident about teaching Black Acting Methods in class, about teaching culturally diverse students, training with us continually, and developing that muscle to do that kind of work," says Luckett. "We all have to develop that muscle. People of color and Black people-we've had that muscle our entire lives, you know?"

The current groundswell of anti-racism work at theatre institutions and educational programs is reassuring, though some practitioners who've long been working to decolonize theatre pedagogy are leery of a field-wide game of catch-up.

"When people say, 'Oh well things are changing, or "There's movement happening'-well, great, but we're 100 years late," says Kaja Dunn, assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte's Department of Theatre. "The one thing I'm weary of in the world of theatre and in academia is there's a rush to commodify what marginalized people have cultivated, which are these really holistic practices."

Dunn, who recently co-penned a And research article on training students of color with Luckett, encourages prospective students to vet schools beyond the statements of equity, diversity, and inclusion featured on website and brochures. "It's easy to say that you are in solidarity with a community, but solidarity requires sacrifice," she points out. ( current students at programs across the country have been quick to flag institutions that only paying lip service in the wake of the death of George Floyd and other Black people at the hands of police.)

Dunn recommends that parents and students look beyond the curricula and examine the list of faculty, directors, and casts of school shows. She tells her students considering graduate programs to look the school representatives in the eye at interviews and ask how the school uses a culturally competent curriculum and practice in their training program-a surefire way to suss out institutions. "If they stutter or double blink, you move on," she advises. Furthermore, she encourages prospective students to reach out to BIPOC alum to ask about their experiences.

Most importantly, the work of dismantling racism in educational settings must be a priority from the top, and not be put onto BIPOC students to carry out, she says. "We cannot continue to let generations of Black artists, Latinx artists, Asian American artists, and other BIPOC artists become fodder and experimentation while white faculty try to figure it out," she insists, noting that BIPOC faculty often take on the added role of side mentoring BIPOC students.

In her own work, Dunn offers students what was missing from her own theatre training : a BIPOC and female lens on the work. Her syllabi includes two important points: teaching students how to say no to things that make them uncomfortable, and teaching students to recognize autonomy and stand up for themselves in a casting room. These pillars of Dunn's work as a teacher fold into her work with the Theatrical Intimacy Education Institute, a consulting group that educates best practices for staging intimacy. Consent is particularly important for BIPOC students working with white directors.

Dunn and Luckett are part of a field-wide network of BIPOC educators working together across the country to better support their respective students. "We're not reinventing the wheel," says Dunn. "There's a lot of HBCUs [historically Black colleges and universities] that have done the fundamental work." Other educational institutions and theatre organizations pushing the needle forward include the CRAFT Institute, the American Alliance for Theatre & Education's Leaders of Color Institute, Black Arts Institute, Conscientious Theatre Training, and Second Generation Productions, among many others.

Dunn is hopeful that this current moment will move theatre pedagogy in the right direction. "I'm devastated for my community because of the coronavirus pandemic, but I'm also really excited for the innovation and the change that it's opening up," says Dunn. "A lot of Black theatres were first on the ground, and a lot of marginalized groups within the BIPOC community were first on the ground to innovate because we're used to having to work around structures that weren't built for us. So it's been heartening to watch that, and then to talk about it with different organizations about what that means."

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You've Got to Be Taught: Cultural Competency in Theatre Training

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The convergence of the pandemic of COVID-19 and the resurgent Black Lives Matter movement has theatre training programs expanding their learning methods this semester -and overhauling their curricula. As COVID caseloads rise and presidential election looms, teachers are tasked with the education and care of students, mostly through a screen.

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How Actors With Disabilities Are Educating Casting Directors

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How Actors With Disabilities Are Educating Casting Directors

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Opportunity, understanding and visibility are at the core of the conversation that is changing the dynamic between casting directors and actors with disabilities.

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Special Features How Actors With Disabilities Are Educating Casting Directors

Opportunity, understanding and visibility are at the core of the conversation that is changing the dynamic between casting directors and actors with disabilities.

Imagine this: You're an actor with a disability who is going in for an audition with casting directors who have never met you. You're afraid to let anyone know that you need special accommodations for fear of hurting relationships. At the same time, without those accommodations you might not be able to audition at all. What do you do?

"You absolutely [say something]," says Rosalie Joseph, casting director, founder of Rosalie Joseph Casting and member of the Casting Society of America's (CSA) committee for diversity. "Actors have to advocate for themselves just as we should be advocating for them. Many times we don't know these actors and we just call them in based on their résumé or a picture."

Joseph, along with many other casting directors and associates affiliated with CSA, has partnered with the Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts, a group that advocates for performers with disabilities, in order to present a series of conversations on accessibility and inclusion in the entertainment industry.

The conversation began in September 2015 with a town hall meeting, during which members of the casting community invited performers with disabilities to share in a discussion on how the entertainment industry can better serve them. CSA and the Alliance later presented a seminar on the "Business of the Business," which taught the basic business skills necessary to be a performer. The initiative continued with a day of audition workshops on March 19th.

The sessions, which focused on auditioning techniques for both camera and stage work, aimed to educate members of the casting community and actors with disabilities on how they can work together to make the audition process flow as smoothly as possible.

For some performers, such as John McGinty, who happens to be Deaf, the day provided key feedback on the importance of facial expressions when auditioning on camera and how to dress for a callback. McGinty feels that the workshop he took part in also allowed for the teachers to become students. "At the very end it wasn't just the actors...I felt that the casting directors - we were all students together," he says. "I learned something and they also learned something from us. It created a great conversational exchange."

Stephanie Klapper and Karyn Casl, both casting directors of Stephanie Klapper Casting and Telsey + Company, respectively, explained that knowing how to accommodate actors ahead of time is the first step in making sure that auditions are successful. Klapper remembers an actress with a vision disability who needed her audition side in a format that would allow text enlargement. But, the actress did not mention this and Klapper sent a PDF. "We've had a lot of conversations about how important communication is in this endeavor in terms of an actor being very front-footed about what they need from us, and not being afraid to do that," says Casl. "Developing that open line of communication is going to help us move things forward and bring potentially successful performers into the room."

Open communication can also help to break down fears, according to Mary Theresa Archbold, an actress who tours with her one-woman show Jazz Hand: Tales of a One-Armed Woman. "A workshop like this stops the fear on both sides - our fear and their fear that we won't be able to communicate. It gives us a chance to show them how easy it is to bring us in for auditions."

Alexandria Wailes, an actress who was recently seen on Broadway as Marlee Matlin's replacement in Deaf West's Spring Awakening (she was also the associate choreographer), believes that the workshops were helpful in teaching her how to be "authentic and honest." She explained that there is an expectation from directors for actors who are Deaf to fit the mold of actors who are hearing in terms of using minimal facial expression. However, sign language is four-dimensional. "Facial expression is a part of the language. There's a lot of information that is shared on the face," she says. Wailes was happy to discover that she did not need to imitate hearing actors and that "as long as the information is present [the casting directors] will read it."

Wailes found the workshops helpful in teaching her how to audition with scene partners who are signers and scene partners who are not. Still, she wants to take the next step and find resources to practice and hone her skills.

Next steps, like these, are part of CSA and the Alliance's partnership. CSA does not consider performers the "flavor of the month." They will continue to host workshops and conversations that will further the initiative.

David Harrell, Inclusion's programming associate and disability advocate, is also a performer with a disability. He argues the next step towards true inclusion is casting what is written. If a character is a written with a disability, then the actor playing that role should share that experience-though also not limiting performers to only those roles. While this idea may seem simple, many workshop attendees feel they are brought in to audition rooms as second thoughts.

"If we're not allowed to play ourselves, then what else are we going to play?" asks Harrell. "If we start playing ourselves, as well as beginning to see ourselves in nondescript roles, that's going to help. That's going to remind you, 'If I'm going to write this character, I bet there are actors who have this experience who could play this role.' That brings authenticity to stories, and it works to help bring actors in to play nondescript roles as well."

Ali Stroker, who recently made history as the first actress who uses a wheelchair to perform in a Broadway production, exemplifies this. Stroker appeared in Spring Awakening as Anna, a character who is not specified as using a wheelchair. At the same time, Anna's character arc did not become about her physicality.

Brennan Srisirikul, an actor who also uses a wheelchair, feels conflicted when he sees actors without disabilities playing characters with disabilities, such as Kevin McHale's portrayal of Artie in Glee. "Yes, we're grateful that it makes people think about [disabilities]," he says. "But, at the same time, our community is craving authentic representation."

Actress Melissa Jennifer Gonzalez agrees. "What better way to tell stories than from the people who have lived through those struggles? [Actors] may do the research, but they've never felt our pain and the hard work we put into our every day lives."

Participants on both sides of the conversation say that, while there are further steps to be taken, they are excited for conversations and learning experiences to come.

Sommer Carbuccia, a performer who is an amputee, is proud of the work that CSA and Inclusion are doing to "bridge the gap" between casting directors and performers with disabilities. "Casting directors are on our side - they've told us many times, but if they don't know we're out there, they won't know to call us in," he says. "This kind of workshop is a step in the right direction."
Visit InclusionInTheArts.org for more information on Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts, or CastingSociety.com for more information on the Casting Society of America. Joe Gambino is a writer, illustrator, and performer who still has not won the Hamilton lottery. Follow him on Twitter @_joegambino_.

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How Actors With Disabilities Are Educating Casting Directors | Playbill

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Special Features How Actors With Disabilities Are Educating Casting Directors Opportunity, understanding and visibility are at the core of the conversation that is changing the dynamic between casting directors and actors with disabilities. Imagine this: You're an actor with a disability who is going in for an audition with casting directors who have never met you.

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Diversity Toolkit: A Guide to Discussing Identity, Power and Privilege

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Diversity Toolkit: A Guide to Discussing Identity, Power and Privilege

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Introduction What Is Social Justice? Communal Agreements Icebreaker: Respect Activity Activities: Introducing Identity: "My Fullest Name" Understanding Privilege and Systems of Power: "Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack" Gender and Sexuality Workshop: Creating Gender-Free Nouns Race and Ethnicity: Diversity Profile Intersection Identity and Privilege: Crossing the Line Recap and Closing Activity Closing and Recommended Resources
Introduction

This toolkit is meant for anyone who feels there is a lack of productive discourse around issues of diversity and the role of identity in social relationships, both on a micro (individual) and macro (communal) level. Perhaps you are a teacher, youth group facilitator, student affairs personnel or manage a team that works with an underserved population. Training of this kind can provide historical context about the politics of identity and the dynamics of power and privilege or help build greater self-awareness.

The following activities are intended for groups of 10 to 60 people. For larger groups, you can break into multiple sessions with additional facilitators to ensure the conversations and activities remain focused. The diversity toolkit outlined here may be used as a guideline and can be modified to better fit your group's unique needs.

A note on facilitators: Facilitators should be well versed in the topics and themes we will be discussing, but they do not need to be experts. This workshop is organized as a popular education activity where the majority of the outcomes are learned from the experiences and knowledge of the individuals participating rather than a teacher/student relationship.

Facilitator Sensitivity

Facilitators will be experiencing and addressing the feelings that come with confronting participants' notions of identity, privilege, race and sexuality. Some participants may be required to attend this workshop (through work or school, etc.), so facilitators should be clear that participants are there because these are issues that affect everyone and that there will not be personal judgment of anyone's feelings about a particular issue. Facilitators should remind participants that:

Facilitators should emphasize that what is shared during the workshop is private and confidential. Participants can talk about how the workshop affected them personally and what they learned generally, but they should respect the privacy of the personal information of the other participants.

What Is Social Justice? Setting a Stage for Discussion

Before beginning, it's important that everyone have a basic understanding of two core concepts related to privilege and identity. This will allow everyone to start the conversations on the same page and ensure that the participants have a foundation upon which to build future knowledge.

The first core concept is culture, which is:

The second core concept is identity, which is:

Everyone Has Many Identities

Age, gender, religious or spiritual affiliation, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status are all identities. Some identities are things people can see easily (like race or assumed gender), while other identities are internalized and are not always easy to see (like a disability, socioeconomic status or education level). There are two types of identities that need to be defined in order to spark a discussion on social justice. The first type deals with identities that are part of a majority status - or "agent" - while the second includes identities that are part of the minority status - or "target."

Agent: Members of dominant social groups privileged by birth or acquisition who knowingly or unknowingly exploit and reap unfair advantage over members of the target groups.

Target: Members of social identity groups who are discriminated against, marginalized, disenfranchised, oppressed, exploited by an oppressor and oppressor's system of institutions without identity apart from the target group, and compartmentalized in defined roles.

After participants understand the difference between agent and target groups, the facilitator can begin a discussion on oppression. The key features of oppression are:

But remember:

When the facilitator talks about these concepts with the group, it is helpful to start with an understanding that everyone experienced being a target or agent at some point in their lives. This helps create a dialogue of understanding. This is not to say that some target statuses are more salient (for example, people can see I am a woman, or a Black woman, before they even speak with me) and others may be easier to conceal (for example, if I am lesbian). But each creates a burden on the individual and each has its own set of challenges to overcome.

Communal Agreements

Before initiating any activity, it is critical that the group builds communal agreements. Rather than naming these "rules" that are then placed upon the group, we will call these "agreements" because these are the guidelines built by the group that all members agree to follow during the course of the workshop. Once an agreement has been put forward, the facilitator should then ask for a definition of what that agreement means to ensure that there is a communal language. Below are several suggested agreements.

Icebreaker: Respect Activity

Source: Critical Multicultural Pavilion

Ask participants to find someone in the room they don't know and make an introduction. Talk for five to 10 minutes about respect. What does it mean to you to "show respect?" How do you show respect to others? After the allotted time, ask all participants to sit and open the discussion. How did people define respect? What were some of the core concepts discussed?

Common responses will likely include:

All responses are worthy of reflection in terms of their cultural and hegemonic influences. Ask participants where their ideas of respect come from and whom they are meant to protect. If the group raises any of the common responses above, challenge them to answer the following questions:

The point of the discussion is to reflect critically on assumptions and socializations regarding respect. The point is not to agree and to learn from each other's differences.

This activity helps to establish a basis of respect within the group, helping the participants take the first steps toward creating and maintaining a constructive discussion of social justice and equity. At the very least, participants meet someone new and exchange ideas with that person. The group also gets its first look at the similarities and differences between participants, potentially in ways that reflect privilege and power.

Activity One: Introduction Identity

Definition
Everyone has a personal and social identity. Personal identities include an individual's name, unique characteristics, history, personality and other traits that make one different from others. Social identity includes affinities one has with other people, values and norms that one accepts, and the ways one has learned to behave in social settings.

Objective
The following activity is particularly useful when working with participants who don't know one another very well. The goal of this activity is to warm up participants to sharing about themselves and start revealing a bit about each participant's background.

Materials
Markers and 8-by-10-inch sheets of paper folded horizontally.

Instructions
Write out your fullest name and tell your story. On the back of the piece of paper write the top three identities you feel closest to. The facilitator encourages participants to go around the circle to share any meanings, significance, culture, significant ancestors and the top three identities they hold dearest. Everyone will have a chance to share and be heard by the group.

Suggested questions if participants need help getting started:

Facilitators should encourage students to be creative. Make it clear that it is acceptable to write poetry, list adjectives that describe them, include humor, etc.

If your group is large, break into diverse small groups of five or six to make sure everyone has an opportunity to share their story. Ask for volunteers to get the group started and tell participants they can share their stories from memory, or read them.
Facilitator Notes

Discussion
When everyone has shared, ask participants how it felt to share their stories. Why is this activity important? What did you learn?

Activity Two: Understanding Privilege and Systems of Power

Activity
"Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack"

Objective
The objective of this activity is to confront entrenched systems of power and privilege, and identify common situations when privilege is not acknowledged, to the detriment of the disadvantaged and oppressed.

Discussion
What is privilege? We all have privileges. What are yours? Were you surprised by any of the privileges you found in your invisible knapsack?

Activity Three: Gender and Sexuality

Group Definition
Have the group describe what they believe to be the definition of the terms "gender" and "sexuality."

Objective
The objective of this activity is to reconsider male-gendered nouns that we consider "generic." Generating gender-free nouns and pronouns will help participants incorporate more inclusive language in their daily speech and writing.

Instructions
Break participants into small groups and give them a printout of the chart below. Instruct participants to convert the suffixes of the nouns into gender-free, inclusive terms by changing the noun root word or substituting a non-gender-specific root word from another language. Tell participants that since male endings are so pervasive, it is OK to invent new words by replacing the endings of existing words with something non-gendered.

Discussion Questions
The facilitator should ask the following questions of the group while also encouraging them to share personal experiences that speak to their point. What are characteristics of what society believes a [woman/man/girl/boy] should be? What are the norms for appearance/behavior? What happens when someone falls outside of this norm? How do the words we use influence the way we think about certain professions?

Activity Four: Race and Ethnicity

Definition
Race is a social construction that has real consequences and effects. Race is colloquially used to refer to a person's skin color, religion or area of origin (e.g., Black, Jewish or African). Technically, however, race is based on national origin, sociocultural groups and self-identification. The U.S. government, including the Census Bureau and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, does not attempt to identify race according to biology, anthropology or genetics. Religious belief is not considered a race, but can be a factor in identifying one's sociocultural group. (For a full explanation of how each racial category is defined, refer to the U.S. Census About Race page). In a historical context, race has played a large part in how our society has evolved, and it shapes the way we see others and how we experience our lives. (For more on race from a historical perspective, read " A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America," by Ronald Takaki.)

Objective
The objective of this activity is to help participants take stock of the multicultural diversity in their lives. It should help participants get a clear image of how diverse or homogenous their surroundings are and identify ways to improve their exposure to multiculturalism on a daily basis.

Instructions
Fill in the appropriate boxes:

Activity Five: Intersectional Identity and Privilege

Activity
Crossing The Line

Objective
The purpose of this activity is to explore the diversity among the members of our community. How a person identifies can affect many facets of his or her life. We will use this activity to get to know one another on a deeper level. What are our values, backgrounds, and visible and invisible labels? This activity requires everyone to step outside of his or her comfort zone. Participants being vulnerable can help the group learn more about the identities they do not share.

Instructions
Have all participants line up in a straight line facing the facilitator. If the room is too small to have each participant standing shoulder to shoulder, an alternative is to have the group stand in a circle and step into the circle. The facilitator should explain that they will read a statement. If the statement describes you, then silently step across the line. Everyone should quietly notice who stepped across the line and who did not. After a moment, the facilitator will thank those who stepped forward and will then have everyone step back in line.

Discussion
Activity Six: Recap and Closing Activity

This toolkit was designed to address human issues that everyone faces and help participants recognize how they can better understand and work toward solving, or at least improving, these issues. Participants were often forced to confront socialized and entrenched notions of privilege, identity and social justice. Anything that was difficult to confront during the training will be even more difficult to confront in practice, but if these were easily solvable issues, they wouldn't be issues for long. Participants should feel better equipped with newfound knowledge and empathy, and prepared to apply the lessons they learned in their own lives and communities.

Objective
To practice giving positive feedback and to have participants leave the workshop feeling energized.

Instructions
Have participants mingle randomly in a large group and then instruct them to stop and share with the person in front of them one way in which that person "shined" during the workshop. Repeat several times so that each person gets feedback and support from different people in the group. If there are an odd number of participants, the facilitator should address the odd person out each time.

Completing this training is not the end, but merely the beginning. Hopefully, this toolkit has helped to create new understanding among your participants. Individuals should have learned about their own identity and of those around them, as well as the implications of socially constructed labels and stereotypes of an individual's experience. Those interested in this type of work may be interested in a career in social work, facilitation, advocacy or sociology. At the end of the training, facilitators should be prepared to provide additional resources for participants who want to learn more about issues of identity, power and privilege. Below we cite several resources to help you get started.

Recommended Resources

Resources for Additional Activities

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Citation for this content: The MSW@USC, the online Master of Social Work program at the University of Southern California.

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Diversity Toolkit: A Guide to Discussing Identity, Power and Privilege

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This training is meant for anyone who feels there is a lack of productive discourse around issues of diversity and the role of identity in social relationships, both on a micro (individual) and macro (communal) level.

