Since our beginning, The LP has centered the voices, cultures, imaginations, knowledge, and leadership of people of color (POC). We do this to push against complex systemic injustices in pursuit of a world in which all people––across race, ethnicity, class, age, gender, sexuality, religion, nationality, disability status, and migration status––are free to be their whole selves.
As we mature institutionally, The LP strives to more fully articulate how and why we do our work. We start from a place of bold visioning so we can help build the world we want to see. We manifest being POC-centered as an ongoing organizational practice rooted in multiracial solidarity. Below, we outline what being POC-centered and intersectional means to us.
These principles were developed as a result of collective LP staff and board discussions as well as input from the larger LP community. They are also informed and inspired by the Abbe Museum, Alternate Roots, Betty’s Daughter Arts Collaborative, Black Space, CultureStrike, Decolonizing Wealth, People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond, RaceForward, and Theatre of the Oppressed NY.
Welcome Complexity
We commit to diversity that is more than skin deep by continually asking ourselves and our communities how we can be a more welcoming and supportive organization across race and ethnicity as well as across class, age, gender, sexuality, religion, nationality, disability status, and migration status.
Cultivate Representational Power
We commit to maintaining a board and staff that is at least majority people of color, particularly leadership positions. We will continue to serve artists of color predominantly and communities of color exclusively.
Match Organizational Policies with Organizational Values
We commit to developing and enhancing our internal organizational policies, practices, and systems––e.g. advocacy, gift acceptance, and personnel policies––to be fully values-aligned.
Nurture Leadership
We commit to investing in the leadership and professional development of LP community members, including artists, neighbors, staff, and board. We will provide training to LP staff on anti-racist, gender, and disability equity practices. This commitment includes making space for reflection and self care in action and policies.
Advance Economic Dignity & Access
We commit to being thoughtful when setting program fees as well as compensation for staff, interns, artists, faculty, partners, etc. We are committed to prioritizing POC-led and community-based vendors for needed services. When possible, we will use financial institutions that value and invest in POC communities.
Know that Language Matters
We commit to using accessible, multimodal, and multilingual language that upholds the dignity, complexity, and full humanity of LP community members and communities––verbal and written, spoken and unspoken, virtual and otherwise.
Honor Past, Present & Future
We commit to grounding our work in concrete power analyses as well as the often intersecting histories, present day realities, and future dreams of POC communities. We strive to respect and record POC voices, creativity, and knowledge now and for the future.
Shape Conversation
We commit to using our organizational voice to ignite, shift, influence, and amplify important conversations in our field for productive learning and engagement.
Build a Net that Works
We commit to fostering stronger relationships with values-aligned and POC-centered organizations, in order to partner as well as exchange knowledge and resources that strengthen our collective power.
Hold Ourselves Accountable
We commit to rigorous and transparent criteria, learning, self-reflection, feedback loops, and real time adjustments––e.g. programs, partners, resources––that help us grow our POC-centered practice. We will produce annual reports that detail our progress across these principles in order to manifest collective strength and understanding in our field.
These principles were developed as a result of collective LP staff and board discussions as well as input from the larger LP community. They are also informed and inspired by the Abbe Museum, Alternate Roots, Betty’s Daughter Arts Collaborative, Black Space, CultureStrike, Decolonizing Wealth, People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond, RaceForward, and Theatre of the Oppressed NY.
