From: Ami Scherson <ascherson@artsusa.org>
Sent: Monday, June 14, 2021 3:13 PM
Subject: June 14th | Cultural Equity Weekly Digest

Hello,

Happy Monday, and welcome to another Cultural Equity Weekly Digest! We hope you are healthy, grounded, and well.

This Saturday is Juneteenth, a holiday that celebrates the emancipation of Black Americans who had been enslaved in the United States. June 19^th marks the day in 1865, when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to ensure that enslaved people were freed.

You can learn more about the importance and significance of Juneteenth through this the article, “So You Want to Learn About Juneteenth?” by the New York Times, an event hosted by the North Carolina Museum of History called “Juneteenth: A Story of Freedom”, as well as a video called “Why all Americans Should Honor Juneteenth” by Vox.

In continuing your learning about the holiday, utilize these resources to Honor Juneteenth at Work, petitioning to Make Juneteenth a National Holiday, and Meaningful Ways to Celebrate Juneteenth with your Kids (and family).

What’s Happening?

We have been reflecting and expanding upon equitable practices within our personal, professional, and artistic lives through the following articles. What have you been growing and reflecting with recently?

ASC President Krista Terrell speaks about the importance of cultural equity and how the Arts and Science Council in Charlotte, NC, has been working to assure equitable intentions. You can listen to more through the Piedmont Arts Podcast’s Krista Terrell on Cultural Equity and the Arts and Science Council.

In 20 Subtle Ways White Supremacy Manifests in Nonprofit and Philanthropy, you can learn about ways white supremacy can show up in organizational structures. Quoted from the article:

“Besides naming it, we need to have a better understanding of what it is. White supremacy is not just the cross burnings and racist marches and other awful things we see in the movies. In nonprofit and philanthropy, it manifests in ways we may not even realize, or in ways we refuse to acknowledge as white supremacy. These things add up. They make whiteness the default. They keep power concentrated in white leaders and institutions. It makes it easier for injustice against racialized people and communities to take place.” -Vu Le

Women artists have created and developed many pieces of art and possibilities through blockchain technologies, but are continued to be marginalized in the field. Learn about the history of women blockchain artists in the field and their engagement with technology and visual art in How Woman Artists have been Marginalized in the Blockchain Discourse.

Learning Opportunities and Activities:

June 14^th: Creating an Anti-Racist Organization (Free)
This session will take a deeper look into how to develop and create an anti-racist organization. Joanne Kinya Baker will be discussing how transformational leadership can enact diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging within teams and programs.

June 17^th to July 29^th: Blindspots & Assumptions Training (Starting at $50)
Training provided by the Economic Mobility Coalition, these sessions will teach attendees about identifying their own blindspots and assumptions and will present tools for fieldwork practice.

June 21^st: Communicating through an Equity Lens (Free)
Tracey Lam will be speaking on intentional communications and cultivating equitable spaces based on how we interact with one another.

Thank you for reading, and have a grounded and joyful week! If you want to share ways this work is showing up in your organization or community, or if you have questions, let us know using this form.

Warmly,

Equity and Local Arts Engagement Team at Americans for the Arts