Anti-Racism Update

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion — the Work Is Ongoing

We are approaching one year since the murder of George Floyd and the beginning of the nationwide reckoning with systemic racism that it inspired. Among the results of this reckoning was the formation of We See You White American Theatre (WSYWAT), a collective of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) theater artists who called upon the county’s predominantly white theater organizations to make substantial changes to practices that have and continue to cause harm to BIPOC artists, audiences, and communities while supporting systemic racism. Though Trinity Rep had begun doing work in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in 2016, we listened to what WSYWAT and, more importantly, what our own BIPOC artists detailed in a letter to Trinity Rep and its leadership, about the harm we have caused, the harm we continue to perpetuate, and the many ways in which anti-racism and DEI have not been integrated into the artistic and financial life of Trinity Rep. Consequently, Trinity Rep then started on a journey to become actively antiracist, and we want to inform the community of the steps we have taken toward creating an anti-racist culture, with the understanding that these steps, which lead to some measurable goals, are and should always be, in progress. Last fall, per the request of our BIPOC artists, we hired consultants to provide guidance and training. We have been honored to work with Sylvia Spears, Kelvin Dinkins, CORAJUS, and Equity Institute throughout the past nine months and have benefited immensely from their expertise. We also convened two teams of staff, artists, board members, and community members to lead us on this journey, one core working group (which meets weekly) and one larger advisory group (which meets monthly). Our consultants have provided a series of trainings to our staff and board of trustees, including bystander training for all staff and acting company members, anti-bias training for hiring managers, and scaffolding change for board and senior management. The teams from CORAJUS and Equity Institute also conducted a comprehensive audit of our current and past practices through interviews, staff surveys, and a review of data and materials. Following the collection and analysis of this data, in partnership with the internal working groups, they are developing a three-year DEI-informed strategic plan that will be presented to the board of trustees for review and approval at their annual meeting in June. In addition to participating in trainings, the entire staff has also been actively working to review how their individual departments can contribute to becoming a more equitable organization. To produce theater in a more humane way, the production departments have changed the rehearsal and performance schedule for next season to institute five-day work weeks, replacing the industry-standard six-day weeks. We also eliminated the “10 out of 12” days of the technical rehearsal process, which call for actors, designers, and crew to work 10 hours in a 12-hour window. The production schedule also eliminated overlapping shows, when both theaters have plays on stage at the same time. Changes like these improve working conditions and work-life balance for all staff and artists and were explicitly included by BIPOC artists in their demands. Other changes, like training for the costume department on Black hair and make-up will specifically help us to better support BIPOC actors. Other departments are also working through what they can do to contribute. For example, the development staff has been evaluating what changes it will make to its methodologies and donor benefits, and the marketing team will be making changes to where advertising is placed and considering all promotional language through the eyes of the BIPOC artists involved. Meanwhile, our education staff is replacing some of the texts used in their classes to be more inclusive, and our community engagement department continues to find opportunities to elevate voices and perspectives not always at the forefront of conversations. A new senior management position, the Director of Service and Experience, was created to de-centralize the transactional relationship between the theater and its patrons and place more focus on the theater experience and relationships. In addition, salaries across the organization have been increased to meet the national medians for the theater industry and to increase pay transparency and equity within the organization. The changes most visible to the general public, however, are being made by the artistic department in the choice of plays we produce and the artists who will be hired to produce these plays. The 2021-22 Season announced on page 6, was chosen to give more BIPOC playwrights, directors, designers, and artists a creative voice within our community, a decision that will extend into every

season to come at Trinity Rep. Our work in DEI and anti-racism is also seen in our new green initiatives, since climate change disproportionately affects low income and marginalized communities. As a start, we have committed to increasing our recycling efforts, using paper in our printed pieces that contain more recycled (post-consumer waste) material; making play programs available in digital form; generally reducing the amount of paper used to communicate with patrons, including encouraging the use of digital tickets; reducing the amount of plastic in our concession offerings; partnering with other arts organizations to share used or discarded set materials; and increasing our use of LED lights in our buildings and onstage. The enthusiasm for this work throughout the organization, from the staff and artists to the board, has given us great optimism for the future. Though significant steps have been taken in the past year, the commitment to making Trinity Rep an anti-racist organization with DEI as a guiding principle is an ongoing process. Next season’s budget includes dedicated resources for this work, including continued training, the establishment of affinity groups, and a new staff position dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion. Another aspect of our commitment is transparency — letting our community know what we’re doing and inviting your feedback. So far, we have found that collaborative and non-hierarchical work may take longer, but it yields results that are more robust, inclusive of different perspectives, and ultimately more successful and more readily embraced by everyone. We invite you to submit your feedback or questions about this work at trinityrep.com/antiracism, where you can also learn more about our commitment. Submissions can be sent anonymously, though contact information is needed for anyone looking for a direct reply. We have a long way to go. Thank you for being part of this journey with us and for holding us accountable.