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A Letter to the Theatre Community

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When I went through the college application process, one of the biggest deciding factors for me was a college that supported diversity. But looking around at most universities' Musical Theatre classes, they were overwhelmingly, if not all, white. And even then, those who did have diversity, I questioned whether if the students who were accepted were accepted based on their ethnicity. The cleverly designed pamphlets and posters showed their "token black" student pasted right on the cover. "Look at me", it seemed to say, "we have black people too".
Black and other non-white students were itemized; we were no longer seen as an individual like any other student, but a flag of some sort that showed prospective students, patrons, and others that the university was "progressive" and "diverse". This is incredibly dehumanizing for us, and, I know at least for me, has caused me to wonder if I was evaluated differently from the white auditioners simply because of my skin color. My mom and I used to joke that I would have an easier time getting in to college, because everyone needed a "token Asian". But, putting aside all lightheartedness, it was true.

I felt like as long as I had some sort of talent, colleges would consider me because they needed to prove their diversity.

While some may see this as an advantage, I find it incredibly upsetting. All the dedication, hard work, and tears mean nothing at the end of the day, all because they see me walk in the door and automatically they have made a judgement. I am not another auditioner, but an Asian auditioner. I know that when I leave the room, I will be remembered because of what I looked like, not for the artist I am.

I see this mindset reflected in the outside professional theatre world as well. More often than not, you will see one black artist in the ensemble, maybe an Asian if you're lucky. The rest of the cast is white. While I take the time to celebrate those POC artists who have shown the world that POCs are just as capable, and more, of their white counterparts, I also have to question the casting directors' and producers' choice. Why only one? I know for a fact that there are plenty of talented, amazing POCs out there who could dance, sing, and act circles around those that are cast, but aren't cast.

While I have no direct experience, I can only assume that the producers are too afraid to cast people who audiences won't expect to see onstage. Audiences expect to see what they think they're going to see; and because the amount of theatregoers is very white (and privileged), they expect to see themselves reflected back on the stage. But isn't it the theatre's job to not only reflect back what we see in the world, but to reflect back what we want to see in the world? Therefore, diversity in shows should not only be reflected, but expected.

If you want people to accept a world in which diversity is celebrated and not rejected, then your casting should reflect that.

Open audiences' minds to a world where black people can play the roles that society does not want to see them in. The majority of POCs who get cast within their stereotype is unbelievable. If you want to change the world through your art, then wake the minds of others to the world that is, not the one that society wants it to be. For those of you posting about white privilege and ignorance, this is one step you can take to creating a better experience for POCs in the theatre world.

Another major fault I find within theatre companies is their choice to include one "black" show, like Fences or The Color Purple, in their otherwise white season. While these are brilliant pieces of work and deserve to be produced, they cannot be used by theatre companies to worm their way out of the hard discussion or representation in theatre. These pieces deserve a whole lot more than being used as an excuse that the theatre company is "diverse" and "supports the black experience". If that's true, then there should be a hell of a lot more pieces of work produced that do not focus on the white, middle-class American experience. And if they are focusing on that, they should be just as willing to consider POCs as other white actors. As mentioned above, it only opens the audience's minds' more to what could be.

As a current student at Roosevelt University studying Musical Theatre, there is much more still to do, specifically in the college world, in aiming to support a truly inclusive and safe theatre community for everyone. Here are some ideas:

1. Diversity in the faculty! They have first hand experience of what it is like to live in the professional world as a working actor and will be able to answer the hard questions that current POC students will have regarding the workplace after college.

2. Willingness to listen. We understand that you are the teacher. But the learning goes both ways. Be open to our experience, even if it makes you uncomfortable. Recognize that even though it may have been "OK" twenty years ago, it was never really OK and most certainly is not OK now.

3. Casting. While I understand that diversity is scarce in many programs, it is never okay to choose a play that requires a specific ethnicity and then cast that actor without their consent. Our race is not a type. We are all unique individuals.

4. Whitewashing. This kind of goes with casting, but because it is such an issue, it deserves its own point. DO NOT choose a play or show that calls for a non-white actor to play a certain character and then cast a white actor. This is a slap in the face to the playwright, and diminishes the entire POC experience that the playwright is trying to portray. Also, even though it should be obvious at this point I still see it happening so: DO NOT dress a white person up to portray a different ethnicity.

For my community theatre directors, the above list applies to you too. I have seen too many white-washed productions, cultural appropriation, and things very close to black/yellow/brown/red face. I've seen theatres use spray tan to change their actors' skin color, shows with white actors trying to copy a certain dialect or accent to make them seem more like the ethnicity they're portraying, and costume design that completely stereotypes that certain culture.

To my actor friends, if you are asked to do any of the above, say no. It is absolutely dehumanizing and humiliating to watch someone disrespect your culture, even if they don't realize they are. Even better, discuss with the director/costume designer/makeup artist, why this makes you uncomfortable and have a discussion as to how it could be done in an appropriate, inoffensive way. If that can't be done, then I suggest you quit. If you are offered a role that is listed to be played by a POC, turn it down and explain to the director why. If for some reason that is not possible, then, if the work is still able to retain most of its message, then do not pretend to be that ethnicity.

In conclusion, the theatre community as a whole needs to wake up.

While we have prided ourselves on the fact that we are, as an art, generally more progressive, we have a tendency to hide behind that and not put the real work into listening and raising up the POCs of our community. Make yourself uncomfortable, recognize you were wrong, take the time to really self-reflect and put yourself in our shoes. Thank you for everything you have done and thank you for everything you will do. Stand strong and fight for what you believe in.

Also on TheatreArtLife:
Moving House: Where Did All My Money Go? Stage Managers: Investing In Yourself

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Diversity and Theatre: A Letter to The Theatre Community | TheatreArtLife

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When I went through the college application process, one of the biggest deciding factors for me was a college that supported diversity. But looking around at most universities' Musical Theatre classes, they were overwhelmingly, if not all, white. And even then, those who did have diversity, I questioned whether if the students who were accepted were accepted based on their ethnicity.

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by Elicia Cardenas

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This is a guest post authored by Elicia Cárdenas, Director of Training for The Comprehensible Classroom.

In response to the many atrocities that our nation has witnessed at the expense of Black people-and other people-, more and more discussions are happening online and in-person about racism and anti-racism. It is wonderful to see educators coming to consciousness about these atrocities and the systems that perpetuate them, and to see these discussions happening. I am often reminded that the state that I live in, Utah, was forcibly taken away from the people that the state is named after, and I am grateful when I attend an event that acknowledges the people whose land has been stolen. We cannot learn from what we do not see, and so talking about these things in public is an important first step.

Talking about racism is important

I have watched a lot of conversations about this work start to happen. Some of these conversations are happening privately, with departments, friends, Professional Learning Communities, and of course, on social media. My brand new colleagues at the Comprehensible Classroom have been engaging in these conversations too, and in response, many people have written to express a variety of positive emotions and also a variety of hard emotions: confusion about why an organization focused on Comprehension-based teaching is talking about anti-racist work, guilt for not engaging in or even being aware of this kind of work before now, and anger at feeling helpless.

I welcome you all, because talking about this stuff is better than not talking about it. I also want to welcome those who are engaging in these conversations as observers. I know from personal experience that working for a more equitable world can be challenging and even traumatic. I have learned that teachers, working in their classrooms and school contexts, can be incredibly effective leaders and change makers, and no one needs to participate in social media for the seeds of social justice and change to take root.

More than anything, teachers have been writing to ask: "Where do I begin?". In this post, I am going to share some of my own learning and thinking, as a Person Of Color (POC) and as someone for whom anti-racism and inclusivity have been my north star for as long as I have been an educator. My goal is to build bridges and provide you with direction as you embark on this hard, messy, and important journey.

Anti-racism work is messy work

More than anything, this work-this journey-is MESSY! Talking about racism requires talking about systemic oppression, unconscious biases, and our own identities-and that is hard. And awkward. And often painful. And teaching is already hard!

On social media, I see a lot of (virtual) screaming and shaming of people who are just entering into this mindset and/or trying to figure out where they fit in and how to approach it; I am sorry if you are one of those people who is being shamed or attacked. I am holding you in my thoughts. Remember, this is messy and incredibly personal.

If you are a person who is so angry and you want to DO something and you want to do it NOW and perhaps are doing some of that screaming, I hear you. I acknowledge that silence has been deadly. This is messy, and it takes a lot of practice to do it without causing more harm. And I am glad you are all on this journey.

We are all products of who we are and all we can do is try to be better. We can only start from where we are, and we have some work to do. This work is for all of us, and it is most fruitful when we begin by looking at ourselves.

Anti-racism work is for all educators

As educators, we are responsible for educating all our students. If some students are being dehumanized at any level, I believe we have a responsibility to change that.

Have you ever heard of the term spirit murdering? Spirit murdering is a harsh term, a painful term, an ugly term-but what it describes is worse. Legal scholar Patricia Williams describes spirit murdering in this quote:

"The personal, psychological, and spiritual injuries to people of color through fixed, yet fluid and moldable, structures of racism, privilege and power; spirit-murdering denies inclusion, protection, safety, nurturance, and acceptance-all things a person needs to be human and to be educated." Patricia Williams

Let me be clear: systemic racism dehumanizes people. Systems of racism, privilege, and power take away the ability of some of our students to be human and to be educated. Even if we think we don't have any of "those kids" that are oppressed by these systems (Black kids, Poor kids, Kids of Color, Immigrant kids, or any Kids that are members of an oppressed group), we probably do. Beyond that, we likely have educators that we work with who are members of those communities too who have been affected by the same system of oppression that we live in. And even if we really don't have those folks in our community, don't we have a responsibility to make the world a better place? Isn't that what teaching is about? Educating children so that they become contributing members of society? Don't we want them to contribute to the good?

I have been working in a school that holds its values close; all our work is grounded in these values. One value, that of Tikkun Olam ("Repairing the World"), is a driving force. I recognize that the world is not a safe and equitable place, and I want to be part of making it a better, safer, more equitable world.
(To begin learning about systemic racism, please see the list of useful resources below).
How to begin learning about equity

Luckily, there are so many resources for how to build more equity and how to work for a more just world. It's ok to start from where you are at, and it's also ok to read, learn, listen, and reflect-because the work starts with you and who you are.

Every single anti-bias, anti-racist training that I have attended or led tends to start in the same place: with agreements about what our behavior will be (the Norms of the training) and with a self-examination of our personal identity and culture.

Norms for engaging in anti-racist work

I offer you some norms when starting on this journey, and I would like to invite everyone to keep these close when doing this work, in person and on social media. These norms are adapted the seven agreements shared in "Guidelines for Productive Work Sessions" by Visions Inc.

1. Practice Active Listening: Be willing to be surprised and learn something new. In this case, silence is not complicity. Listening actively can be a way to learn.

2. Try It On: Be willing to "try on" new ideas or ways of doing things that might not be familiar or what you prefer.

3. Practice Self-Focus: Attend to and speak about your own experiences and responses. Do not speak for a whole group or express assumptions about the experience of others.

4. Understand the Difference Between Intent and Impact: Try to understand and acknowledge impact. Denying the impact of something said by focusing on intent is often more destructive than the initial interaction.

5. Practice "Both / And": When speaking (or writing), substitute "and" for "but". This practice acknowledges and honors multiple realities.

6. Refrain from Blaming or Shaming Self and Others: we are all on this journey.

7. Move Up / Move Back: If you tend to use your voice often, consider "moving back" and vice versa.

Anti-racist work begins with self-examination

The other starting place that I invite you to explore is your own identity. Who are you? What is your culture? Many people, especially those who grow up with a White lens, they don't really think about their own culture, at least until they come up against the culture of someone else who they think is like them. In my family, it started with "how do you say thank you for gifts?" Because the way my family believes is "right" is pretty different from that of my husband's family, and hurt feelings happened all around. Now extrapolate that to grieving, celebrations, and what you think is normal for breakfast. We all have culture. As world language teachers, we are very used to looking at and finding joy in other cultures; we are multilingual and are often experienced at living in another culture. Friends, this is an asset! We already have a sense that the way we think things are and should be done is not the same the world over! This is a great mindset to start with!

In a recent interview with National Public Radio, Robin DiAngelo, the White author of White Fragility, asked readers to reflect on their own experiences, and I would like to offer you a concrete way to begin that reflection. In an oft-cited article by Peggy McIntosh called White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, the author talks about all the experiences she gets to have as a White woman that are not universal. From being able to find band-aids and crayons in her approximate skin color to being able to protect her children most of the time from people who don't like them, Ms. McIntosh crafts a powerful list of her own privileges. If you haven't read it-I mean really read it and reflected on it-I highly recommend that you do so. It is a place to start.

Resources to begin learning about race and racism

I have been doing this kind of work for a long time, and what follows are my recommendations of resources that I think can specifically support teachers in anti-racist work. In addition, look for more posts from me in the coming months about assessment and grading practices that support equity in the classroom, and why these practices are so important.
Please note: This list is not exhaustive; it isn't even a very long list. These are just the resources that I use and reflect on. Please accept my apologies if you have a resource that you particularly love that is not on this list, and please do add it in the comments!
Courses

I recommend the Teaching with with a culturally responsive lens course from Elevate Education Consulting (and anything from Elevate!) because I have learned a great deal from these incredible educators, and because they approach all of their training with a Comprehension-based framework for language education. Rachelle and Anna also did a workshop earlier this spring that is a mini-version of their culturally responsive CI training if you want something less time intensive than a full class.

I have found Edx, specifically courses from MITx Teaching labs, to be a good source of free, quality coursework that helps frame equity and learning issues in a practical way. At the moment, I am finishing up a class called Becoming a More Equitable Educator. It might be one of, if not the absolute, best teaching resources of this topic, framed with action and practice for teachers. I find it to be very accessible and truly groundbreaking. Fortunately, the creators have made all the coursework available for anyone. If you have time but no money, this is my number one recommendation.

Teaching Tolerance

Teaching Tolerance is probably my #1 access point for professional development around these topics that I can access on my own; they do periodic webinars (some on-demand) and have TONS of free resources. They are also a great resource for teaching materials that include positive representation of all people. Plus, their magazine is priceless.

Conferences

The People of Color Conference and the White Privilege Conference are also significant opportunities for professional development. They are a big investment, but worth every penny.

Books

In terms of books, I do think White Fragility, by Robin DiAngelo, is a good starting point, but not the only one.

Grading for equity, by Joe Feldmen is a really good look at systemic racism in schools and provides a map for teacher actions that can combat it, through the lens of our everyday grading practice. That might not be for everyone, but I love it so much I can't read it without having to sit down and write a response to each page! Stay tuned for an exploration of this topic as it relates to the day-to-day life of a comprehension based teacher. Please note: both these books were written by white authors.

These books were recommended by John H. Bracey, a prominent scholar of Afro-American history, to his son @magisterbracey.

Resources by Black authors

If you prefer to focus on learning from Black voices, I recommend the following (and there are SO many, this is just a tiny starting point):

District and school-based resources

Finally, most schools and districts do have initiatives and groups that are equity focused (often referred to as Diversity groups, Diversity and Inclusion, etc.), and I always suggest that folks get in touch with their local group if possible. Usually, someone at the district level will be able to point to a group or resources. Sometimes, that is a really good starting point because the resources and educational opportunities are community specific, and can be an easy entry point.

If you do know folks who have been doing this work on these committees and boards, would you do me a favor? Take a moment and thank them. It tends to be thankless, sometimes traumatic work, and these educators deserve recognition.

The most important thing is to start

I would like to leave you with a quote from "Finding Freedom in the Classroom: A Practical Introduction to Critical Theory" by Patricia H. Hinchley, a tome of a book but one that laid the groundwork for my own journey as a change maker and anti-racist educator. "No change is too small to make if it moves your practice closer to a vision you believe in. No goal is too unrealistic to pursue. Therefore, start anywhere."

Let's get started!
About the author:
Hi! I am Elicia. My pronouns are she/her/hers and I identify as a Latina. I also acknowledge that I am White passing, which means that I have many privileges based on the color of my skin. I have been teaching middle school Spanish with a comprehension based focus for the last six years, along with serving on our school's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee for the same six years. As I have grown as a comprehension based teacher and as an anti-racist educator, I have continued to focus on being more equitable, more race and bias aware, and more context centered .

Learn more about Elicia on her blog.

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Becoming an anti-racist educator: where to begin? (GUEST POST) - The Comprehensible Classroom

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This is a guest post authored by Elicia Cárdenas, Director of Training for The Comprehensible Classroom. In response to the many atrocities that our nation has witnessed at the expense of Black people-and other people-, more and more discussions are happening online and in-person about racism and anti-racism.

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DEAR WHITE AMERICAN THEATER, OUR DEMANDS ARE IN

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DEAR WHITE AMERICAN THEATER, OUR DEMANDS ARE IN

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PRINCIPLES FOR BUILDING ANTI RACIST THEATRE SYSTEMS

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Diversifying programming and leadership won’t be enough if our boards remain white and privileged. In the Boardroom Where It Happens from Theatre Communications Group on Vimeo.

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"It's not about standing still and becoming safe. If anybody wants to keep creating they have to be about change." Miles Davis's words have never been more prescient. As we all stand ready to truly embrace a brave new world of living, communicating, and experiencing humanity like never before, we the creators, producers, and purveyors of the theatrical medium must evolve. A new paradigm of creativity is upon us, and we must abandon what used to be and accept the gift of what is now. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we lost to cancer the physical manifestation of Diane Rodriguez-a fierce artist and champion of the theatre, hyper-collaboration, and women and emerging leaders of color. Her 47-year career started with El Teatro Campesino and the farm worker's movement for justice, and it never stopped. This critical experience inspired and informed her work always. It is Diane's voice which lingers in many of us and will continue to do so for generations-such was her impact on our field.
American Theatre We are a small group of Diane's family and friends who supported her throughout her two-year diagnosis, affectionately self-named Team Diane, and we continue to come together to ensure her legacy lives on. We have worked with Theatre Communications Group and magazine to publish this piece. What you will read below are words Diane penned in the fall of 2019, before the depth and devastation of the pandemic had manifested worldwide. Before the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. Before the long overdue publication of We See You White American Theater. Before the world rose up to declare, with one voice, that indeed, Black Lives Matter-this essay was composed before all that.
To some, Diane's analysis may be provocative and controversial; to others her words will serve as a battle cry for the possible. Diane's thinking was on the precipice of a conversation that is mission-critical to the future of American theatre. What better time than now to reevaluate who we can be in this new, vibrant, and uncharted theatrical landscape? Let's work together to build a much brighter and equitable future.
For years, in the political jargon of Mexican American activist Baby Boomers (better known as Chicanos), I and my colleagues have used the word "decolonize" to define both our goal and the obstacles in the way of achieving it. So when, last fall, I saw a story in The New York Times about a protest staged by the activist group Decolonize This Place at the Whitney Museum, it drew my attention. The headline read, "New Scrutiny of Museum Boards Takes Aim at the World of Wealth and Status." As producer and director at a nonprofit theatre for nearly 25 years (Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles), I saw firsthand that the nonprofit model is built on the patronage of the wealthy.

The New York protest had a specific target: outing a longtime trustee and benefactor, Warren B. Kanders, over reports that his company produced tear gas used on migrants on our border with Mexico. The protesters' method of raising awareness was to stage an old-school 1960s protest by clamoring together in the lobby of the Whitney Museum. Crucially, they also got support from around 100 museum staff members, who signed a letter saying they felt "uncomfortable in our positions" given the news of Kanders's business.

My takeaway: It took both an external protest and internal staff pushback to call out the problematic relationship between a large mainstream institution and a single board member. The message was clear: While public-facing artistic programs at many institutions are rightly under scrutiny for lack of equity and diversity, there must be a similar sense of social responsibility and accountability for the boards of these same institutions.

Clearly nonprofits in the U.S. depend on individual giving to survive. And while the protesters in this case did not intend to destroy an organization for accepting money from a questionable source, losing the generosity of someone like Kanders-who resigned from the museum's board as a result of the protests-could shake the financial foundations of any organization.

In the Boardroom Where It Happens from Theatre Communications Group on Vimeo.

The 501(c) (3) section of the federal tax code was a mid-20th-century construct, first created in 1954 and reformed in 1969 during the Johnson administration. It set up a way for civic organizations centered on "a greater good principle" to function as public charities, with funds and programs to be overseen by an elected board of directors. Realistically, if that "greater good principle" is not fervently adhered to, one must wonder why both the philanthropic and the nonprofit arts and culture sector can withhold millions of dollars of taxes from the overall societal "greater good" without delivering services to communities-not just those of privilege. This tax status enabled the newly formed regional theatres of the '60s to receive certain tax exemptions and to solicit funds, offering their donors tax deductions on their contributions.

