Anti-Racism at teatro
Teatro La Quindicina stands against the overt and systemic racism and discrimination which has been visited upon Indigenous Peoples, Black people, people of colour, and their communities throughout history, in Edmonton, across Canada, and around the world. We acknowledge our failures, our lack of diversity and expertise, and our complacency.
We at Teatro know that words have power, but statements are empty without genuine action. BIPOC artists and audiences have a right to distrust statements of this nature, and we commit to decisive action to earn that trust.
We commit to listen to voices that have been silenced for too long and to raise them up, and to continue our self-examination as an organization and individuals. In April of 2020, we accepted a Respectful Workplace Policy prohibiting discrimination in all forms and to continue that work we will:
Actively support and partake in anti-racism training through the Varscona Theatre, along with staff, board members, and the other resident companies.
Offer Treaty 6 land acknowledgement before every show and at every board meeting.
Actively work to recruit board members who are diverse in terms of ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender, and socio-economic background.
Continue to scrutinize the content in our existing repertoire with a contemporary eye, and make any necessary changes to reflect our ongoing anti-racist learning and intent.
Actively develop safe and respectful ways to engage with BIPOC artists, both those with whom we have worked in the past, and with whom we hope to work in the future, to learn how we can open our doors further to diverse artists, and to ensure that our working space is truly safe and inclusive, and the joyous, creative place we have always intended it to be.
While implementation of these actions will take time - and be subject to adaptation, adjustment, and growth as we continue to learn - we expect to be held accountable for doing better.
Our theatre, our community, and our culture have a long journey ahead. We will not be neutral or silent along the way.
- Teatro La Quindicina Board of Directors & Staff
July 23, 2020