Anti-Racism Statement of Principles
Our Commitment: The Muhlenberg Department of Theatre & Dance is dedicated to the principles of anti-racism, anti-oppression, allyship, LGBTQIA+ inclusivity, and a sense of belonging for all members of our community. We aim to promote a climate of trust and wellbeing where students, staff and faculty can exercise intellectual freedom and artistic expression. We recognize that this is a long-term process and that we must tackle our own shortcomings and biases as part of our work towards equity and inclusion. We are committed to group dialogue and evolution within the Department of Theatre & Dance and within the College.
Acknowledgement: We recognize the impact of systemic racism within the United States over the centuries. Many institutions of higher education, including Muhlenberg, have been primarily white-founded and governed, which has influenced what is taught, how it is taught and who teaches it. In the fields of theatre and dance, white privilege has, for many generations, influenced what shows are produced and who is cast. The faculty, staff and students of Theatre & Dance are committed to dismantling the legacy of these discriminatory systems and ideologies within our department and more broadly within higher education and the fields of theatre and dance.
The Department of Theatre & Dance Anti-Racism Action Plan Working Group
The Anti-Racism Action Plan Working Group supports the department's work in anti-racism and anti-oppression. The committee offers feedback on department initiatives in development, helps to facilitate interactions between constituencies, and supports transparency, equitable access to information, and accountability for progress in our department's work.
if you have question, concerns or suggestions, please reach out to one of our Current Members:
Elizabeth June Bergman
Gabriel Jason Dean
Troy Dwyer
Leslie Hill
Matt Moore
Leticia Robles-Moreno
We thank past working group members for their work on Anti-Racism:
Anito Gavino
Rebecca Lustig
James Peck
Nigel Semaj
Additional information is currently being compiled and will be posted shortly, regarding steps taken in the past several years to work toward an anti-racist culture within the Theatre & Dance Department.
page updated 18 Sept. 2024