Innovating beyond or even within the prescribed nonprofit board model has in recent years proven elusive. I've heard Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation, suggest that we solicit new board members who can bring in "other assets." This concept has been around for years, and is often specifically designed to target potential board members of color. But I have seen firsthand how this well-meaning effort can create a class system on boards. If you have a board member who has been recruited for "other resources"-i.e., who is not required to "give or get" financial assets, as other board members are-it becomes all too likely that this new board member will be treated like the "diversity hire" or considered to be filling an "affirmative action slot." The gesture can work if you are lucky enough to have a celebrity of color, or an individual who is highly respected for their intellectual prowess and connections. But unless other board members and leaders are educated about new principles and values, changing the makeup of a board to create an equitable and socially responsible cohesion is a monumental challenge, not merely a cosmetic effort.

It's also an urgent mandate. Nonprofit theatres have a responsibility under the law to adhere to the "greater good principle." If we simply replicate the economic and social hierarchies of the for-profit world, why are we tax-exempt at all? In its purest form, the concept of the wealthy giving back for the greater good is obviously right and true. But this ideal has been corrupted. Now it seems philanthropy must be rewarded. It's not enough for many donors to stand back and see how their altruistic gifts are being used. Instead, in exchange for their generosity, donors now expect and receive numerous perks: a standing in social circles, exclusive donor rooms for pre-show receptions, private opening night parties with access to artists, insider trips to London or New York to see the latest artistic offerings, a donor staff concierge who helps them buy tickets to shows around town, and more.

Make no mistake-their generosity has tangible benefits for the rest of us. But why not create a vision of philanthropy that is not rewarded with one-percent elitism that keeps the elite in their own separate area, but instead is in service of a democratic approach? Indeed, I don't understand why, if we want to bring new audiences into our theatres, we don't offer perks to individuals who have passed through our doors before. Why not treat first-time audiences as magnificently as we do donors and members so they might return to us?

The task of changing the culture around a theatre's board and philanthropic efforts falls, I believe, within the job descriptions of both the artistic director and executive leadership. Artistic programming isn't just what's onstage, after all; it is also the key to changing board culture and values. Arts administration scholar Diane Ragsdale, in a talk she titled given at the Stratford Festival Forum in 2019, noted that we are "moving away from the colonial 'democratization of culture' toward what some would call a 'democratic culture approach.'" Though these two concepts sound so close as to be interchangeable, they are in fact quite distinct. For everyone to have access to a world-class production of Shakespeare, she noted, is an example of the "democratization of culture." Culture in this approach refers to the existing "elite" culture.

On the other hand, Ragsdale wrote, "A democratic culture is about cultural equity. It suggests that there is no pre-ordained artistic hierarchy that automatically places works made by 'professionals' above works made by 'amateurs'; works that are improvised; works performed in a gorgeous facility overlooking a body of water over works performed in the community center, the prison, the school or on the streets; works by dead or living white men over...basically everyone else."

I would certainly not advocate for everything in a theatre's season to be performed by "amateurs" or to be site-specific. What is important, though, is the dismantling of the artistic hierarchy that has plagued our field for decades, and which exalts the works of dead (and living) white men over work by people of color. I believe that regional theatres are slowly making their way toward diversifying their offerings, while Broadway is all too aptly named the Great White Way.

In tandem with this racialized hierarchy is a resistance to changing modes of making work. But we who work with theatre artists who are challenging aesthetics and creating new modes of making work know that ensemble creations, work made collectively by collaborators, and non-linear work are just as impactful as traditional plays when contextualized and experienced in the right setting.

In exchange for that right we agree to hear the stories of others. This value should be shared in every artistic medium. Our boards need to wrap themselves around this concept. The work of We all have the need, and the right, to tell our own stories. Marisela Treviño Orta and Tarell Alvin McCraney is just as important as that of Tracy Letts. The work of Rude Mechs is just as valuable as work by Samuel Beckett -perhaps more so, as Rude Mechs are living artists tackling current issues.

In 2019 the theatre field saw , and this has been widely noted as a monumental victory. And indeed it is a victorious step for our field, as this transition resulted in new leaders of color taking over important longstanding theatres: leadership transitions at many large mainstream organizations Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Long Wharf Theatre, Baltimore Center Stage, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Woolly Mammoth in Washington, DC., and TheatreWorks in Palo Alto.

What is remarkable about this new generation of leaders is not just that they are people of color but that they bring with them values of social justice, social equity, and appreciation for work by people of color, as well as new forms of theatremaking. This creates a two-fold challenge for traditional boards. One is accepting fully and deeply the challenge of creating true social equity; the second is accepting forms of theatre aside from the well-made play to entice first-time audience members to our theatres (and away from entertainment options that they can comfortably stream in their home).

Jacob Padrón is the new artistic director of Long Wharf Theatre. I've known Jacob and his family for more than 35 years, as we all hail from a small town, San Juan Bautista, on the central coast of California. Recently his theatre posted a job search for the "director of artistic partnerships and innovation," with pointed social justice language that was like none I had ever seen in a job description from a League of Resident Theatre/LORT member. It read: "The director will be charged with building new collaborative models that will allow...collective resource-sharing and dismantle the structures that have historically limited many artists from being produced at our most visible theatres. The director will have an insatiable appetite to defy the status quo, grounded in the values of anti-racism and anti-oppression. They will lead with joy, rigor, and curiosity." It almost reads like something from the website of Decolonize This Place.

At the LORT theatre where I worked, I definitely had an "insatiable appetite to defy the status quo." But I was not the leader of the theatre, and those words were not in my job description. I was associate artistic director, and before that associate producer. But at Long Wharf, the artistic director is embracing this language and pushing for a democratic culture. Among the challenges Jacob and his like-minded colleagues will face in leading this charge will be to encourage their boards of directors to buy into the new values they are expounding. If they don't get full board buy-in, there will continue to be a great and damaging contrast between these new leaders' social-justice intentions and the expectations of privileged board members who continue to see their theatres as "elite culture" purveyors.

If we want our theatres to remain vital to our communities, we have to redefine philanthropy in terms of a larger mission of cultural equity. We must recruit and keep board members who understand this value as one that is urgent for the well-being not only of our artform but of our country. Furthermore, if board members are given the privilege of choosing new artistic leadership, they must not only commit to understanding and supporting the values of the new leader, but also to knowing more about current trends in the theatre, from aesthetics to audience engagement, and more. We urgently need board education. That will only happen if our artistic directors and their staff dream big, and follow through.

Last fall Charles McNulty, the Los Angeles Times theatre critic, wrote an article that gave an outside critical opinion of the shortcomings of the theatre I used to work for. "A radical rethinking of artistic vision requires an openness to the possibilities of new management structures," he wrote. This is a truth that the new generation of leaders must face. They may have ambitious plans to change programming. But what are their plans to change the values of the board members who approve their budgets? They may have innovative programming ideas, but do they have similarly innovative plans for their theatres' management structure? The danger is that if risky programming falters-and sometimes it does, at least at first-theatre boards who are insufficiently invested in the leader's vision may be tempted to restrain rather than support it, and to refuse to take further risks.

I continue to have hope. With more artistic leadership of color and more women in positions to greenlight projects, we are undoubtedly entering a new phase for the American theatre. But if our board structure and its values stay the same, we will be sadly left behind. The potential for a new democratic culture that erases hierarchy and privilege could be monumental-a game changer. With the obsolete 20th-century nonprofit theatre paradigm under new scrutiny, all our artistic leaders must be on the alert to transform our theatres into places where all of us can meet under one roof and enjoy the voices of many. Can we transform our boards into supporters of Ragsdale's description of a "democratic culture" for theatre? Can we convince them that philanthropy is not about gaining more privilege, but instead about creating cultural cohesion in a country that arguably has never really embraced this concept, and these days seems to be sorely losing it?

Theatres across the country may depend on the wealthy to keep our doors open. But art is not charity. People of color are not a charity. We are joined in a common cause, so let's bring down the walls between wealthy patrons and the rest of us, between the so-called gatekeepers and the audience. Together we can build and sustain cultural centers that welcome us all.
Diane Rodriguez worked at Center Theatre Group as a producer and associate artistic director from 1995-2019. She got her start with El Teatro Campesino in the 1970s. She was chair of the board of TCG from 2013-2016.

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"It's not about standing still and becoming safe. If anybody wants to keep creating they have to be about change." Miles Davis's words have never been more prescient. As we all stand ready to truly embrace a brave new world of living, communicating, and experiencing humanity like never before, we the creators, producers, and purveyors of the theatrical medium must evolve.

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Workshops

In many ways, the racial injustice being highlighted at this time in history is not new. What IS new is the way racial justice is now being covered by the mainstream media and discussed in just about every forum. Students are looking to their teachers to help navigate and make sense of what they are seeing. In our workshops, we help educators develop the knowledge and skills to support students in this process - and to work with colleagues in developing inclusive, antiracist curricula and school communities.

Some of our newest workshops include:

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In many ways, the racial injustice being highlighted at this time in history is not new. What IS new is the way racial justice is now being covered by the mainstream media and discussed in just about every forum. Students are looking to their teachers to help navigate and make sense of what they are seeing.

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Diversity Report. 2016-2019 In Review. This report structure is more expansive and inclusive than the previous version, published in 2017 based on contractual data from the 2013 to 2015 theatrical seasons. It has added data about sexual orientation and gender identity. It has more data about hiring of disabled members and includes information on veteran status and age as well.

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Originally published in the Spring 2017 issue of Equity News.
Data Compiled By Russell Lehrer | Graphics by Nick DeSantis |Special thanks to Doug Beebe, Tom Kaub and Sherry Xu

The following pages represent a historic moment. For the first time in our 104-year history, we have the technical ability to take an empirical look at potential hiring biases within our industry.

To perform the study, we compiled new weekly employment opportunities on all contracts that began performances between Jan. 1, 2013, through Dec. 31, 2015. Weekly employment opportunities excluded per-performance contracts with no guaranteed employment. And by focusing on new employment opportunities, we analyzed the opening night casts during that window, excluding all replacement contracts as well as any shows that opened prior to 2013.

The results of this study - some two years in the making - shows that even in the year 2017 there are stark and pervasive barriers to employment in our industry for women and people of color - across all Equity contracts.

For example, we have learned that nationally over the course of 2013 to 2015, most principal contracts went to Caucasian members, accounting for 71 percent. Asian Americans: barely 2 percent. African Americans: 7.56 percent. As you'll read on the following pages, these numbers are consistent with other contracts and opportunities offered to our members.

Equally troubling is the appearance of hiring bias when it comes to gender: Our membership is evenly divided between women and men. Consistently across all the on-stage contracts examined in this study, men were offered close to 60 percent of the on-stage contracts. For example Men were offered 61 percent of national principal contracts.

This study also shows that the problem goes beyond the stage and extends into the booth. The overwhelming majority (74 percent) of national stage management contracts went to Caucasians. In fact, stage management was the least ethnically diverse cohort in Equity's employment categories.

While women were more likely than men to receive stage manager contracts, they reported lower earnings. Women were employed on agreements with lower minimums, negotiated lower overscales and earned lower average contractual salaries than men.

The data that follows comes in response to a resolution passed by Equity's National Council in September 2015 and represents only highlights of Council's report due to space limitations.

For years Equity has fought at the bargaining table to include language to improve diversity and inclusion. While this effort is important, this study demonstrates that Equity cannot solve this problem at the bargaining table alone.

This study raises questions about how we measure progress. Last season, shows like The Color Purple, Shuffle Along, On Your Feet! and Hamilton made it seem like diversity issues on Broadway were solved. But, how do we move, as an industry, to a place where there are more roles for women and people of color in all productions?

Given long-term demographic changes in our nation, this problem is one that should concern us all - how can our industry reach the nation if it doesn't represent the nation?

The good news is that there are some signs of progress. A number of Equity theaters are taking steps to #ChangeTheStage. A few of those stories are highlighted in this report. One lesson from those stories is the need to think about diversity and inclusion across all aspects of production.

Equity is in the midst of hiring its first-ever Diversity Director, a role that will help to further Equity's goals of inclusion and diversity both within the organization and the greater theatre community. Ultimately, this study is just the start of what needs to be an industry-wide conversation about how we can work together to #ChangeTheStage.

Throughout the study presented in Equity News, we looked at eight different employment cross-sections, nationally. We present the analysis of Principal (in both a play and musical), Chorus and Stage Manager contracts worked by our members between 2013-2015. We then applied those same three years and contract categories to the LORT Agreement. Note that all Equity membership data presented in this report reflects the union's membership numbers as of Sept. 1, 2016.

What is a hiring bias?

While an employer has a right to employ people based on many factors for which they may express a preference, there are eight legislatively protected areas where such hiring biases should never occur:

Our Membership

Like the U.S. population, which is 50.8 percent female (according to the 2010 U.S. Census), the Equity membership is almost evenly divided, female/male. Equity has historically asked its members to self-identify as either female or male, but plans to expand the options to reflect the full spectrum of our members' gender identity.

Women represent 49.5 percent of Equity's total membership, with an average age of 46.7 years old.
Men represent 50.5 percent of Equity's total membership, with an average age of 48.3 years old.
Of Equity's 50,920 members, the average age of the membership is 47.6 years old.
National Racial/Ethnic Distribution

Equity has a proud, diverse membership. Currently, we are working with the National Equal Employment Opportunity Committee to redefine and broaden our race and ethnicity self-identification options for members. The following percentages are the race/ethnicity distribution of our membership as of Sept. 1, 2016.

16 percent of our members choose to not self-identify their race or ethnicity. We encourage you to share this sensitive information with us so we may serve you better. Your personal information is never shared with employers.

National Disability Distribution

We are committed to expanding representation of and increasing opportunities for our diverse membership. We began asking members to self-identify as having a disability in 2012, and we are working with members of the community to expand that identification. We are aware that many members choose not to self-identify for any number of reasons. Currently only 219 members self-identify as having a disability of some kind, and we know those numbers are not representative of the actual population of our membership.

There are two ways of defining disability. Under the narrow legal definition, a disability is an impairment which prevents a person from performing tasks essential to their daily life. The broader definition includes a wider degree of impairments already included under the narrow definition (e.g. low vision, or hard of hearing), as well as other diagnoses (e.g. fibromyalgia, or HIV) which impact but do not necessarily prevent a person from performing essential tasks. If you self-identify with either of this definitions, tell us so that we can better understand the biases in your community.

Employment Opportunities

Equity typically analyzes our data in terms of work weeks; this weighs contracts by their length and is appropriate for most analysis. For this study, however, we didn't, and for very specific reasons. We looked instead at initial work opportunities, regardless of contract length and only for new employment. In order to quantify potential bias we presented data about:

Weekly employment opportunities | Meaning no casual or daily employment

Shows opening during 2013-2015 | Meaning no existing or long-running employment

Cast and salary information as of opening night | Meaning no replacement employment

It was determined that this narrowing of the work experience of our membership would give a fuller picture of the bias. The casting of one production of Gypsy, for example, running for three weeks, would be given the same weight in terms of bias as another production that runs for two years. And the initial cast of that long-running production would represent the producer's initial choice for the roles in order to not mask bias by a more inclusive replacement casting practice (though laudable and to be encouraged).

Also not included in the report were star-salaried contracts (defined as members who negotiated $10,000 or more of overscale per week), as these numbers would not reflect the experience of the majority of the membership and would skew the data. Choosing the three complete years contained in our expanded database available at the time of the research was hoped to give as complete a picture as possible that was not tied to any one season's specific productions to the degree possible.

During the three years studied, there were 63,603 unique, new weekly work opportunities for members, excluding star contracts. The average contractual salary for these opportunities (across all contract types and responsibilities) was $746, which included an average of $92.72 of overscale.

Examining Gender Disparities

In this study, we examined four specific contract types offered to our members nationally. We researched principal employment in plays, principal employment in musicals, chorus employment and stage management employment across the nation. From there, we took those same contract categories and applied it to those opportunities that were offered on a LORT Agreement, Equity's second largest contract. For the Council report, all contracts were analyzed and showed that these national and LORT figures are typical and representative.

To the left is an infographic displaying the distribution of new work opportunities that went to men and women over the course of 2013-2015.

One of the important aspects we wanted to investigate was, similar to our membership, if the work was being divided evenly. It's not. What we have discovered is that our industry is hiring more men-sometimes up to 20 percent more-than women.

In every on-stage category of employment, more than 50 percent of the contracts were offered to men. Between 2013-2015, women made up only 39.1 percent of contracts worked in principal employment in plays. For LORT contracts in the same category, women were offered 38.6 percent of the available contracts. The closest women come to equaling men on stage is in national chorus employment, with 42.9 percent compared to the 57.1 percent of the work going to men. Only in stage management do we see a reverse of this trend.

This disparity is also found in the wage gap discovered between men and women working on contracts presented in this study. Though all of our members, through our negotiations, are guaranteed the same minimum salary, the disparity is also found in the wage gap between male and female Equity members. This wage gap is because women are more frequently hired on lower paying, lower minimum contracts.

Let's examine national stage manager employment, which demonstrates the most clear view of potential bias since the opportunities are not tied to textual influence. In the three years examined for this study (2013-2015), there were 11,632 new stage management opportunities offered to our members. As reported above, 65.9 percent went to women and 34.1 percent to men. Our data shows that while women may have had more work opportunities than men, they worked on contracts with lower average minimum salaries. And what's more, women garnered less overscale, leaving them with a contractual salary that was lower than roughly $98.

When looking at national LORT principal in a musical employment, not only did women only represent 41.1 percent of the contracts, but women were employed on lower category contracts than men, with average minimums of $735.65 compared to $749.47. Women also negotiated slightly less overscale than men, earning contractually less than men by about $15.

In several situations, women have been able to negotiate the same average overscale, but still earn less salary - as seen in national principal in a play employment where women are earning about $10 less. When examining national LORT employment on a chorus contract, we found that not only did a majority of the work opportunity go to men, but the wage gap demonstrates disparity as well.

Possible Employment Bias

Throughout this report, we will present three key numbers, which serve as the benchmarks we look at to show evidence of hiring bias. The ability to get a contract, the minimum salary of those contracts and the ability to negotiate overscale. Please note: For this study, we considered contract minimums and overscale.

Examining Racial Disparities

We didn't only discover gender disparity. This study proved out an embarrassing truth within our industry: a major lack of diversity on stage. A majority of all new contract opportunities offered to Equity members went to Caucasian actors and stage managers. And as you previously read, most of the work went to Caucasian men. In some instances Caucasian members garnered over 70 percent of contracts offered, as seen in the national principal employment in musicals. In that same category, African Americans received only 7.56 percent of the work, those who identify as Hispanic or Latino had 2.23 percent of those contracts and Asian Americans received a mere 1.57 percent.

These numbers are disheartening and consistent throughout all of our research.

What's additionally troubling, however, is what's in the unknown. As we stated earlier in this study, 16 percent of our membership have not identified their race/ethnic background. That means, for this research, there can be anywhere up to almost 20 percent of employment in any single analysis we cannot quantify. That's a wide margin of uncertainty that, if members identified themselves to Equity, we could quantify to help further complete this research and define the problems we face.

The following four charts display, in-depth, the amount of new work offered to members, average overscale negotiated on those contracts and the average contractual salary. Note that these graphs consider all of Equity's available contracts, from Production to Casino to Small Professional Theatre to Bay Area Theatre Agreement. Further, the information presented contains a wide range of minimum salaries, opportunities for negotiating overscale, the possible existence of non-union performers within the production and, within any one contract type, various tiers or categories.

National Principal Employment in Plays

During 2013-2015, there were 30,452 unique, new work opportunities for weekly employment on a Principal Contract in plays.

National Principal Employment in Musicals

Between 2013-15, there were 14,834 new Principal Contracts offered on musicals.

National Chorus Employment

There were 6,685 new opportunities for Chorus Contracts, spanning all contract types, between 2013-15.

National Stage Management Employment

This cross section of our membership is the least racially and ethnically diverse employment category. In the three years of this study, there were 11,632 new opportunities offered. These work opportunities include both stage managers and assistant stage managers who have different minimums and opportunities for overscale, as the principal studies included members working on the full range of available contracts below star salary.

Case Study: LORT Employment

The previous analysis contains all of our available contracts, with a wide range of minimum salaries, opportunities for negotiating overscale, the possible existence of non-Equity performers in the production and, within any one contract type, various tiers or categories as well.

In order to examine the situation within a narrower view, we conducted an analysis of the national LORT Agreement. The LORT Agreement is used across the country with its own categories and various minimums. For the majority of our membership, LORT theaters represent a sizable portion of their union careers. The following data utilizes the same template as the national numbers previously shared for comparison. But note that with smaller sample sizes, we expect and see greater variance, particularly in the racial and ethnic hiring and earning statistics, which become more dependent on seasonal influences such as titles produced. Single diversely staged productions, whether diverse based on text or artistic vision, can strongly influence smaller subsets. The LORT analysis is representative of what we've discovered across all contracts.

