2.3 Celebrate diversity

Celebrate diversity in human identities, experiences, and cultures, especially with Indigenous, Black, and other racialized people of colour. This will result in increased unity, solidarity, safety, and healing.

Context

We vow to celebrate diversity in human identities, experiences, and cultures with justice-deserving groups of all sorts. Recognizing the value of authentic representation, we aim to cultivate solidarity and allyship where diversity is seen as a source of pride and strength.

This pledge is especially critical to our work with Indigenous, Black, and other racialized people of colour, who have historically faced oppression and erasure in many aspects of society, including arts and culture. By centering on their stories, we seek to challenge stereotypes, confront injustices, and promote solidarity, safety and healing.

As a white settler-founded organization, we are acutely aware of our colonialist power and privilege. Our goal is to leverage and share this power to help dismantle the systems of oppression from which it arises. We are committed to building a diverse workforce and ensuring the majority of our staff and board are from non-white and non-settler backgrounds. We are also committed to being allies in movements such as Black Lives Matter, advancing calls to action by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, Indigenous Land and Water Protectors, Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and more. This approach will not only enrich our organization but also aligns our practices with our values, creating a more just and caring society.

Care

Our approach to care for this pledge includes nurturing wisdoms, ecosystems, and platforms that celebrate diversity.

Wisdoms

Ecosystems

Platforms

Codicil

Additional notes and reflections about this pledge to be added to this section over time, including ties to caring internal and external practices, impact evaluation, identification of gaps and barriers, unanswered questions, learning insights, and more.

Internal practices

What are some of the internal practices that we will draw upon to fulfill this pledge? 

External practices

What are some of the external practices that we will draw upon to fulfill this pledge?

Impact practices

What are some of external impact practices that we can draw upon to track and evaluate our impact for this pledge? Among others, these could include Sustainable Development Goals (SDG); Environment, Sustainability, Governance (ESG); Canadian Index of Wellbeing (CIW); Vital Signs; Equitable Evaluation Framework (EEF); and a variety of qualitative impact frameworks in arts and culture.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG)

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (CIW)

Vital Signs

Equitable Evaluation Framework (EEF)

Qualitative Impact Measures

Gaps and barriers

What are some of the gaps and barriers we anticipate or experience in advancing this pledge?

Unanswered questions

What are some of the unanswered questions we anticipate or experience in advancing this pledge?

Learning insights

What are some of the learning insights we anticipate or experience in advancing this pledge?

Additional resources

What are additional resources that have helped us fulfill this pledge?