In this first workshop, we will investigate a shared understanding of racism/racists and anti-racism/anti-racist. In addition, we will begin to understand the need for racial equity plans and the obstacles that we may encounter while building and executing our plan. Michael J. Bobbitt, ED of Mass Cultural Council, will lead this discussion with the ultimate goal of stimulating actions and ideas.

This online workshop is free and open to all arts and cultural organizations in the Puget Sound area, including staff, board members, volunteers, and donors.

Structural Racism in the Arts is a 4-part series of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) workshops. The main purpose of this series is to understand structural racism, discuss its’ effects on the arts community, and identify actions that will influence change in our systems.

According to the Center for Social Inclusion, “Structural racism is the silent opportunity killer. It is the blind interaction between institutions, policies, and practices that inevitably perpetuate barriers to opportunities and racial disparities. Conscious and unconscious racism continues to exist in our society. But structural racism feeds on the unconscious.”

As we celebrate and uplift Black History, we take this moment to acknowledge that it is through our history that we arrive in this space. Understanding that the history of racism and systemic oppression of not only African Americans, but of other races as well, is ongoing American History. Through this series, we hope to be a part of a progressive space in history that changes the narrative and turns the tide toward equity.