National LORT Principal in a Play Employment

Between 2013-15, there were 8,296 work opportunities under the LORT Agreement for principal actors in non-musical productions.

National LORT Principal in a Musical Employment

With a quarter of the contractual opportunities compared to non-musicals, there were 2,196 Principal LORT Contracts offered in musicals between 2013-15. Analyzing this employment by race/ethnicity:

National LORT Chorus in a Musical Employment

There were 1,318 chorus work opportunities on LORT contracts during the three years of the study. Please note that the financial figures are higher than averages for Principals on LORT Musicals because chorus employment was, on average, at LORT theaters with higher categories and minimums.

National LORT Stage Manager Employment

Between 2013-15, there were 2,749 stage management work opportunities, including assistant management, on LORT contracts.

Change The Stage

Consider this study our call to action. It's time for us, as a union and as a leader within our community, to shine a light on the hiring practices within our industry. The numbers we've presented are unacceptable. We've now seen on a macro and micro level both gender and racial and ethnic disparity when it comes to who is getting contracts and what they are paid.

With this study in hand, we now have a powerful platform to demand positive, forward-thinking change and ask for others to help us lead the charge. We cannot solely rely on contractual language encouraging diverse hiring practices to fix this. It won't work alone. It hasn't worked. This is an industry epidemic that has roots in every aspect of professional theatre. This goes beyond actors and stage managers; we need partners who can help to not just change the stage, but rather to help change the industry.

For Equity, it starts with the members. It's important that we have a fully-realized portrait of the over 50,000 artists who make up this union. For those who haven't self-identified, help us by self-identifying in the Member Portal. Remember, your information is completely confidential and will never be shared with anyone-it's for the union's own internal purposes. We rely on you as much as you rely on us.

Stay informed and get active with us. Watch for emails, posts in the Member Portal and videos speaking to how Equity is taking on this very serious problem. If we send a petition, sign your name; if we ask for feedback, we want to hear from you.

Take this fight outside. Publicly, that is. Get social with this. Use #ChangeTheStage and let your followers and colleagues know that you support positive change within our industry. Now, together, we must stand up and in solidarity foster inclusion and promote diversity on and off stage.

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Looking at Hiring Biases by the Numbers | Actors' Equity Association

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Originally published in the Spring 2017 issue of Equity News. Data Compiled By Russell Lehrer | Graphics by Nick DeSantis |Special thanks to Doug Beebe, Tom Kaub and Sherry Xu The following pages represent a historic moment. For the first time in our 104-year history, we have the technical ability to take an empirical look at potential hiring biases within our industry.

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A History of Casting King and I — Cultural Evolution and Community Action

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A History of Casting King and I — Cultural Evolution and Community Action

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The King and I, Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic musical currently receiving a revival production by Lincoln Center, has been subject to several casting controversies over the years that ultimately led to an evolution in the way the piece is produced.

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A History of Casting News King and I - Cultural Evolution and Community Action

The King and I, Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic musical currently receiving a revival production by Lincoln Center, has been subject to several casting controversies over the years that ultimately led to an evolution in the way the piece is produced.

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A recent production of The King and I in Dallas, TX, drew criticism for its casting of a Caucasian actor in the role of the King. It was far from the first instance of yellowface casting in King and I's history, dating all the way back to the original production in 1951. Let's take a look back at how the Asian theatrical community was able to make their voices heard and ultimately tell their own stories through modern productions of The King and I, including the thrilling Lincoln Center revival that recently opened to near-unanimous rave reviews.

The King and I is based on a semi-biographical novel by Margaret Landon, titled "Anna and the King of Siam." The book was an immediate success upon its publication in 1944, and in 1946 a film adaptation of the same name was released. The actor chosen to portray the role of the King of Siam was Rex Harrison, best known to musical-theatre fans today as Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady. By today's standards, it's an odd casting choice and a difficult performance to watch, largely due to Harrison's reliance on Asian stereotypes in his interpretation of the character. And Harrison's performance doesn't stand alone - many of the supporting Asian characters are portrayed by Caucasian actors in yellowface.

Yellowface is a term that refers to Caucasian actors playing Asian characters, often with make-up used to alter the actors' appearance to be more stereotypically Asian. The practice's effect goes beyond the denial of work to Asian actors; it sustains a depiction of Asian people in popular culture that is caricatured and culturally insensitive.

In 1946, World War II was fresh in everyone's memory. It's not hard to imagine why the Asian-American community itself would have been reticent to point out instances of cultural insensitivity. Concurrently, the economic and societal hardships thrust upon the Asian-American community both during and after World War II made the task of assembling a full cast of Asian actors a difficult one. This "perfect storm" of circumstances allowed yellowface to become standard and largely unquestioned, even long after blackface became taboo. How the realities of this environment intersected with what we would now call at best cultural insensitivity (or at worst, racism) is unclear, but it's an important context to keep in mind when looking back at this time in history. It is especially important when looking at the writing and casting of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's musical adaptation of "Anna and the King of Siam," The King and I, which opened on Broadway in 1951. The piece contains powerful themes of tolerance and understanding, to say nothing of its clear stance on gender equality. Furthermore, these were all themes that Rodgers and Hammerstein were hardly foreign to. These are the same writers who wrote "You Have to Be Carefully Taught," South Pacific's condemnation of racism. Hammerstein also made race inequalities an important part of his landmark 1927 musical .

In any event, many historical accounts of The King and I's development (including Thomas S. Hischak's "The Rodgers and Hammerstein Encyclopedia") illuminate that the creative team's initial choices for the role of the King included Rex Harrison, Alfred Drake (the original Curly in ) and Noël Coward. For a variety of reasons, none of them panned out. In the end it was Yul Brynner, a Russian-American actor, who won the role and made it the hallmark of his career. He won a Tony Award for his performance on Broadway and earned an Academy Award for the 1956 movie adaptation as well. He became so closely associated with the performance that many people today incorrectly assume that he had Asian heritage. Though some biographies cite a distant Mongolian background on his father's side, it is unclear how much of this was based in fact and how much was hyperbolized by Brynner himself once he became associated with his role in The King and I.

As had been the case with the earlier film adaptation of the story, Brynner was not the only non-Asian actor appearing in an Asian role. The production did, however, feature two Asian dancers, Michiko and Yuriko, as the leads in Jerome Robbins' Act 2 ballet, "The Small House of Uncle Thomas." Baayork Lee also appeared as the original Princess Ying Yaowalak, an experience that later became part of her character's story in A Chorus Line.

Yul Brynner continued to play the King onstage almost continuously right up until he died in 1985, months after completing a run on Broadway opposite Mary Beth Peil as Anna. Up to that point, the only other actor who had played the role of the King on Broadway was Michael Kermoyan, who replaced Brynner for 24 performances while he took a brief vacation from a 1977 revival. Kermoyan was California born and Caucasian.

Fast-forwarding to 1990, the problems of yellowface casting were brought to the forefront when Cameron Mackintosh announced he intended to have English actor Jonathan Pryce reprise his role as the Vietnamese Engineer in Miss Saigon. Prominent Asian artists working in the Broadway community, including playwright David Henry Hwang and actor B.D. Wong, wrote public letters to the Actors' Equity Association (AEA) detailing the reasons why Pryce's casting was not acceptable. AEA initially determined Pryce would not be allowed to play the role on Broadway, but reversed the decision after Mackintosh cancelled the production in retaliation.

However, for the first time in the theatre community, a public case had been made against yellowface casting, and it was heard. After Pryce left the role, every replacement actor hired was an Asian performer, a standard that has carried forward to all major subsequent productions as well, including the current West End revival. Mackintosh, to his credit, changed his tune on the issue recently, calling his actions during the controversy his "biggest mistake."

The mainstream theatre industry's evolution in the casting of Asian roles began to affect The King and I with the 1996 Broadway revival starring Donna Murphy. For the first time in the show's history, all major Asian characters were cast with Asian performers, including Jose Llana as Lun Tha and Joohee Choi as Tuptim. Film star Lou Diamond Phillips, born in the Philippines to a Scots-Irish/Cherokee father and a Filipino mother, became the first actor with Asian heritage to play the King on Broadway. The production received mixed reviews, but Phillips did not. Writing in the New York Times, Vincent Canby wrote that both Phillips and Murphy were "giving performances as true and as big as their talents and stage personalities allow." Jeremy Gerard wrote in Variety that Phillips "may have a gem in his name, but his performance in a role heretofore associated exclusively with Yul Brynner is 24-karat gold. And he does it with hair."

Yellowface as a practice has not disappeared entirely, however. Prominent film and television actor Lorenzo Lamas has played the King in at least two productions of The King and I, at the Ogunquit Playhouse in 2007 and North Shore Music Theatre in 2011. Lamas' heritage is Norwegian and Argentinian. Photos from these productions give little evidence of Lamas passing as Asian, but neither production seemed to stir up any major controversy.

The same cannot be said for Dallas Summer Musicals' spring 2015 production. On Jan. 3 Asian-American performer and blogger Erin Quill (known to the blogosphere as " The Fairy Princess") posted a screenshot of an audition notice for a Dallas Summer Musicals spring production of The King and I. The notice included the news that both leads had been pre-cast. Rachel York would appear as Anna, and Paul Schoeffler would appear as the King. Schoeffler has played the role of the King previously in his career (at Sacramento Music Circus), but is nevertheless a Caucasian actor lacking Asian heritage.

The Asian American Performers Action Coalition (AAPAC), an organization created in 2011 to give voice to Asian-American artists working in the mainstream theatre industry, published an open letter to both the management of Dallas Summer Musicals and the theatre community at large voicing their outrage over the casting decision. Citing the 1990 Miss Saigon controversy, the letter said that it was "unfathomable that we must continue to have the same conversation again." It went on to detail the problems with yellowface casting. "Asian impersonation denies Asians our own subjecthood. It situates all the power within a Caucasian-centric world view." AAPAC closed the letter with a call to action, asking readers to contact Dallas Summer Musicals' management and tell them that their casting decision was not acceptable.

AAPAC's letter, along with Quill's blog, quickly went viral on the various social media platforms. Many Asian performers called upon their community to decline any audition appointments sought for the production, despite the potential loss of work and income that this posed for the performers.

Dallas Summer Musicals was forced to respond to the flood of complaints. Artistic director Michael Jenkins published an online response in which he initially defended their casting decision by citing historical precedent, particularly Yul Brynner's Russian background, in addition to Schoeffler's history with the role. He went on to ensure the community that their voices had been heard and that they would seek an actor of Asian descent to play the King. Interestingly, they did not have to look far; they ended up hiring Alan Ariano, who had originally been scheduled to portray the Kralahome in the same production. Meanwhile, a new revival of The King and I, produced by Lincoln Center, recently opened to unanimously rave reviews. Japanese stage and film actor Ken Watanabe makes his American stage debut as the King, with a performance that brings out exciting new colors in the role. The production features Asian performers in all Asian roles-46 in total, 29 of whom are making their Broadway debuts. Together with the 1996 Broadway revival, we can now happily call this standard practice with The King and I on Broadway. The results of the controversy surrounding Dallas Summer Musicals' production point to this becoming the standard for regional theatres as well.

The fact that The King and I lives on to reach a new generation of audiences speaks somewhat to its strength as a piece of literature. However, it is perhaps more due to the increased resonance and verisimilitude that has come to modern productions through allowing Asian performers the chance to interpret a story and characters that are a part of their own cultural heritage. Together with Rodgers and Hammerstein's powerful themes of acceptance and equality, which continue to ring true today, this modern way of producing The King and I allows the piece to live on and continue being produced where lesser more-anachronistic works would have been left behind as products of an outdated world view.

It might not yet be perfect, but the theatre industry is changing in how it tells stories involving Asian characters. It's inspiring to see how this change was affected by performers and organizations bravely speaking out, often putting their livelihoods on the line to do so. Together, they have given voice to a minority that has been historically overlooked, and they have gained lots of ground. One need look no further than the Vivian Beaumont Theater to see the result.

(Logan Culwell is a musical theatre historian, Playbill's manager of research and curator of Playbill Vault. Please visit LoganCulwell.com.)

Must See! Kelli O'Hara, Ken Watanabe and Company in Positively Regal New Shots From The King and I

A Ravishing New King and I

34 PHOTOS

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A History of Casting King and I - Cultural Evolution and Community Action | Playbill

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The King and I, Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic musical currently receiving a revival production by Lincoln Center, has been subject to several casting controversies over the years that ultimately led to an evolution in the way the piece is produced.

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Towards Cultural Equity, Diversity and Artistry in Casting

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Towards Cultural Equity, Diversity and Artistry in Casting

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Chart was adapted by Andrew M. Ibrahim MD, MSc from “Who Do I Want to Be During COVID-19” chart (original author unknown) with some ideas pulled from Ibram X. Kendi’s work.

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OPINION :My White Friend Asked Me on Facebook to Explain White Privilege. I Decided to Be Honest

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OPINION :My White Friend Asked Me on Facebook to Explain White Privilege. I Decided to Be Honest

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My White Friend Asked Me on Facebook to Explain White Privilege. I Decided to Be Honest - YES! Magazine

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Yesterday I was tagged in a post by an old high school friend asking me and a few others a very public, direct question about white privilege and racism. I feel compelled not only to publish his query, but also my response to it, as it may be a helpful discourse for more than just a few folks on Facebook.

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We spend so much time listening to the things people are saying that we rarely pay attention to the things they don't," says poet and teacher Clint Smith. A short, powerful piece from the heart, about finding the courage to speak up against ignorance and injustice.

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Clint Smith: The danger of silence | TED Talk

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“We spend so much time listening to the things people are saying that we rarely pay attention to the things they don’t,” says poet and teacher Clint Smith. A short, powerful piece from the heart, about finding the courage to speak up against ignorance and injustice.

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The Mind Of The Village: Understanding Our Implicit Biases

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The Mind Of The Village: Understanding Our Implicit Biases

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NPR's Hidden Brain:

A CONVERSATION ABOUT LIFE'S UNSEEN PATTERNS

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Where do our minds live? A simple, scientific response would be to say our minds live in our brains. But Harvard psychologist Mahzarin Banaji says we should not think of our minds as being solitary.

"The individual mind sits in society. And the connection between mind and society is an extremely important one that should not be forgotten."

Banaji is one of the creators of the Implicit Association Test, a widely-used tool for measuring a person's implicit biases. She says it's important to acknowledge that problems rooted in prejudice cannot be solved by finger pointing.

"One of the difficulties we've had in the past is that we have looked at individual people and blamed individual people. We've said if we can remove these 10 bad police officers from this force, we'll be fine. And we know as social scientists - and I believe firmly - that that is no way to change anything."

This week on the Hidden Brain radio show, we examine research about the mind of the village. We'll begin with a focus on police shootings of unarmed black men. Later in the show, we look at how biases affect judges in the U.S.
Additional Resources:
This episode includes references to research by Mahzarin Banaji, Eric Hehman, Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, Joshua Correll, and Maya Sen. You'll also hear from Philip Tetlock.

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The Mind Of The Village: Understanding Our Implicit Biases

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Where do our minds live? A simple, scientific response would be to say our minds live in our brains. But Harvard psychologist Mahzarin Banaji says we should not think of our minds as being solitary. "The individual mind sits in society. And the connection between mind and society is an extremely important one that should not be forgotten."

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RACE. IN YOUR FACE.

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Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man

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Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man

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Emmanuel Acho sits down to have an “uncomfortable conversation” with white America, in order to educate and inform on racism, system racism, social injustice, rioting & the hurt African Americans are feeling today.

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The Inaugural Episode - Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man

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Posted by Ibram X. Kendi
What a graphic @jane_mount, what a great stack of antiracist books for anyone starting or already on this journey to understand themselves and their society in order to transform themselves and their society. Thank you, Jane and @marmarfrick for this list! 😘
📚

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Showing up for Racial Justice

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158 RESOURCES TO UNDERSTAND RACISM IN AMERICA

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158 RESOURCES TO UNDERSTAND RACISM IN AMERICA

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These articles, videos, podcasts and websites from the Smithsonian chronicle the history of anti-black violence and inequality in the United States.

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158 Resources for Understanding Systemic Racism in America

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These articles, videos, podcasts and websites from the Smithsonian chronicle the history of anti-black violence and inequality in the United States

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Jane Elliott's "Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes" Anti-Racism Exercise 

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Jane Elliott's "Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes" Anti-Racism Exercise 

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The Oprah Winfrey Show,1992

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Jane Elliott's "Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes" Anti-Racism Exercise | The Oprah Winfrey Show | OWN

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Essential Listening: Podcasts on Race and Racism

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Essential Listening: Podcasts on Race and Racism

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Looking to educate yourself on racial injustice? Start with these recommended audio roundups.

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Here’s How We Can Make A Deeper Change To Stop Systemic Racism

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Here’s How We Can Make A Deeper Change To Stop Systemic Racism

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Author of “I’m Still Here: Black Dignity In A World Made For Whiteness,” Austin Channing Brown and co-host of the web series “The Next Question,” Jenny Booth Potter explain the ways in which white people can be effective in making change during this time.

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Here’s How We Can Make A Deeper Change To Stop Systemic Racism

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Showing up for Racial Justice

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A home for white people working for justice - SURJ

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A home for white people working for justice Join SURJ Support When we fight racism, we all win.We want you on our team. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25F8qz8hKBg Find a Chapter Get Updates Learn More Current Campaigns Monthly Racial Justice Action Hours Ready to get off the sidelines and into action to support campaigns to close detention centers and ...

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The Anti-Racist Starter Pack: 40 TV Series, Documentaries, Movies, TED Talks, and Books to Add to Your List

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The Anti-Racist Starter Pack: 40 TV Series, Documentaries, Movies, TED Talks, and Books to Add to Your List

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Parade: Entertainment, Recipes, Health, Life, Holidays

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So you want to be an ally but don't know where to start? First of all, thank you and welcome. This is an ever growing community of people who refuse to accept Black death and institutionalized racism as the norm. This community takes measurable steps, is intentional about their day-to-day interactions, and is committed to self- education. Where to begin? Look no further than the below starter pack of TV shows, documentaries, films, TED talks, and books that can ground your activism and ensure you're offering this movement more than lip service. Grab an accountability partner (or start a group!) as a way of debriefing what you learn and ensuring you stick with it.

There's no better day than today! Here's your anti-racist starter pack.

TV Series

1. Ava DuVernay's When They See Us stopped the world when she told the stories of the (now) Exonerated Five. This is a cautionary tale for some on the dangers of making the narrative match a racist agenda and insight into the fear of Black families across the country, and world.

2. OWN's Queen Sugar: Queen Sugar shares the beauty and complexity in family, legacy, and justice through the warmth of a Black family. Over the course of the seasons, we become even more exposed to Black rural advocacy and the power in land ownership.

3. FX's (available on Netflix): The Black LGBTQ+ community is no stranger to over-policing and brutal violence and Pose gives us a front row seat to the resilience and ingenuity of Ballroom culture and the fight for autonomy and safety.

4. Netflix's Seven Seconds: Before the hashtags and media, what is it like for a Black family learning they've lost a loved one and for a police officer realizing he took a life. How do these stories intertwine and what insight can we glean about repairing harm?

5. Dear White People (available on Netflix):Dear White People has drawn controversy from many who have been afraid to push past the title, but it's great insight to the inner workings of Black student activists and their campus experiences.

Related: 40 Ways White Women Can Help Fight Racism
Documentaries

Netflix's 13th by Ava DuVernay: Many cite The New Jim Crow (book by Michelle Alexander) as what woke them up to the extreme injustice in our criminal justice system and arguably 13th would be the documentary version of that, exposing how deep-rooted institutionalized racism is.
Related: Self-Care for Black Women Activists Right Now

1. The Children's March: Youth-led activism has been on the rise since the fearless survivors of Parkland sparked a 21st century gun violence movement. To understand the shoulders on which we stand, learn about the children of Alabama that brought a racist police chief and segregation to its knees.

2. The Kalief Browder Story (available on Netflix): For many of us, protesting is a right we take for granted. For those in the belly of our criminal justice system, advocating for yourself can be deadly. We must honor Kalief's sacrifice by knowing his story and ending cash bail.

3. The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975: The Black Liberation movement of the late 20th century is riddled with stereotypes and propaganda causing many to believe that the movement died following the assassinations of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. This documentary sets the record straight from the source with powerful interviews and recollections.

