Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

When he was 23, photographer and filmmaker Tyler Mitchell became the first black photographer to shoot in 2018 the cover of Vogue magazine. (His subject was Beyoncé.) Mitchell’s first solo exhibition, “I Can Make You Feel Good,” on view at Foam in Amsterdam, is for the artist "an affirmation of certain autobiographical aspects of my blackness," as he told The New York Times.

Judy Heumann, an internationally recognized disability rights leader, joined in 2017 the Ford Foundation for a yearlong fellowship, working with the foundation’s staff to integrate a disability-inclusive perspective across their work. On her own, as a blog post/interview by the Ford Foundation details, she researched the inclusion of disability in film and television.

The International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD), a Mellon Foundation grantee through its Comprehensive Organizational Health Initiative, is key in "ensuring that a rich legacy of dance in America—and around the world—is preserved and continues to grow," as the foundation writes in its blog.

Funders are redefining philanthropic giving in education, focusing increasingly on advancing education equity, according to a new report from Grantmakers for Education.

Edgar Villanueva. 2018, 217 pages, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Oakland, CA.

Edgar Villanueva’s new book, Decolonizing Wealth: Indigenous Wisdom to Heal Divides and Restore Balance, opens with the perfect epigraph from activist, artist, and philanthropist Beyoncé. “If we are going to heal,“ she advises, “let it be glorious.”

As a society and country, we continue to struggle with the legacy of racism and the structural barriers that have been created to privilege some while oppressing others. Building racial equity and social justice takes dedication, inspiration, honesty, and a willingness to admit and learn from our failures. There are no foolproof guides or programs, nor one right path to achieving racial equity. It becomes a daily practice to question norms and work to make change.

A shift is underway in American theater. According to a national survey of artistic directors turnover at American theaters conducted by two Bay Area directors, women have been named to 41 percent of the 85 jobs filled since 2015, and people of color have been named to 26 percent.

Understanding where our values and beliefs come from is a key drive for people committed to social change, according to a recent blog post by Julienne Kaleta and Joanna Carrasco, Living Cities coordinators.

Last year, the League of American Orchestras partnered with The Sphinx Organization and New World Symphony (NWS) launching the National Alliance for Audition Support (NAAS), an initiative to increase Latinx and Black orchestra players in the country.

As we come to the close of February, and therefore the close of Black History Month, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the many posts sharing black stories. There have been calls reminding us to celebrate #blackgirlmagic, to speak out the truth that #BlackLivesMatter, and reminders that movements only succeed when we’re all active and engaged. For these reasons, we at GIA commit ourselves to racial equity in our work, our team, and in the field.