Diversity & Inclusion Blog

On Wednesday, July 28, the Diversity & Inclusion Department of Actors' Equity Association provided members and update on its Diversity & Inclusion Retrofit of the organization.

On June 30, Equity’s diversity and inclusion department hosted “Let’s Talk Hair,” a discussion of the context of the April resolution passed by council to include hair texture as a protected characteristic in union contracts.

On Thursday, June 3, Equity’s Equal Employment Opportunity Committee held its biannual dialogue on race, with theatre artist and activist Kaja Dunn.

On Wednesday, June 2, Equity’s Equal Employment Opportunity Committee held its biannual dialogue on disability, featuring artist and inclusion expert Claudia Alick.

On Monday, May 24, Actors’ Equity Association’s diversity and inclusion department hosted an event for AAPI Heritage Month entitled Claiming Our Power: AAPI Agency, Representation and Justice in the Workplace.

On Tuesday, May 18th, 2021 at an Equity Council Meeting, council approved the “Open Access” resolution to enact a series of recommendations to eliminate barriers to Equity membership, making our union stronger and more inclusive. Central Principal Councilor and Open Access Action Team Leader Bear Bellinger, who helped develop those recommendations, shares his experience with the process of creating this ground-breaking change.

On Friday, April 23rd, 2021, at an Equity Special Council Meeting, council approved the “Hair Texture as a Protected Characteristic” resolution, which mandates Equity to bring to all negotiations going forward, the addition of “hair texture” to the protected characteristics in the anti-discrimination clause.

Following the recommendation of Equity's first national convention, council adopted amendments to their Black Lives Matter resolution of June, 2020.

The Diversity & Inclusion Department invites Equity members to celebrate LGBTQIA+ Pride Month by participating in virtual events presented by organizations both regionally and nationwide.

On Monday, March 15, 2021, the Equal Employment Opportunity Committee presented "Phenomenal Women: Artistic Directors - Closing the Gender Gap," a panel discussion in celebration of Women's History Month led by Western Regional Principal Councilor Barbara Roberts.