4. LA92 (available on Netflix): It's important that we never lose sight of the legacy of police violence. To understand the righteous anger of the Black community, learn more about the LA riots following the Rodney King trial.

Related: Beyoncé, LeBron James, Viola Davis, Taylor Swift and More Celebs Demand Justice for George Floyd
Movies and Short Films

1. Fruitvale Station (directed by Ryan Coogler): When advocating around police brutality, we often lose touch with the humanity of those we fight for. In this masterful film, we see a glimpse of what is stolen from us each time police use excessive force.

2. Higher Learning (directed by John Singleton): Since 2016, many have become hyper-aware of the deep rifts that exist in American society and others have always known that we have very different experiences of this country. Higher Learning will surprise you in how relevant it is to today and showing some of the hurdles to achieving a "post-racial" society.

3. Do The Right Thing (directed by Spike Lee): Eric Garner and George Floyd have both drawn connections to a fiction character who preceded them both: Radio Raheem of Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing. The film masterfully highlights where unrest stems from and what leads to the rage felt in uprisings and rebellions.

4. If Beale Street Could Talk (directed by Barry Jenkins): Activism can be very glorified by those privileged to be advocating from the abstract. This film-part love story, part drama-gives us a look into what is truly at stake for those facing wrongful incarceration head on.

5. I Am Not Your Negro (directed by Raoul Peck): James Baldwin has provided novels, personal essays, and prose to last many lifetimes! The film adaptation explores the extended history of racism through Baldwin's recollections and personal observations.

Related: 18 New Artists, Songs and Albums to Add to Your Playlists in Honor of Black Music Month

TED Talks

1. Bryan Stevenson's We Need To Talk About An Injustice:Bryan Stevenson is one of the leading racial justice advocates, working with people incarcerated on death row. If anyone can diagnose recent injustices and understand the steps forward it would be him.

2. Kimberle Crenshaw on The Urgency of Intersectionality: Following 2016, 'intersectionality' became quite the buzzword, yet gets used out of context often by both the Right and Left alike. Hear from the black woman who coined the term in the '80s as to how we use intersectionality to defend Black women.

3. Baratunde Thurston on How To Deconstruct Racism, One Headline At A Time: Racism isn't funny, but in this TED talk you'll learn about the pervasive nature of racism and laugh out loud way more times than you'll be able to count.

4. T. Morgan Dixon and Vanessa Garrison on The Trauma of Systemic Racism is Killing Black Women:Racism is traumatic. Oftentimes we are focused so much on legislative changes and urgent calls to action, that we neglect the emotional well being of Black people everywhere facing PTSD from this cyclical violence. Dive more into self-care as radical preservation with this joint TED talk.

5. Verna Meyers on How To Overcome Our Biases? Walk Towards Them: #AllLivesMatter is the new color blind and both terms are proof that people fear being accused of biases more than they feel committed to addressing them. Let's lose the shame and take bold steps deeper into your allyship.

6. Heather McGhee's Racism Has A Cost for Everyone:My liberation is bound in yours. This is not a feel good statement but a reality when it comes to how racism impacts policy, budgets, and prevents us from achieving a society that works for us all

7. The Human Stories Beyond Mass Incarceration:We can never lose sight of the people behind the statistics and in this powerful TED talk, you'll be reminded of why we fight this fight.

8. Marlon Peterson's : Marlon Peterson is formerly incarcerated and one of the leading national experts on alternatives to incarceration. Learn about why we desperately need more empathy when it comes to addressing harm.

9. Emma Harrison's From Reform to Abolition: The Future of the U.S. Prison System: More than ever before, people are Googling abolition and exploring what a society without prisons looks like. Have questions about why we can't reform these systems or what this looks like in reality? Listen up!

10. Rayna Gordon's Don't Be A Savior, Be An Ally:Sometimes with the best intentions we still fall short. Hear from Rayna about thoughtful allyship that seeks to uplift and support not take over or "save."

Related: 25 Anti-Racist Instagram Accounts to Follow for Listening, Learning and Action-Taking
Books

1. by Bryan Stevenson: You've likely heard the story of someone who served decades in prison for a crime they didn't commit. How does that happen and how do we ensure people don't disappear behind the bars and into bureaucratic systems that value process more than justice?

2. Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward: America often equates Black to mean urban America when more of us live in "middle America" and the deep South than anywhere else. Ward is a literary artist who spins the stories of Black men in Mississippi with so much love and a deep desire to protect those she loves.

3. Free Cyntoia by Cyntoia Brown-Long: Everyone from Rihanna to Kim Kardashian was tweeting about Cyntoia Brown-Long, the young woman incarcerated for defending herself against her abuser and a sexual predator. Cyntoia's story is one that many women share-and this book sheds light on how systems set up to protect us, fail us time and time again.

4. by Trevor Noah: Noah's book reads like an episode of his late night show which is to say it's informative, compelling, and well researched. This is a must read for those looking to understand race and class.

5. Unafraid of the Darkby Rosemary L Bray: Racism feels like this big scary monster which can make some of us feel like we don't know where to begin in dismantling it and others feel it's not relevant to them at all. Bray sets the record straight with these vignettes and anecdotes about what racism looks like in practice but also how police interventions can work to alleviate the pressures.

6. How We Get Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective by Keeanga Yamahtta-Taylor: "Listen to Black women!" Want to learn what Black women from movements past have to say about justice and freedom? Look no further than this foundational manifesto.

7. Children of Blood and Bones by Tomi Adeyemi: Science fiction is a powerful tool for exploring problems from the distance we normally aren't afforded with day-to-day life. This first part of the electric new trilogy explores issues of fear, revenge, and what it takes to build a new future.

8. When They Call You A Terrorist by Patrisse Khan Cullors: Cullors co-founded Black Lives Matter over five years ago alongside two other Black women organizers. Years later, she reflected on her own journey to that moment and what it means to be labeled a terrorist by the government that has sought to erase you and those you love.

9. Let's Get Free: A Hip-Hop Theory of Justice by Paul Butler: This Harvard Law grad turned prosecutor went from high-powered attorney to wrongfully accused Black man in one day. What that experience taught him is cemented through this book and will tell you all you need to know about this rigged system.

10. Pushout by Monique Morris: Black girls and women are often left out of the conversation when it comes to criminal justice reform but Morris reiterates exactly how Black girls are oversexualized, more likely to be described as aggressive, and more frequently suspended or expelled, leading to this school-to-prison pipeline we hear so much about.

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The Anti-Racist Starter Pack: 40 TV Series, Documentaries, Movies, TED Talks, and Books to Add to Your List

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So you want to be an ally but don't know where to start? First of all, thank you and welcome. This is an ever growing community of people who refuse to accept Black death and institutionalized racism as the norm. This community takes measurable steps, is intentional about their day-to-day interactions, and is committed to self- education.

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Book Riot

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Why You Need to Stop Saying "All Lives Matter"

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Why You Need to Stop Saying "All Lives Matter"

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Let me be clear: stating that black lives matter doesn’t insinuate that other lives don’t.
BY RACHEL ELIZABETH CARGLE

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11 Things White People Should Stop Saying to Black People Immediately

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11 Things White People Should Stop Saying to Black People Immediately

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Whenever a black youth like Michael Brown gets shot, or a racist blowhard like Donald Sterling gets exposed, many white people on and off the Internet react with remarks brimming with the ugliness of anti-black racism. And it absolutely has to stop.

More often than not, many white people resort to putting the onus back on the people who are experiencing the pain of racism. This tactic often derails the broader conversation, allowing white people to continue ignoring their own biases, and prevents a frank examination of the larger systems and powers accountable for enshrining the dehumanization of and discrimination against blacks and people of color. That larger system is white supremacy, a version of which has little to do with neo-Nazis or the KKK as most would assume.

A growing number of black people have been ruthlessly beaten, shot and killed by white police officers of late, a fact all too easy to gloss over for white people who will continue moving through American life with white privilege. White privilege means not having to deal with the disproportionate impact of police brutality, racial profiling and exclusion from everyday social settings and public accommodations.

Rather than tackle a thorny issue with tact and honesty, however, privilege also allows people to ignore the conversation, mock it or walk away from it altogether. But it doesn't have to be that way. Americans don't have to let this type of ignorance stop us from examining the many subtle, insidious attitudes and beliefs that help perpetuate racism through microaggressions - a term coined by African-American psychologist Chester Pierce and further developed by Derald Wing Sue and researchers at Columbia University to explain smaller instances of systemic, cumulative racial indignities.

Here are a few problematic examples that can be used to help elevate a much-needed dialogue as the images streaming out of Ferguson, Mo., bring us face to face with America's legacy of institutional intolerance.

1. "Why do black people have to make everything about race?"

If it seems as though black people talk about race so much, that's because America, as a government and as a power structure, has made everything about race, from the moment Columbus landed in 1492 to the recent shooting of Michael Brown at the hands of a cop with institutional power and privilege on his side.

White people will never fully understand how racism impacts the everyday lives of black people and people of color. That's because they benefit from a racial system that enshrines institutional racism and racial prejudice as the rule of law and social order.

For those who aren't already actively anti-racist, however, exercising empathy is a good place to start. Doing so means taking the lead from black people, listening to their stories of racialized pains and struggles, and reflecting on the ways privilege minimizes those hindrances for white people.

If the continuing conversation about racism upsets you, take a second to imagine what it's like for the black people who deal with racism everyday, and who are tired of thinking and talking about it, but discuss it anyway because for them, it's not just a dinner table dialogue.

2. "I don't have white privilege. Stop saying that I have white privilege."

White privilege isn't inherently about being raised in an affluent, two-parent home with high educational attainment and markers of upward mobility in American society. White privilege is the many built-in perks afforded to white people by virtue of being born with white skin and white ethnicity in a social and legal system that enforces white supremacy as the rule of law. It's not having to seriously think about or discuss how the situation in Ferguson will affect friends and relatives or even how a broader justice system will work to protect (or to not protect) the constitutional rights of black people.

White privilege is being able to walk away from the conversation, or to stop reading a piece about racism when it stirs up discomfort, rather than wrestling with the subject matter and owning up to personal biases and limits to understanding.

White privilege can be used for good too, of course, if those who wield it actively challenge the prejudices of their white friends and reject white supremacy. But as long as white people keep denying their privilege, white officers with badges and institutional power on their side will continue killing blacks with impunity.

3. "I'm not racist. I have black friends."

CNN via YouTube

Aside from the lazy logic of such a statement, this phrase describes the phenomenon wherein people use black people as accessories and distractions.

Having a black friend, or any relationship with a person of color, doesn't mean your everyday habits and politics are exempt from having racist implications. For proof, look no further than Donald Sterling, who told his girlfriend, a person of color, to stop bringing black people with her to basketball games because he feels blacks are inferior.

4. "These protesters speak so well, but they're such violent people."

AP

Most of the protests in Ferguson have been peaceful, but that fact hasn't stopped some characterizations from making it appear as though a race war is brewing. In effect, blacks are being typecasted as loud, irrational people who shouldn't be paid attention to, when they actually have valid concerns about the abuses from their local police force.

These types of remarks go hand in hand with an amazement about how poised, well-spoken and presentable some black protesters have been amid the chaos. In other contexts, "You speak so well" may sound like earnest praise, and sometimes it's received by black people as a commendation because of the apparent intent. However, more often than not, this sentiment is a backhanded compliment that assumes most black people speak with rudimentary grammar and communicate using "lesser" linguistic patterns such as Ebonics.

If a black person has great oratory skills, it's certainly possible to say so in a way that isn't infantilizing or denigrating. Talk about the content of the remarks and other communication dynamics they employed to be effective, but please do not assume that someone else's method of communication is automatically inferior just because it sounds different.

5. "You probably voted for Barack Obama just because he's black."

President Obama issued a statement on Tuesday regarding Brown's shooting death, and finally spoke Thursday about it as he would any other major policy issue, noting a Justice Department investigation already in progress, and that there's "never an excuse" for police brutality or excessive force against peaceful protesters.

Unlike many other presidents and political leaders before, Obama has a better understanding of black issues, given his lived experiences as a person of color and his education. But don't treat black people as though they can't make an informed political decision that uses a cost-benefit analysis, or even a pragmatic approach to politics, in order to cast their vote.

The vast majority of African-Americans vote for Democratic candidates like President Obama in major elections, but this is often because of a sense of " linked racial fate" - in other words, the candidate that represents the issues most relevant to the everyday lives of black people is most likely to win a disproportionate share of votes from black constituents. So it's not as much about skin color as it is about positions on issues, which is how most anyone else votes.

Otherwise, people like former Tea Party Republican congressman Allen West would have swept the the black vote in their elections, despite their problematic views on issues affecting black people.

6. "It's not fair that you all can say the n-word, but we can't."

The n-word has hundreds of years of slavery, segregation and institutional racism attached to it. But in recent decades, it's been reclaimed by black people, which now means that some blacks use it in a variety of different ways, often to refer to one another in a not-so-derogatory manner.

But just because some black people have reclaimed the word in their everyday vernacular, or even in their cultural productions, doesn't mean white people get to participate in that same reclamation. White people irrevocably lost that opportunity the day the n-word coincided with lynchings, whippings, mob beatings and police shootings.

7. "I'm clutching my purse or my wallet when you walk past, because I think you might steal from me."

Anyone of any race can perpetrate a mugging, or commit any other crime that involves physical or personal property. But because of how white overrepresentation in America's police departments and the justice system impacts the enforcement of laws, research shows there's a disproportionate impact on how blacks are caught and publicly held accountable for their wrongdoing. The situation in Ferguson mirrors that very reality, as the Los Angeles Times shows, based on a report from the Missouri attorney general's office about racial profiling in that state. That might explain why some people feel as though every time they hear about a violent crime or theft, they see a black mugshot or hear a name that "sounds" black.

It also removes accountability from larger social systems, such as the school-to-prison pipeline and the prison-industrial complex, that may put someone in a position where they must choose between not having basic needs and stealing from someone who can afford them. Instead, disproportionately white police departments pull out all the stops in a show of excessive force, protecting white privilege and white wealth in the process.

8. "I don't understand why you people..."

The phrase "you people" is coded language, a euphemism for the n-word, black people, outsiders or "the other." By being an outsider to whiteness and white supremacy, "you people" suggests that blacks (and other people of color) do not belong in the same rooms, venues or halls of power as white people.

9. "When I see you, I don't see race."

Color-blind racism is still racism. Without facing history and the present realities, it's impossible to understand how racism affects the everyday life of peoples of all races and ethnicities.

Almost everyone, save for those who ascribe to a racist system or retain deep-seated racial prejudice, wants to be able to unite across races, ethnicities and cultures to live in harmony. But with the systems and structures of previous generations still in place, which codify and promote racism in politics and everyday life, we're nowhere close to being post-race or being able to "not see" skin color.

But there are moments every day when that racial divide is bridged in a way that is mutually beneficial and even life-giving for all parties involved. For proof, take a look at this black family, which welcomed a white reporter from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch into their home for safe shelter and sustenance while he reports about the situation in Ferguson. It's an illuminating example of what an authentic cross-cultural embrace can look like.

10. "If black men don't want to get stopped by police, maybe they shouldn't dress that way."

It shouldn't matter what a young person is wearing, or how they walk down the street, or how they talk, how they speak or where they come from. It doesn't matter if black men wear suits everywhere, or stop sagging their pants, or stop wearing hoodies - a "classy" dress code isn't going to stop police brutality.

In fact, many white young people wear the same kinds of clothing, yet are not subjected to the same kinds of the racialized subtexts. On average, a white man in a hoodie is less likely to be perceived as a threat by a police officer or concerned citizen. Indeed, the moment a self-appointed Florida neighborhood watchman named George Zimmerman thought he could accost and harass a black young man wearing a hoodie and jeans, the situation snowballed into that young man's death.

It is never the victim's fault. And no change of clothing will hold the people and systems accountable for murdering young black people.

11. "Racism ended in the 1960s. Stop making such a big deal out of nothing."

Jackie Summers via Twitter

This statement couldn't be farther from the truth. In fact, if you pay attention to news coverage, there's a laundry list of big and small issues proving that American racism is far from being a thing of the past.

The killings of Michael Brown, Renisha McBride, Jordan Davis, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner and many other nameless, faceless black young people - all at the hands of police and whites - come at a time when black women like Marissa Alexander are simultaneously being denied the " stand your ground" defense and instead threatened with decades in jail for firing a warning shot at an allegedly abusive spouse.

When it comes to the reality in Ferguson, Mo., the images speak for themselves. And that unsavory reality begins with the family that Brown leaves behind, including a father and mother struggling with the pain of burying their son because of the very people who should be keeping them safe.
Image Credit: AP

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11 Things White People Should Stop Saying to Black People Immediately

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Whenever a black youth like Michael Brown gets shot, or a racist blowhard like Donald Sterling gets exposed, many white people on and off the Internet react with remarks brimming with the ugliness of anti-black racism. And it absolutely has to...

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Understanding My Privilege | Sue Borrego | TEDxPasadenaWomen

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Understanding My Privilege | Sue Borrego | TEDxPasadenaWomen

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University Chancellor, Susan E. Borrego, reflects on her life as an emancipated minor and dissects the emotionally charged conversation surrounding race relations in the United States. This raconteur uses her powerful first-person account of "White Privilege" and "Black Lives Matter" to underscore the responsibility each one of us has to bring about change.

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Understanding My Privilege | Sue Borrego | TEDxPasadenaWomen

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Stop Asking People Of Color To Explain Racism – Pick Up One Of These Books Instead

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Stop Asking People Of Color To Explain Racism – Pick Up One Of These Books Instead

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A Look at Implicit Bias and Microaggressions: A primer on the impact of implicit biases in schools and how they can be expressed by students and faculty.

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A Look at Implicit Bias and Microaggressions: A primer on the impact of implicit biases in schools and how they can be expressed by students and faculty.

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CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING

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A Look at Implicit Bias and Microaggressions

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A primer on the impact of implicit biases in schools and how they can be expressed by students and faculty.

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Dear fellow white people: Here’s what to do when you’re called racist

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Dear fellow white people: Here’s what to do when you’re called racist

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/dear-fellow-white-people-heres-what-to-do-when-youre-called-racist/2019/08/20/6e31941a-beda-11e9-b873-63ace636af08_story.html

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"What Is Systemic Racism?" is an 8-part video series that shows how racism shows up in our lives across institutions and society: Wealth Gap, Employment, Housing Discrimination, Government Surveillance, Incarceration, Drug Arrests, Immigration Arrests, Infant Mortality… yes, systemic racism is really a thing.

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Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice -- and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.

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Get a daily email featuring the latest talk, plus a quick mix of trending content.

By subscribing, you understand and agree that we will store, process and manage your personal information according to our Privacy Policy

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Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The danger of a single story

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Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice -- and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.

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How to Overcome our Biases? Walk Boldly Toward Them.

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How to Overcome our Biases? Walk Boldly Toward Them.

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Vernā Myers

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How to overcome our biases? Walk boldly toward them

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Our biases can be dangerous, even deadly — as we’ve seen in the cases of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner, in Staten Island, New York. Diversity advocate Vernā Myers looks closely at some of the subconscious attitudes we hold toward out-groups. She makes a plea to all people: Acknowledge your biases. Then move toward, not away from, the groups that make you uncomfortable. In a funny, impassioned, important talk, she shows us how.

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Woke: A Young Poet's Guide to Justice is a collection of poems to inspire kids to stay woke and become a new generation of activists.

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This collection of poems by women of color covers topics relating to social justice, activism, discrimination and empathy, focusing on the need to speak out and inspiring middle-graders. - Vogue Woke: A Young Poet's Guide to Justice is a collection of poems to inspire kids to stay woke and become a new generation of activists.

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Teaching Tolerance

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Recognizing white privilege begins with truly understanding the term itself.

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Engaging in thoughtful discussion with people of other backgrounds is essential to understanding privilege. Prior to the discussion, ask participants to read Peggy McIntosh’s article, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack,” or “Waking Up White” by Debby Irving.

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National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)

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Across the nation, children of all backgrounds are experiencing a time in which discussions about race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and culture are at the forefront of their everyday lives. Many people avoid these discussions because they fear that conversations about race, bias, and racism lead to feelings of anger, guilt, discomfort, sadness, and at times disrespect. The current state of our Union, however, no longer allows for these tough conversations to be ignored. While uncomfortable for some, school psychologists are in a position to lead or at least participate in these conversations. By using their knowledge and expertise of systems-level change, school psychologists can facilitate the dialogue to bring about positive, productive outcomes.

This document is part of a series of resources developed by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) in response to recent acts of racial violence and the increasingly uncivil discourse occurring across our country. It is important for school psychologists and other educators to understand the historical and contemporary conditions that have resulted in many of these violent acts, as well as others' reactions (including violence) to these events. NASP seeks to help schools and families engage in constructive dialogue about privilege, prejudice, power, and the ways that all of us can work together to shift the conversation from hate and violence toward understanding and respect to ultimately bring about positive change and unity to our communities.

Background Information

In today's American society, each of us has an identity that shapes how we see ourselves and others. Not only do our social norms and cultural underpinnings influence our experiences, they also set the course for how we view the world. Differences in identity-and related struggles for place and power-are woven throughout our history and social and political culture. In fact, while diversity is a hallmark and strength of our nation, the path toward common ground, mutual respect, and equity has been rocky for nearly every religious, racial, and ethnic group that has become part of the American fabric along the way. The same is true for groups identified by specific experiences and characteristics, such as gender, sexual orientation, and disability. In many respects, though, the disconnect in identity and experience between White Americans and those of nonmajority backgrounds is deeply intertwined in our most difficult challenges, such as poverty, disenfranchisement, isolation, inequity, and violence, and it isn't fully possible to address these issues without also addressing this reality.

The Role of Privilege

For many members of the majority culture (i.e., those who identify as White) in the United States, being made aware of one's classification as linked to privilege is likely not a common or welcomed experience. Indeed, many people have never been asked or required to reflect on their own privileged status, and in regards to racial identity, doing so might feel uncomfortable or even discordant with the common narrative regarding social and political changes over the years. For example, White Americans may attach the concepts of progress toward equality or being "color blind" as mitigating privilege. As a result, many White Americans either may not be aware of or may avoid considering how simply being White confers special status or experiences, potentially to the detriment of others. While many Americans may not view themselves as privileged because of their economic or social status, the advantage of being in the majority racial group is real, even if often hidden.

Consider simple life activities such as shopping in a store without the fear of being followed or buying or renting a home in an area that you can afford without consideration of your race. This fundamental disconnect might both motivate and exacerbate the racial/cultural divide in the United States due to a lack of awareness of how privilege contributes to the realities of racism. Peggy McIntosh (1990), in her essay "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack", wrote, "I realized that I had been taught about racism as something that puts others at a disadvantage, but also had been taught not to see one of its corollary aspects, White privilege, which puts me at an advantage." Importantly, although privilege is often associated only with wealth and/or economic status, it applies far more broadly. Privilege can be assigned to populations within a group, such as athletes, individuals perceived as attractive, individuals who attain higher levels of education, or membership in certain religious groups. Loosely defined, privilege includes the following aspects.

Unearned advantages that are highly valued but restricted to certain groups. Unearned advantages are those that someone receives by identifying or being born into a specific group. It is important to note that the groups who have received these advantages have not earned them due to their own hard work but rather their affiliation (e.g., being born into a wealthy family provides privileges that others do not have, such as accessing education as well as mental health and medical services; White Americans are more likely to walk into a mall without the suspicion of stealing). Equally important to note is the reality that while some benefit from unearned advantages, others are victims of unearned disadvantage. Unearned entitlements are things of value that all people should have; however, they are often restricted to certain groups because of the values of the majority culture that influence political and social decisions. The example below illustrates this concept.
Example: John (a boy) is perceived to understand science better than Jane (a girl). Although John and Jane are both in the same science class and have the same grades on their assignments and exams, because he's a boy, John's perceived superior understanding of science can become advantageous if he (rather than Jane) is encouraged to join science clubs. Over time, John's participation in various science clubs may lead to receiving better grades in science and improve his chances of being accepted into more rigorous and competitive classes and programs in the future.
Privilege oppresses certain groups. As explained by Wildman and Davis (1995),
Members of the privileged group gain many benefits by their affiliation with the dominant side of the power system. Privileged advantage in societal relationships benefits the holder of privilege, who may receive deference, special knowledge, or a higher comfort level to guide societal interaction. Privilege is not visible to its holder; it is merely there, a part of the world, a way of life, simply the way things are. Others have a lack, an absence, a deficiency.

Privilege exists when one group has something of value that is denied to others simply because of group membership and not based on what a person or group has done or failed to do (Johnson, 2006). For those who routinely benefit from privilege, the challenge is to not quickly deny its existence. It is important to recognize that privilege is a part of the reality that helps some while it impedes others' experiences. For example, although being female or a person of color does not necessarily directly determine an outcome, these characteristics can easily and quickly make these individuals less likely to be hired, recognized, or rewarded in a variety of situations.

Privilege is problematic (a) when it skews our personal interactions and judgments and (b) when it contributes to or blinds us to systemic barriers for those who do not possess a certain privilege, thereby creating or perpetuating inequity. In American culture, certain groups have the privilege of operating within settings-through no effort on their part-that are more conducive for their success, while others-through no fault of their own-find themselves in settings that make success more difficult (Miranda, Boland, & Hemmeler, 2009). Again, this concept refers to any advantage that is unearned, exclusive, and socially conferred. For example, with White privilege, White people are generally assumed to be law abiding until they show that they are not. On the other hand, people of color, in particular African Americans and Latinos, are routinely assumed to be criminals or potential criminals until they show that they are not (Johnson, 2006).

The Effect of Privilege in Schools

In schools, privilege-based bias plays out in many ways but perhaps most acutely in discipline. Macintosh (2014) refers to the disproportionate disciplinary outcomes in schools and the importance of evaluating implicit bias in the context of vulnerable decision points that are highly susceptible to individuals' unconscious bias. Unconscious bias at its core speaks to lack of awareness of-or literally not thinking about-internal biases when engaging in disciplinary practice. Such unconscious bias is likely the result of individuals' past experiences, including lack of exposure to certain students (i.e., ethnic minorities). When adults who are working with young people make fast decisions, the data suggest an increase in the likelihood of disproportionate disciplinary practices that unfortunately continue to perpetuate the stigma of perceived criminal behavior from African American and Latino students.

As practitioners continue to develop and grow in their own self-awareness, the potential to change the current outcomes seen in disciplinary practices is promising. Lindsey, Robins, and Terrell (2009) suggest that culturally competent educational leaders should engage in the following:

Assess one's own culture

Value diversity

Manage the dynamics of difference

Adapt to diversity

Institutionalize cultural knowledge

These practices allow culturally competent educational leaders to recognize their own cultural values, norms, and expectations, while allowing them to collaborate with students, staff, and families from other cultures. These interactions support the management of conflicts that may arise as a result of cultural differences. Adapting to diversity suggests embedding equitable practices in classroom management, instructional practices, and social-emotional learning. Finally, institutionalizing cultural knowledge speaks to informing school policies that are equitable and supportive of all students.

Self-Reflection Questions

Wildman & Davis (1995) explain that "the lives we lead affect what we are able to see and hear in the world around us." As such, an important first step to understanding the concept of group-based privilege and how it can shape peoples' perspectives, experiences, and interactions is to examine our own experience. We can be the beneficiary of privilege without recognizing or consciously perpetuating it. Learning to see one's own privilege as well as that of groups and systems can create an important pathway to self-discovery. Some questions to consider are listed below.

1. When was the last time you had to think about your ethnicity, race, gender identity, ability level, religion, and/or sexual orientation? What provoked you to think about it or acknowledge it?

2. When watching TV or a movie, how likely are you to watch shows whose characters reflect your ethnicity, race, gender, ability level, religion, gender identity, and/or sexual orientation?

3. When using social media, how diverse is your feed? How diverse are your friends and followers? How diverse are those that you follow?

4. How do you respond when others make negative statements towards individuals of a different ethnicity, race, gender, ability level, religion, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity than yourself?

5. How often do you go to social settings where the majority of individuals are of a different ethnicity, race, gender, ability level, religion, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity than yourself?

6. How diverse is the community in which you live?

7. How do you feel when you are in a community that is different than your neighborhood?

8. How would you make your neighborhood more inclusive and sensitive?

9. If you recognized your privilege, what did you do with this realization?

Suggestions for Talking to Others About Privilege

Engaging in thoughtful discussion with people of other backgrounds is essential to understanding privilege. Prior to the discussion, ask participants to read Peggy McIntosh's article, "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack," or "Waking Up White" by Debby Irving.
Start by discussing how privilege looks in our society and which groups have privilege and which do not.

The first discussion should be about privilege, in general, in America and the reasons some groups have privilege and others do not. This lays a foundation before personalizing the discussion and may help participants be less defensive.

Next, ask participants to discuss examples of how they are privileged and how they are not privileged. Listen to the ways in which a person legitimately does and does not have privilege and validate any frustrations that are expressed, especially before offering your opinion or perspective. The discussion about areas in which participants have not experienced privilege is where the most empathy may be found.

Be sure to listen twice as much as you speak.

Stress that privilege is relative to each individual's lived experience.

The degree to which individuals experience privilege must be framed within the context of their own race, gender, ability level, religion, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity coupled with the communities in which they live, work, and play as well as the persons with whom they interact.
Recognize that having privilege does not require feeling guilty for your privilege.

Because each of us likely has an element of privilege within our make-up (ethnicity, gender, ability level, religion, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity), individuals need not feel guilty for their privilege.

Rather, the focus should be to use our privileged positions to challenge the systems in which we live. Specifically, challenge yourself and others to refuse to live in a system of unchecked privilege. For example, challenging school staff members to walk the route their students take to school each day is a small but meaningful step toward helping them to identify and understand their privilege in relation to the students they serve.

Determine and offer ways to challenge systems of privilege and oppression in your own life.

If someone mentions an oppressive pattern that relates to privilege (e.g., "Men always dominate conversations and talk over women because they are taught that their voices are more valuable."), consider how you will not participate in this pattern. For example, you might say less or be aware of how often you are speaking and begin to listen more while others are speaking.

Conclusion

Understanding and engaging in self-reflection and discussions about privilege is an essential step to addressing individual and systemic inequities in our society. We must be aware of and honest about our personal perspectives and how these may or may not contribute to biases that in turn may contribute, even unintentionally, to prejudice, inequity, isolation, poverty, and violence. Schools present an ideal context for helping to guide conversations and learning opportunities for students. (See NASP's lesson plan for middle and high school students, "Talking About Race and Privilege" for additional specific guidance.)

Resources
Related NASP Resources
"NASP Statement Regarding Recent Acts of Violence": http://www.nasponline.org/about-school-psychology/media-room/press-releases/nasp-statement-regarding-recent-acts-of-violence

"Racism, prejudice, and discrimination," NASP position statement: http://www.nasponline.org/x26830.xml

"Talking about race and privilege: Lesson plan for middle and high school students," lesson plan: http://www.nasponline.org/resources/social-justice
Online
"10 children's books that help White kids understand what children of color are up against," Romper blog post: https://www.romper.com/p/10-childrens-books-that-help-white-kids-understand-what-children-of-color-are-up-against-15238

"Confronting White Privilege," Teaching Tolerance article, http://www.tolerance.org/magazine /number-42-fall-2012/feature/confronting-white-privilege

"For White teachers in the times of #Blacklivesmatter," Practical Theory blog post: http://practicaltheory.org/blog/2016/07/07/for-white-teachers-in-the-time-of-blacklivesmatter/

"Resources for discussing police violence, race, and racism with children," Education Week blog post: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/rulesforengagement/2016/07/resources_for_discussing_police_violence_and_addressing_trauma_with_students.html?cmp=eml-contshr-shr

The Pathology of Privilege: Racism, White Denial & the Costs of Inequality, Media Education Foundation video: http://shop.mediaed.org/tim-wise-on-white-privilege-p137.aspx

"White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack," monograph by Peggy McIntosh: https://www.deanza.edu/faculty/lewisjulie/White Priviledge Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack.pdf
Books
Courageous Conversations About Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools, Second Edition by Glenn E. Singleton

Waking Up White by Debby Irving

"Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?" And Other Questions About Race, 5th Anniversary Revised Edition by Beverly Daniel Tatum

References

Johnson, A. G. (2006). Privilege, power, and difference (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Linsey, R. B., & Terrell, K. N. (2009). Cultural proficiency: A manual for school leaders (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Miranda, A., Boland, A., & Hemmler, M. (2009). Understanding privilege in America. In J. M. Jones (Ed.), The psychology of multiculturalism in the schools: A primer for practice, training, and research (pp. 67-82). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.

McIntosh, K. (2016). How can we reduce racial disproportionality in school discipline? [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from: http://www.pbis.org/Common/Cms/files/pbisresources /IB intro 45 min 2016-2-9h.pptx

Tomes, Y. I. (2013). Cross-cultural interactions and understanding. Poughkeepsie, NY: NOVA.

Wildman, S. M., & Davis, A. D. (1995). Language and silence: Making systems of privilege visible. Santa Clara Law Review, 35(3), 881-906. Retrieved from: http://digitalcommons.law.scu.edu /lawreview/vol35/iss3/4/

© 2016, National Association of School Psychologists, 4340 East West Highway, Suite 402, Bethesda, MD 20814, 301-657-0270, www.nasponline.org

Please cite this document as:

National Association of School Psychologists. (2016). Understanding Race and Privilege [handout]. Bethesda, MD: Author.

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Across the nation, children of all backgrounds are experiencing a time in which discussions about race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and culture are at the forefront of their...

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From The Conscious Kid

White supremacy is a system of structural and societal racism which privileges white people over everyone else, regardless of the presence or absence of racial hatred. White racial advantages occur at both a collective and an individual level.

Image Source: Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence (2005). Adapted: Ellen Tuzzolo (2016); Mary Julia Cooksey Cordero (@jewelspewels) (2019); The Conscious Kid (2020).

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FIVE BOOKS ON SYSTEMIC RACISM EVERY WHITE LEADER CAN LEARN FROM

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FIVE BOOKS ON SYSTEMIC RACISM EVERY WHITE LEADER CAN LEARN FROM

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White people have controlled race relations in the United States for the last four hundred years. It is still a mess. It is time for white people to become honestly aware of the state of race in the United States today, acknowledge it with humility, and work to repair the broken systems underlying the inhumanity that still exists. These five books can be a start for that process.

We begin with Rhonda Magee's The Inner Work of Racial Justice, which offers us optimism through its clear path forward. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates and The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander tell the story of our broken world through a very personal and a broad institutional lens, respectively. The Princeton Fugitive Slave by Lolita Buckner Inniss demonstrates the critical importance of perspective taking, something required for anyone seeking to lead compassionately. Finally, White Fragility, by Robin DiAngelo helps us understand why it is so hard for white people to talk about racism.

Compassionate leadership starts with work on ourself and ends with a sense of connection to everyone through our shared common humanity. What we do to any one of us we are doing to all of us. Explore the wisdom in these books as a starting point to expand your understanding of systemic racism and lead with compassion and humanity.

by Rhonda V. Magee

How do we live productively and peacefully in a world surrounded by people with vastly different backgrounds from our own? The entirety of human history, and not just recent weeks in the United States, does not offer much hope for our ability to accomplish this. Law professor Rhonda Magee does.

With book sections that progress from Grounding to Seeing to Being to Doing to Liberating, Magee shows us how to recognize the profound depth of our shared common humanity and to honor that which has historically divided and separated us: our particular differences. She offers hope that inner awareness and mindful practices can help us transform ourselves, and in so doing, transform the world that is so in need of healing right now.

by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Broadly proclaimed and awarded, Between the World and Me is patterned after James Baldwin's A Fire Next Time. Although it is written as a letter to the author's fifteen-year-old son, white leaders should listen carefully to Coates important closing words. "I do not believe we can stop them,... because they must ultimately stop themselves." The "them" he is referring to are those he calls "Dreamers," or those who believe in the American Dream of perfection and exceptionalism.

Coates doesn't use racial terms because of their artificiality as a social construct, saying " race is the child of racism, not the father." Make no mistake, those Dreamers who "must ultimately stop themselves" are those who consider themselves to be white. That is who has created this system of racism, and that is the only group who can upend the system.

by Michelle Alexander

The New Jim Crow is a tragic telling, with abundant statistical support, of the treatment of young black men by the American economic and criminal justice system. Alexander says that it has been intentionally written for people who care about racial justice. If after reading this book, one doesn't care about racial justice, they couldn't have been paying attention to what is written on the pages they read.

Alexander pulls no punches, naming names and pointing fingers when she believes it necessary. Don't read this book expecting the fingers to be pointing at "them" - whoever you think they are. The fault can be seen to lie squarely at the reader's feet, no matter who the reader happens to be.

by Lolita Buckner Inniss

American history has largely been chronicled by white men, creating an excessively self-congratulatory view of the last 400 years. The Princeton Fugitive Slave is a painstakingly researched book (footnotes and bibliography run to nearly 100 pages), by SMU Law School professor Lolita Buckner Inniss, which tells the story of James Collins Johnson from his point of view.

In a highly readable narrative of the fascinating life of a man who escaped slavery in Maryland, was discovered in free New Jersey, arrested, and prepared to be sent back to his "owner," then bought out of slavery by a resident of the town of Princeton, and became a fixture on the Princeton campus peddling food and candy from a cart.

Inniss has richly transformed Johnson's story from that of an escapee from a "kind slave master," saved by a white woman, and beloved by Princeton University students as a sweet, jovial darling into a much more nuanced portrait of a human being. Her portrayal raises important questions about what it means to be free, and where the line lies between work and servitude. Most of all it is a lesson in the critical importance in listening to the narrative of each person.

by Robin DiAngelo

Science is clear that we are all prejudiced; that we all have biases deeply ingrained within us. Responding productively to them - in ways that help eliminate racial inequalities - requires us to acknowledge our biases and transform them. Yet, the cultural context for racism has become so binary that revealing even the slightest bit of bias can be untenable. Herein lies the Catch-22 of white fragility: we can't create a better world without naming the biases we all have, but naming them creates an extraordinary fear among well-intentioned people of marginalization.

In White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism, Robin DiAngelo examines the roots of the modern American racial structure and the reasons it is so difficult to acknowledge the pervasiveness of racial bias. She offers a path forward for white people to dismantle the grossly inequitable structure within which we all live.

Tagged: Rhonda Magee, Between the World and Me, Ta-Nehisi Coates, The New Jim Crow, Michelle Alexander, The Princeton Fugitive Slave, Lolita Buckner Inniss, White Fragility, Robin DiAngelo, white people, racism, systemic racism, racial bias, compassionate leadership, The Inner Work of Racial Justice

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Five Books On Systemic Racism Every White Leader Can Learn From - Center for Compassionate Leadership

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Leading with compassion is a powerful means to dismantle the structure of systemic racism. Gain a greater awareness of the experiences of others, and you are on the path to becoming a stronger compassionate leader. What else are you learning? What else are you doing?

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Social-Emotional Learning and White Supremacy

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Social-Emotional Learning and White Supremacy

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A few years ago, I had the great fortune to meet Bronx native Dena Simmons on a fellowship trip and hear about her life's work and experience. She's an educator, a TED speaker, and currently, the assistant director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence-not to mention a keynote speaker at the EdSurge Fusion conference later this year.

What I didn't realize at the time was just how much of a confluence there would be between her work and the current trendiness of one particular phrase: "social-emotional learning" (SEL)-something which Simmons has been exploring and researching for years.

As has happened with other buzzwords in the education space-from "personalized" to "project-based" learning-when a concept gains traction on Twitter or becomes trendy among edtech company offerings, it runs the risk of being mishandled or cheapened. Simmons is well aware of that reality, and has written and spoken about that risk for organizations from ASCD to large public school districts.

Namely, are we at risk of bastardizing SEL to the point where it becomes less helpful and more harmful for the students we seek to serve? How should educators work with kids to truly develop those soft skills-and escape the inevitability of impostor experiences?

Last week, Simmons and I sat down to discuss just that, and more.

What's the point of teaching children about conflict resolution skills, if we're not talking about the conflicts that exist because of racism or white supremacy?

Dena Simmons

From Social-Emotional Learning to Social-Emotional Equity

For the last five years, Simmons has risen through the ranks at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence-first starting off as associate director of school initiatives, then moving into a director of education role and finally making it to assistant director.

But for Simmons, her growth isn't simply driven only by a desire to climb the career ladder. In fact, her work in equity comes from a very personal place. When asked to recall a key memory that defined her as an educator and a human being, she mentions her twin sister, who has a chronic, debilitating illness.

"It really is hard to watch my sister struggle and suffer, but it has really brought out the activist in me, because I've had to fight for her since I was young," she describes. "I've had to tell doctors to respect what she's saying when she's in pain. It really taught me about how black lives are valued-especially within the chronically sick black folk community."

As a young girl growing up in the Bronx, Simmons was ever-aware of the importance of personal safety and community. Today, she works with her colleagues to ensure that "our young people have safe spaces to learn"-hence the research and efforts around spreading social-emotional learning and helping students figure out how to navigate and manage their emotions, relationships and well-being.

However, according to Simmons, the world of SEL isn't all hearts and stars. On the contrary-we are at risk of delivering a "very flawed narrative" when it comes to SEL. Here's how.

When Social-Emotional Learning Becomes 'White Supremacy With a Hug'

First, Simmons describes the fact that when SEL is taught to students-particularly students of color-without any context, it can become inherently problematic. "What's the point of teaching children about conflict resolution skills," she says, "if we're not talking about the conflicts that exist because of racism or white supremacy? Without that nuance, she says SEL risks turning into "white supremacy with a hug."

To help address this issue, Simmons recently wrote a piece for ASCD entitled " Why We Can't Afford Whitewashed Social Emotional Learning," in which she argues that teaching SEL needs to happen within a sociopolitical and racial context.

"Educators often teach SEL absent of the larger sociopolitical context, which is fraught with injustice and inequity and affects our students' lives," she wrote, adding that educators oftentimes "feel ill-equipped and uncomfortable in addressing topics like poverty, gun violence, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of injustice that many students, particularly our most marginalized, experience daily."

Beyond that, the trendiness of SEL is something that also gives Simmons pause-something she recommends practitioners be aware of.

"People's lives are at stake and so we have to approach anything we do with them-SEL, project-based learning, any of the sort of big names or trendy things-we just have to do it responsibly. We just can't do it for the sake of doing it," she states, later adding, "I worry that sometimes because of the trend, we do it for the sake of doing it and not because it could enhance people's lives."

Beyond the Defensiveness: Starting with Educator Self-Analysis

At the heart of this all, however, is a need for educators-those folks ultimately in charge of the SEL instruction-to recognize and confront their own internalized racism and sexism, defensiveness and lack of true SEL understanding as it applies to their own awareness and biases.

Simmons, who gives trainings on equitable social-emotional learning to districts and schools across the United States, oftentimes sees that defensiveness and white fragility (a concept first coined by scholar Robin DiAngelo) firsthand.

"The second flawed piece about SEL is [the idea] that some groups of children need it more than other children. When I do SEL trainings, it's like 'kids with special needs need this more,' or 'our black and brown children need this more,' as if because they're not calm enough..." Simmons says. She explored this in a piece she wrote for the Greater Good Science Center.

But what teachers really need to do, she explains, "is to understand themselves, recognize their power and privilege and identity," and "what that means in the work that they do and the people with whom they often work."

And that, as Simmons adds, takes humility, time and most importantly, effort.

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Dena Simmons: Without Context, Social-Emotional Learning Can Backfire - EdSurge News

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A few years ago, I had the great fortune to meet Bronx native Dena Simmons on a fellowship trip and hear about her life's work and experience. She's an educator, a TED speaker, and currently, the assistant director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence-not to mention a keynote speaker at the EdSurge Fusion conference later this year.

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An Anti-Racist Reading List curated by Ibram X. Kendi

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An Anti-Racist Reading List curated by Ibram X. Kendi

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Ibram X. Kendi’s Antiracist Reading List (Published 2019)

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Ibram X. Kendi on books to help America transcend its racist heritage.

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author of How to Be An Anti-Racist

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Brené Brown: Hi everyone, I'm Brené Brown, and this is Unlocking Us. Today, I'm talking with Professor Ibram Kendi. He's a number one New York Times best-selling author and the Director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University. He's also an ideas columnist at The Atlantic and a correspondent with CBS News. He is the author of four books, including Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, which won the National Book Award for Nonfiction. He has another book called, Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, which he co-authored with Jason Reynolds, and it's a remix of the Stamped from the Beginning book that is meant for YA, teen readers - an incredible, incredible book. And he's got a new book coming out called Antiracist Baby, which is a board book that will be published this month in June. Completely evidence that it's never too early to start talking about anti-racism.

BB: He's also the author of How to Be an Antiracist, and that's what we're going to talk about today. We're going to talk about all those books, but we're going to really focus on How to Be an Antiracist, which is a groundbreaking approach to understanding and uprooting racism and inequality in our society and in ourselves. It's an incredible conversation. I welcome you to the table to sit with us, talk, think, feel, ask, question, and lean in really, really far to what we need to learn about ourselves and the world. I want to start this conversation with a quote from Professor Kendi: "By not running from books that pain us, we can allow them to transform us. I ran from antiracist books most of my life, but now I can't stop running after them, scrutinizing myself and my society, and in the process changing both." Let's jump in.

BB: Alright, first let me say that I am incredibly grateful for you joining us on Unlocking Us, thank you for that.

Ibram X. Kendi: Of course, I'm so happy to be on.

BB: I always start these podcasts with not the perfunctory, but the honest, "How are you?" How are you doing right now?

IK: I'm okay. This is quite the time in American history, and as someone who studies anti-Black racism, I'm simultaneously enraged to see the deathly effects of that racism, but simultaneously energized to see all of the people resisting that racism.

BB: How are you holding up with the COVID-19 pandemic on top of all of this, as the underscore to all of this?

IK: I think that that has been difficult for me, partly because my colleagues and I, we partnered with the COVID Tracking Project to build this COVID racial data tracker. And so we're... It's like the premier tracker of racial data on COVID. And so I'm seeing the data coming in and the disparities all over the country, and so that's been difficult. And then simultaneously, my wife, Sadiqa, her family is... Her hometown is Albany, Georgia, and Albany, Georgia and that general area of Southwest Georgia has one of the worst outbreaks in the country. And simultaneously, it's a trauma desert, it doesn't have a tremendous amount of high-quality healthcare, in contrast to New York City, which also of course has been a major outbreak. And so, seeing and hearing those stories firsthand of people suffering, obviously, it's been difficult. And this is a primarily Black area.

BB: I want to get into... I want to talk a lot about How to Be an Antiracist, your book that I think is life changing. I want to talk about your new book that's coming out in a couple of weeks. Tell us the title of that new book.

IK: Antiracist Baby. It's a board book.

BB: I can't wait. I want to start because when we talk about the pandemic, when we talk about what's happening right now in the world with a rebellion, the protest, you wrote an article that went up on The Atlantic this morning.

IK: Yes.

BB: It's called "The American Nightmare: To be Black and Conscious of Anti-Black Racism is to Stare Into The Mirror of Your Own Extinction." I want to... Can I read a piece of this to you and ask you about it?

IK: Sure, yeah.

BB: Would you rather read it or would you... Can I read it to you?

IK: Yeah, you can read it. That's fine, yeah.

BB: Okay. You're using as an epigraph, a quote from Malcom X from 1964, "We don't see any American dream. We've experienced only the American nightmare." And then you write, "A nightmare is essentially a horror story of danger, but it is not wholly a horror story. Black people experience joy, love, peace, safety. But as in any horror story, those unforgettable moments of toil, terror, and trauma have made danger essential to the Black experience in racist America. What one Black American experiences, many Black Americans experience. Black Americans are constantly stepping into the toil and terror and trauma of other Black Americans. Black Americans are constantly stepping into the souls of the dead because they know that could have been them, they are them. Because they know it is dangerous to be Black in America because racist Americans see Blacks as dangerous. To be Black and conscious of anti-Black racism is to stare into the mirror of your own extinction."

BB: This is not just about the police brutality; this is not just about Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd; this is about the tens of thousands of Black victims of Covid.

IK: Yeah.

BB: Talk to me about this article. What do we need to understand?

IK: Well, I think first and foremost, the article revolves around a very, very prominent book that was written in 1896 by Frederick Hoffman, who, basically it was a book of statistical tables and racial data that showed not only racial disparities in crime rates, but also racial disparities in infection rates and racial disparities in mortality, or I should say death rates, and so he took this massive amount of racial data to proclaim that Black people were not subjected to racist policies. That wasn't the cause of Black disease, of Black death, and even Black people being disproportionately arrested and incarcerated. He made the case that this data shows that Black people are headed towards gradual extinction, and it's their fault. They are by nature or behavior, a dangerous, diseased, dying people, and to recognize anything else is to not recognize the facts. And so this idea, normalizing Black pain and suffering and death has only continued to this day, and so essentially when you normalize, when you just believe that Black people should be disproportionally dying of police violence or even COVID-19, you're thereby not going to challenge, let alone look for the policies that are actually behind this disproportionate Black death.

IK: And so then those who are experiencing those policies that are then leading to that trauma and terror, and even toil, they're going to be experiencing the American nightmare. And the reason why I use the term the American nightmare is because Black people are constantly told that America is this land of equal opportunity, that police officers protect and serve, that we too have access to the American dream. And obviously, based on the experiences of Black people, we've really, as Malcolm said, 50 years ago, experienced the American nightmare.

BB: When you talk about the Hoffman book, it's such a devastating reminder to me, because I see this a lot right now of how statistics, academics, science can be dehumanizing tools as much as kind of the language that we use.

IK: Yeah, without question. And let me give an example. So when we first were able to start getting states in early April to release racial data, and then we saw these racial disparities. We saw that Black people were disproportionately being infected and even dying, of COVID. The first response of people to that data, of many people to that data, was to say Black people are not taking the virus seriously, Black people are not socially distancing, there's something wrong with Black people, and then we were able to disprove that. Basically survey data in mid-March had already proven that actually Black people were taking the virus more seriously than white people. So then it's zeroed in to, well, it must be the result of Black pre-existing conditions.

IK: And then those pre-existing conditions are caused by Black people making disproportionately bad or unhealthy behaviors. So it just always, essentially, you take these racial disparities, and we've been arguing over their existence, even before Frederick Hoffman. Is it because there's something wrong with Black people, or is there racist policy? And those who believe we live in a nation that's post-racial, that there's equal opportunity, they're not going to ever see the racist policies that are even in many cases, hard to see, instead they're just going to blame Black people.

BB: It's almost, and I don't think it's almost, it is the confirmation bias of racist beliefs.

IK: It is, yeah, it is. And that's what's striking about Frederick Hoffman, because he opens his book arguing that, "I am free of bias. I am free of prejudice or sentimentally."

BB: Which should be our first flag, right?

[chuckle]

IK: Exactly, right. And then, ends the book stating that the gradual extinction of Black people is only a matter of time, and it's based on the data. And to give another example, you have many people arguing that police violence, disproportionate police violence is the result of Black people being disproportionately violent, and Black people are disproportionately violent, they say, because, well, just look at the violent crime data. There's this widespread belief that Black neighborhoods are more dangerous because of violent crime data, the same violent crime data that Frederick Hoffman in this book in 1896 really popularized. But what Americans don't realize, and this is what I've been trying to get people to see, is that there's no relationship between the violent crime in those neighborhoods and the Blackness of the people.

IK: In other words, people believe that the reason why those neighborhoods are violent is because there are Black people there, and that's why when they see Black neighborhoods, they assume that those neighborhoods are violent because the Black people and their culture and their behavior and even their genetics are predisposed to violence. But if that was the case, then all Black neighborhoods would have the same levels of violent crime. In other words, higher income...

BB: Because that would be the... Yeah, that would be the consistent variable.

IK: Precisely. And so, higher income Black neighborhoods would have the same levels of violent crime as extremely impoverished Black neighborhoods. That is not the case. And it's not the case in white America, it's not the case in Asian America, Native America, Latinx America. In every America, if we want to split up America racially, you have higher levels of poverty, long-term unemployment, you're going to have higher levels of violent crime, whether you're talking about a white community or neighborhood with higher levels of violent crime or Latinx or Black. So we know statistically that actually what is the consistent variable is poverty and unemployment. But people still want to call these dangerous Black neighborhoods as opposed to dangerous unemployed neighborhoods.

BB: One of the things that I find so powerful about your work, there are many things, but one of the things I find so powerful is your ability to unpack things, lay them out, and the steps always lead back to policy. It always leads back to systemic policy.

IK: And I think that's one of the things I'm trying to get people to realize, and especially, I think one of the things that happens with our discussions on race is we personalize groups, meaning we make groups into individuals, and, even though every group is made up of individuals, we say, "Oh well, this group is disproportionately obese, so therefore, why can't this group "diet or exercise more" in the way I used to do when I weighed a little bit more. But that's actually... We can't think of groups as individuals, when we think of... Especially we can't think of disparities as the result of the personal choices of the individuals in groups, because I think that's what happens, that's how we have been misled into believing, but when we actually... All of the data points to and all of the analysis points to, is that when you have two groups, there's going to be all different types of behaviors in both groups, whether that...

BB: Complete variance, right?

IK: Precisely. So you take white people and Black people, you have white people who eat unhealthy, you have white people who are vegans, you have Black people who eat in an unhealthy manner, and then you have Black people like me who are vegans. And so... And then you have vegans who are white, who don't really eat vegetables. Right? And so it's so much variable, and so we emphasize the negativities that we see among those individuals who are Black, and then ignore the negativities among the individuals who are white. And so we say, "Oh, those Black folk and their soul food, that's why they're unhealthy," as if you don't have white people who gathered this weekend and had hamburgers and hot dogs only on their barbeque menu. So I think that it's critically important for us when we think of groups and group inequality, to recognize that what changes communities, what changes groups, it's not their individual behaviors, it's policy change.

BB: I want to slow down here and go into slow motion for a moment, because, what you're saying is so profoundly important at the crux of, I think, of your entire book. And for me as a researcher, it's... We take groups and we take stereotypes and characteristics of groups, and what it seems to me that we do, and I think you write about this, but I want to check in with you to make sure I'm understanding it correctly because this is what I see. We see the most kind of negative, socially agreed upon, not good characteristics of groups of color, and we assign it to the entire group. Then we take the best characteristics of one or two people in the white folk group and assign it to that entire group. That's true, right? You see that...

IK: Exactly. So that's what I talk about how we generalize the individual negativities of people of color while we individualize the individual negativities of white people.

BB: And you know what keeps coming back to me, and I'm going to date myself with this because this was a huge raging issue as I was in school and then graduate work: the bell curve is such an example of the manipulation of statistical data to confirm a racist hypothesis. Okay. Yeah, I just... You know what? We do that. We do that. I can think of times when I do that, maybe not about race, but I do do that with... I'll tell you where I do it. I do it with political identity. I take the best part of the people I see in my group and assign it to everyone in my group. And the worst part, and it's so self-protective and self-destructive at the same time, isn't it?

IK: It is. It is. And I know How to Be an Antiracist, in particular, I remember giving a talk about this book, I believe I was in Gainesville, Florida, and this woman who was obviously a Republican or a conservative, got up during the Q&A and basically challenged me, basically by saying, "You're just another liberal who is just criticizing conservatives completely and never being able to look back on the problems of things that liberals do." And I was like, "Did you read the book?" [laughter] Because obviously, you didn't read the book, because the book was just as critical of people who identify as liberals or Democrats as people who identify as conservatives and Republicans.

BB: I want to read something from the book, early-on pages. Is it weird when I read to you? Is it okay?

IK: It's fine, yeah.

BB: Okay. "The good news is that racist and antiracist are not fixed identities. We can be a racist one minute and be an antiracist the next. What we say about race, what we do about race in each moment determines what, not who, we are." And you write, "I used to be racist most of the time. I am changing. I am no longer identifying with racists by claiming to be not racist. I am no longer speaking through the mask of racial neutrality. I am no longer manipulated by racist ideas to see racial groups as problems. I no longer believe a Black person cannot be racist, I am no longer policing my every action around an imagined white or Black judge trying to convince white people of my equal humanity, trying to convince Black people, I am representing the race well." This book is incredibly vulnerable in terms of you sharing your own experiences. Why was that important to you as you were writing this?

IK: So, I remember when I was thinking about this book and I was sort of thinking about the pulse of the book, even the heartbeat of the book. I recognize that the heartbeat, historically, of racism has been denial, has been to deny that one's ideas are racist, one's policies are racist, and certainly that one's self and one's nation is racist, and so then I was like, "Okay, by contrast, the heartbeat of antiracism is confession, is admission, is acknowledgement, is the willingness to be vulnerable, is the willingness to identify the times in which we are being racist, is to be willing to diagnose ourselves and our country, and our ideas, and our policies." And the reason why that's the heartbeat is because, like with anything else, the first step is acknowledging the problem. We can't even begin the process of changing ourselves, of acting in an antiracist fashion, if we're not even willing to admit the times in which we're being racist. And so I realize that essentially to be antiracist is to admit when we're being racist. And so I realize that in order to really give voice to that, in order to really model that for people I had to do that to myself and for myself.

BB: And you do it, and you do it throughout the book and you move forward a bunch and you slide back, and you share that with us. To me, that is the heart of the book, that there is such a deep humanity in this book. Was that intentional on your part? Did you write it from a perspective of, "This is what it means to be in the human struggle?"

IK: I think so. And I mean, I think that, to be honest, the first few chapters were a huge struggle for me to write, precisely because of how vulnerable I had to be and how many... I had to basically admit and chronicle some of the most shameful moments of my life, especially as someone who was raised in a home to value and love Black people, to be able to have to write about those times in which I did not value or love Black people, let alone other groups, was very, very difficult. And so it really wasn't... And so I think I struggled and it actually... I think the first few chapters, it took me almost like a year to write, and it really wasn't until as I write about in the end of the book that I was diagnosed with cancer, that I just wondered whether indeed I would even live to see the book come out, and I think because of that, in a way freed me to be vulnerable and to be completely sort of open and naked in writing the book.

BB: Yeah, there's just courage on every page. I mean, really, and I have to say you don't see that very often in books. You don't see that very often in the world, so thank you for that. I think the central message is that the opposite of racist isn't not racist, The true opposite of racist is antiracist. Can you break that down for us and help us understand how the opposite of racist is not, not race... Not racist is not the opposite of racist.

IK: Sure, so I think... Let me say it in this way. So when you think of... So I define a racist as someone who is expressing racist ideas or supporting racist policies with their action or inaction, I know we're not supposed to use terms in the definition, but I think what's critical about understanding what it means to be racist is understanding what a racist idea is, and what a racist policy is. And once you understand what a racist idea and racist policy is, you begin to realize that there's a fundamental contrast to that, and that contrast is not some sort of neutrality. And so if a racist idea is any idea that suggests a racial group is superior or inferior to another racial group... In other words, a racist idea connotes racial hierarchy, then what's the opposite of that? The opposite of that is ideas that connote racial equality, that challenges directly that idea of racial hierarchy and says, "No. All the racial groups are equals."

IK: And there's no in between racial hierarchy and racial equality. Either all the racial groups are equals, or certain racial groups are better or worse than others. And so there's no not racist idea, there's only a racist idea and an antiracist idea. And the same thing with policy. If a racist policy is leading to racial inequity, then an antiracist policy is leading to racial equity. There's no in between inequity or equity, and if racist policies lead to injustice, then by contrast, antiracist policies lead to justice. There's no in between injustice or justice. And so then when you take a person, you have people who are either expressing racist or antiracist ideas. So in any given moment, they're either being racist or antiracist, there's no not racist sort of category.

IK: And then I should also add very quickly that when people typically say, "I am not racist," it is in response to someone challenging something that they just did or said that indeed probably was racist. So again, I mentioned how the heartbeat, or in order to be antiracist, we have to be willing to admit the times in which we're being racist. By contrast, in order to be racist, we never admit the times in which we're being racist, and instead we say we're not racist.

BB: I have a couple of questions. So what do you say to the person who when you say we're either racist or antiracist to the person who says, "That's a false dichotomy. There can be neutrality between antiracist and race, there can be neutrality between injust and just, between inequality and equity or equality." I can't find what that neutrality is. But I would really love to know how you answer that because I get that a lot, especially when I quote you, but I can't think of a single example, because the systems are already in place. So if we were at net zero, how does that... I mean, it may be so but we're not, so what do you answer?

IK: Yeah so I state that are you... I would... So people have asked me asked that, and typically what I state say is, "Are you stating that because from a defensive posture?" In other words, you don't want to identify as racist, and you view those antiracists in some way that you don't want to sort of identify with. So this is fundamentally defensive so you can create a category for yourself. And typically, we know when people are creating categories for themselves because you can't define your category. And so are you creating this category for us, or are you creating this category for yourself? And if you're creating it for us, then define it for us, so we can understand it.

IK: What does it mean to be not racist? I know what it means to be racist. I know what it means to be antiracist. What does it mean to be not racist? And if you can't provide a very clear and consistent definition, then that shows me that you're fundamentally being defensive, and you're fundamentally seeking to create a category for yourself.

BB: That is so powerful, and starting with the defensive posturing that I think there are people that don't want to be in the racist category of course, because there's so much shame attached to that.

IK: Yeah.

BB: And they don't want to be in the antiracist category because there's so much frickin work attached to that.

IK: Yes.

BB: Do you know what I mean?

IK: Yes.

BB: Like antiracism work is, no joke, exhausting and vigilant, and there's shame in it too because it's... So it's interesting because - can we dig into something that is kind of at the intersection of your work and my work to help me figure out something?

IK: Sure.

BB: You don't seem to be... And I've only read this book and a couple of articles that you've written or maybe three or four articles from The Atlantic, but I will be getting the baby board book for sure. And it'll become my new go-to, like, I'm looking at Barrett, who's in here with me. She's like, "This will be the new. Every baby we know will be getting this book." You don't seem to be a proponent of shame as a social justice tool.

IK: No.

BB: So, let me ask you this question because I think this goes to the creating categories out of defensiveness. One of the things that I've seen and I see it a lot, I see it a lot in my social feeds, I see it a lot when I have really difficult Q&As when I'm on book tours. Let's say you and I are talking, and I share a racist idea, or I make a racist statement, and you hold me accountable for that. Right? Which is fair. You question and we dig in. But you say... I am going to feel shame about that, for most, I think most, maybe not all, but most white, I hope, most white Americans, or maybe Americans in general will feel shame about being held accountable for racist thinking or thoughts or speaking, then I go into shame. But what I'm struggling helping people understand and maybe you can share your thoughts on it with us is being held accountable for racism and experiencing shame around that, is not the same as being shamed about racism.

IK: Mm-hmm, yeah.

BB: Does that makes sense to you at all? Or am I off? I don't know.

IK: No, I think it makes sense. And I think that... Well, two things I'm trying to think of what to say first because I feel like I'll forget the other. Do you ever feel that way?

BB: All the time.

IK: So I think one thing is that... So if we talk about racist ideas, to grow up in America is to grow up, and for racist ideas to constantly be rained on your head and you have no umbrella. And you don't even know that you're wet with those racist ideas, because the racist ideas themselves cause you to imagine that you're dry.

BB: Right.

IK: And then someone comes along and says, "You know what, you're wet, and these ideas are still raining on your head. Here's an umbrella." You can be like, "Thank you, I didn't even realize I was drenched."

BB: Yeah, yeah.

IK: And then with all these ideas, and then the question, this is why I don't think people should feel ashamed, is there were other people and very powerful people in a history that was constantly raining those ideas on your head, and so what that means is, for instance if you're a white American, who has racist ideas, and then you, let's say, perpetuated those ideas by, let's say, not hiring a Black person because you thought they were lazy. You were simultaneously a victim and a victimizer. And so I think it's critical for people to recognize that literally, and as I talk about in How to Be an Antiracist, there's a specific reason why you had so many powerful Americans trying to convince white Americans that Black people were inferior; it was out of their own self interest.

BB: Yeah.

IK: And so then, white Americans and other Americans were tricked into believing that Black people should be enslaved in 1855, and then meanwhile poor whites, whose poverty was directly the result of the riches of white slaveholders were like, "Yeah, it should be this way." And so then those people were able to get richer and richer, and so me coming to that poor white person who believes Black people should be enslaved and then who have even sort of worked on slave patrols and brutalized Black people trying to run away, I'm basically coming to them and saying, "Here is the way you were a victimizer and here is the way you were a victim." And it's critically important, I think, for people to understand, people have been tricked, they've been manipulated, they've been hoodwinked, and that's why I think, that's what I'd want people to realize.

BB: Yeah, thank you for the umbrella. I didn't know I was wet. I think that might be where we lose people.

IK: Yeah.

BB: Wow. Do you ever... I think about this, I think my background is in social work, so I have my master's in social work and PhD in social work, and my bachelor's too, and so I've probably taken 20 classes on the nature of oppression. I guess the thing that always strikes me about oppression as a construct, and I know I'm going to personify it, and I know this is probably not right, but I would love your thoughts on it because I've tried to figure it out for so many years is, God, it's so hard to fight because it has an answer for everything, like it is...

IK: Yeah, yeah.

BB: Do you know what I mean?

IK: Mm-hmm.

BB: Like, it's such a formidable foe. It's like every time, like when you said to me, I got goosebumps when you said, "It's raining on you. But part of what it's raining on you is the message that you're dry."

IK: Mm-hmm.

BB: It is such a formidable foe, isn't it?

IK: It is, and that I think that it's critically important. What I'm trying to do is bring people back into reality, right? So they can realize that it's being rained on them, that that rain is coming down on their head, that they're slipping and falling and harming people in ways that they don't even realize. And when you step that back into reality, then you can actually recognize what's actually happening to you and what you're doing to other people. And then you can also begin to see how and why you have people protesting all over this country and why people are enraged and why that resistance is going to continue. Literally racist ideas, literally separate people from reality, and it prevents people, even too, from helping themselves.

IK: And so I talked a lot in my book about the ways in which even you have Black elites who believe ideas about the Black poor and who sort of reproduce racist ideas about the Black poor, not realizing that racist policies against them are being justified through ideas about the Black poor, or you have white Americans who are believing in racist ideas that these people of color will just use and abuse and take advantage of so-called social entitlement programs like Medicare for All, or increasing Social Security funding, or basic income, or other... Or paid leave, things that other countries have. And so therefore, I don't want none of that. And then it results in them not having the social safety net when they fall, their friends not having it, their family not having it, and then when they fall and become hurt, then they're told it's immigrants' fault. And so it's this constant sort of people being hurt...

BB: God.

IK: And then they believing that it's these other people who are the source of their pain, as opposed to the people who they actually support, who are the source of their pain.

BB: I'm a terrible podcast host, because I'm sitting here with my hands over my mouth, and that's not... I can't do that, but that's my response to this. I read an article, I think it was during the 2016 election, all I can remember is an MD-PhD, public health person, and I think the name of the article is: "Racism is Killing White People." And it's because they were voting against the very things, the services, and the safety nets that they themselves will need just because of the racist rhetoric that they attached to it.

IK: Exactly.

BB: It's...

IK: Yeah, Jonathan Metzl and that's based on his book Dying of Whiteness. And he talked about...

BB: Is that the who that... Is he an MD? Is that the one I'm talking about?

IK: MD-PhD, yes, yeah.

BB: My husband's a pediatrician, I think I read it in, there was an excerpt of something in American Pediatrics or something. So tell us who that was and what that book was, and we'll put it on our show notes.

IK: So yeah, it's Jonathan Metzl, who's a MD-PhD, I believe at Vanderbilt, and his book was entitled Dying of Whiteness, and he looks at the white resistance to the extension of ObamaCare or even the extension of Medicaid in particular states and how that not only harmed, obviously people of color disproportionately, but even white people, and how the resistance to creating more insurance and affordable healthcare has harmed white people, let alone people of color, or even probably the most striking aspect of that book was so he not only looked at healthcare, but even the massive debate currently over gun control.

BB: Gun control.

IK: And gun safety and gun rights, and how first and foremost, you've had white men who have been advocating for the reduction or elimination of gun safety laws so that they can arm themselves, so that they can protect their families against Muslim terrorists and Black criminals and LatinX invaders as they call them. And what's fascinating is those very states where they've been able to successfully eliminate these gun safety policies, it's led to a massive surge in people being killed, white men being killed by hand gun via suicide, so the very people, white men who've been pushing for the reduction in gun safety laws have then led to them, given them greater ability to accumulate guns, and they've used those guns to kill themselves, so literally, people are dying of whiteness.

BB: Can I just ask you just like a no bullshit question here?

IK: Mm-hmm.

BB: Why does that make so much sense to some of us and no sense, it seems, to other people? Why do some of us see the through line and some of us don't see the through line? Do you understand what I'm asking? It's a weird question.

IK: Yeah, yeah. I think first and foremost, because we're living in different sort of realities, and so, for many of these white men who are advocating, who are proud card-carrying members of the NRA, who are advocating for the accumulation of weapons by white men, they believe... I should say they've been made to believe that the cause of their own personal pain, the reasons why they're struggling in society or they do don't have more than they already have, is because of these immigrants and these people of color. They also generalize, when there's a Black person who commits murder, or a LatinX immigrant or a terrorist who commits murder, in their mind, those are the central sort of problems that are harming America and are threatening them. And so they're in tremendous amounts of fear, because they're constantly told by their politicians, by the people they listen to, that these are the people you should fear, and then they're told, "Your rights are being taken away. White men are being chastised and criticized, and demeaned by women, by people of color, by everybody, and so we are your defenders and you need to defend yourself through these weapons."

IK: And, but then what's happening is they're actually getting these weapons and killing themselves, and then all of those individual suicides are individualized, so there's not this collective national outcry about the incredible level of white men who are committing suicide, because, again, if something bad happens to white people, it's individualized.

BB: I've just been thinking a lot about your book around the How to Be an Antiracist book, and I've been thinking about how there is a very short distance in my mind between the dehumanizing dog whistle language from this administration to calling the cops on a bird watcher, to George Floyd. And it's my training, again, I think in social work systems theory, that these things lie on a continuum, but that that walk is very short between these things. Do you agree with that or disagree with that?

IK: Oh yeah, I agree. I mean, I actually tweeted out last week after we heard about what happened to George Floyd, that we should be seeing that, I think I said something to the... Well, let me just say the idea, and that is, when it comes to police violence, oftentimes the beginning of police violence is someone, and in this case, a white woman calling the police saying, "A Black male is threatening my life. I need your help, come help me," when indeed she is actually the person who's threatening the other person, but anyway, she calls up the police, and then the police come, imagining that there's this so-called Black super predator who's preying on this innocent white woman, and that it is their job principally to protect them, and so, then they come imagining the need for force. And then Christian Cooper ends up as George Floyd in Minneapolis.

BB: In a split second.

IK: In which an unarmed person is now dead. And so, there's a very straight line from Central Park to Minneapolis, and we understand because that was essentially the lynching era, but that lynching era has continued.

BB: And I think I would back the line up, because I think for me, a big part of my studies was dehumanization and the process, and the very invisible process of dehumanizing, which every genocide in recorded history starts with dehumanizing and starts with language. So when we hear things like, when we talk about immigrants and the White House uses words like infestation, and when we use words like... I don't even think I've ever heard white people referred to as thugs in my life. It's people have a very hard time understanding that once we move people outside of what we believe is humanity, that it's possible to do anything to them.

IK: It is. And I think that is the reason why when you have those racist ideas that cause you to demonize people of color, and then that is combined with racist policies that are over-policing their neighborhoods, or allowing police officers who kill them to not be prosecuted, or to get off, it only continues this cycle that not only do they not matter to me, they don't even matter to the state.

BB: Right. You wrote something, I think this was a quote from the New York Times, and I feel like I could talk to you for... I hope you come back again, and we can talk more about all the great policy change that's happening. That's what I'm hoping.

IK: That's what I'm hoping, too.

BB: But I want to read this quote because and it says, "By not running from the books that pain us, we can allow them to transform us." This is a quote from you. "I ran from antiracist books most of my life. But now I can't stop running after them, scrutinizing myself and my society, and in the process changing both."

IK: That's what we need to be doing. I think many of us have learned, even from your work, we have to be constantly growing. We cannot harden ourselves, and certainly our children into, "They're stupid or we're stupid." We have to say, "You know what, that was not a smart thing that I did or said. That was a racist act. But I am not essentially a racist." No one is. Everyone has the capacity to change, everyone has the capacity to be antiracist. Everyone has the capacity to grow. And if we're not growing as human beings, then what are we? What's distinguishing humans from other beings? It's that capacity for self-awareness and growth.

BB: That's right, meaning making. I always go back to that quote from Shawshank Redemption, "Get busy living or get busy dying." And I think if you're not learning and growing, which can be painful, stretch marks, bruises, you're dying in a way. Okay, Ibram, walk me through, because I really want to get one of your books for my soon to be 15-year-old son, and so tell me about the sequence of Stamped from the Beginning. Is there a YA version?

IK: Yes.

BB: So how does it work?

IK: So when I wrote Stamped from the Beginning, which again, chronicled this history of racist ideas, literally from their origins to the present, so upwards of 600 years of history, people would come up to me and say, "You know what, I wish I would have learned this in middle school, in high school. I didn't understand and know this history." And so, people kept telling me that, "You know what, this book needs to be before every middle schooler and high schooler." And so we decided that, "Let's create one." And Stamped from the Beginning is upwards of 500 pages, and so we decided we needed a specific book. And so I asked Jason Reynolds, who's, he's probably one of the more gifted YA novelists, who historically has written on race and racism, and he has his own voice and his own style. And I asked him a couple of times, he said no a couple of times, but eventually he agreed, and so he took Stamped from the Beginning, and completely rewrote it for young people in their voice, in his patented lyricism. And yeah, they've fallen in love with it. It actually debuted number one New York Times, so yeah, people are really responding to it well.

BB: You know what I love, is it's never too early to talk to our kids about this. And now you've given us the gifts of a board book, a YA book, and then books for adults.

IK: And that's, I want, especially in this moment, when there are a lot of people who want tools for not only understanding racism themselves, but even teaching and instructing their kids, and I'm hoping also that people realize that they should be having these discussions with their children. Their children are not color blind. The data shows that children as early as six months recognize race, and children as early as two to three years old have begun to consume racist ideas. And if you're not teaching those children antiracist ideas, if you're not challenging those racist ideas, and they're only going to grow up and then one day say something, you're going to feel completely embarrassed. Because like with anything else, people have to be taught to be antiracist, just as they're taught, indirectly, by so many things they see and experience and hear, to be racist.

BB: And I think it's been also my experience that, when you don't... The biggest mistake a lot of people I see making, is we don't talk about race, but we've raised nice and kind kids, so we assume that that's going to translate to something, and it translates to nothing, except the messaging that it's scary and not okay to talk about race.

IK: Exactly. Yeah, if the modeling... Can you imagine, there are adults, and many adults who struggle to talk about race and racism, and... But could you imagine if those adults were talking about these issues as early as 2 or 3, or 1, or as soon as you can speak, then... And I think, part of this also, is, as I'm learning on thinking through how to parent my child, of course, we've learned from you, and one of the things we're trying to model for her, is how to have difficult, uncomfortable conversations and how necessary those conversations are for her having a healthy, happy, and productive and impactful sort of life. And so this talking about race and racism is one type of difficult conversation we need to teach her how to have.

BB: Yeah, and, God, I just don't think there's a bigger gift that we... On top of knowing that you're loved and worthy of love and belonging, I don't know if there's a greater gift that we can give our kids, than the ability to lean into difficult conversation and to be vulnerable. Yeah. Okay, I have this last 10 rapid fire, and it's really important, it's more lighthearted, but it's about getting to know you as a person, and I think, sometimes, one of the hardest things about being an activist is not being seen as a person and can be sometimes dehumanizing in its own way. So if you would allow me, I'd love to ask you these 10 questions.

IK: Sure. Yeah. Let's do it.

BB: Okay, ready? Number one's fill in the blank. Vulnerability is?

IK: Courageous.

BB: Number two, you're called to do something brave, but your fear is real and it's stuck right in your throat. What's the first thing you do?

IK: Think about what the right thing to do is, and focus on that, rather than my fear.

BB: What is something that people often get wrong about you?

IK: That I'm very, very serious and angry all the time.

[chuckle]

BB: Okay. What's the last show that you binged and loved?

IK: That we binged, let's see. Probably... Oh, God, what's the show that was the... Probably the lead show on HBO, that just ended. I'm forgetting the name of it.

BB: Game of Thrones?

IK: Game of Thrones, yes.

BB: Okay, got it.

IK: Game of Thrones. So, literally... So, my wife and I, we hadn't seen it at all, any of the episodes, and we just binge-watched it late last year, and we both really liked it, except the ending, of course, but...

BB: Now, that's a binge, that's a hella binge right there, if you watched it all. Okay, a film that you really love?

IK: So I think, one of the films that I really love, particularly in context to our conversation, is After Earth, which was a movie with Will Smith and his son, in which they are sort of lost on this mysterious sort of planet, and he's hurt, and they have to figure out a way to elude people, or I should say beings and beasts that are trying to kill them. And Will is seeking to really get his son, and speak through his son, to get his son to essentially get them both to safety because he's hurt. And I remember at one point, he's trying to encourage him to face this dangerous, or horrible sort of villain beast that sort of makes up the movie, and he says something to the effect that, "Fear is not real. Danger is real, but fear is a choice," and he obviously wanted him to make a different choice.

BB: God, what a quote.

IK: Yeah.

BB: Okay, a concert that you'll never forget.

IK: Probably... So I... One of my favorite groups in the '90s, when I was growing up, was Jagged Edge, this R&B group, and so I was able to not only see them in concert, but even meet them when I was a freshman... Oh, not a freshman, when I was at FAMU, where I did my undergrad in Tallahassee, Florida.

BB: Favorite meal.

IK: So I'd say my favorite food now is probably avocado, and it's fascinating because I only really started eating avocado probably in the last five years, and one day... And I'm the type of person, if it doesn't look good to me, then I'm not going to want to eat it, and so, since it was green, I'm like, how could... It just looks weird. But then one day I tried it, and I haven't looked back since.

BB: The rest is history, avocado history. Okay, what's on your nightstand right now?

IK: Where... Oh.

BB: He's literally looking at it.

IK: Yeah. What the Eyes Don't See.

BB: Okay.

IK: Which is "A Story of Crisis, Resistance and Hope in an American city," by Mona Hanna-Attisha, which essentially is the story of the Flint water crisis, and how this pediatrician was very critical in not only sort of breaking the problem or demonstrating the problem, but even seeking to lead its recovery.

BB: Okay, a snapshot of an ordinary moment in your life that brings you real joy.

IK: Ordinary moment, is my 4-year-old daughter, I'm home after being somewhere, and she just jumps into a massive sprint, she comes and say hello and hugs me around my legs. That always brings me joy.

BB: Yeah. Last one. What's one thing that you're deeply grateful for right now?

IK: I think I'm deeply grateful for being surrounded by people, who sort of practice love with me, and who show their love as I seek to show my love to them, and so people... I believe people choose to love, and I'm sort of deeply grateful that people have chosen to love me.

BB: Well, your work is life-affirming and life-changing. Professor Ibram Kendi, How to Be an Antiracist. We just have a couple of short weeks to wait for Antiracist Baby, the board book, to come out. I'll make sure that we profile that on all of our channels, and we'll put it up on brenebrown.com. I think danger is real, to go back to your quote, I haven't seen that movie, but that quote's amazing. "Danger is real, but fear is a choice," and I am grateful for you for choosing courage. Thank you for making us braver.

IK: Well, thank you, and of course thank you for all your work, and glad we had a chance to sit down and talk about this.

BB: Me too, thank you.

(music)

Again, I want to thank Ibram Kendi for joining us on Unlocking Us. I'm committed to having him back on the program, if he'll join us, to talk even more, about antiracism and everything he has to teach us. If you want to follow Dr. Kendi, on Twitter, he's Dr. Ibram, @-D-R-I-B-R-A-M, Instagram, @-I-B-R-A-M-X-K. You can also go to our show page, on brenebrown.com, and you'll see all of his books, links to all of his books, and how to find him on social media, his website, and learn more about the work he does. I always sign these podcasts, I sign off on these podcasts by saying, "Stay awkward, brave and kind," and I would add to this one, in addition to awkward, brave and kind, I know we have to make choices, we have to use our voice in service, and for me, that rarely means giving voice to the voiceless, I think the voiceless have voices, and they've been screaming, for centuries. I think our work is to show up, be brave, give ears to the earless, and that's not easy, but right isn't easy, very often. Take good care of yourselves.

© 2020 Brené Brown Education and Research Group, LLC. All rights reserved.

Brown, B. (Host). (2020, June 3). Brené with Ibram X. Kendi on How to Be an Antiracist. [Audio podcast episode]. In Unlocking Us with Brené Brown. Cadence13. https://brenebrown.com/podcast/brene-with-ibram-x-kendi-on-how-to-be-an-antiracist/

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Brené with Ibram X. Kendi on How to Be an Antiracist

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Ibram X. Kendi and I talk about racial disparities, policy, and equality, but we really focus on How to Be an Antiracist, Kendi's groundbreaking approach to understanding uprooting racism and inequality in our society and in ourselves.