We are a movement, not a moment.
August 2023 Update:
Enrich Chicago partners with leaders and organizations who are committed to addressing the root causes of inequity in their institutions and commit to anti-racism and anti-oppressive change for the long term.
Our most successful partnerships are with people and organizations who:
Commit to unlocking their radical imagination in order to articulate and put forth a vision for liberatory institutional structures that subvert traditional power structures and move toward shared power;
Commit to moving past DEI initiatives and toward a root cause analysis of the sources of inequity within their institutions, and;
Commit to action and continual discernment around their use and misuse of power.
Anti-racist change requires more than intellectual engagement. It requires our wholehearted willingness to interrogate every aspect of who we are, how we show up, and how all of it has been shaped and misshaped by an entrenched history and idealogy of white supremacy.
In order to endure that there is an alignment between the Enrich Chicago approach and prospective partners, we ask that arts organizations interested in partnering with Enrich Chicago for training and capacity-building support to consider the following guidelines and questions prior to connecting with Enrich Chicago team members:
*Is your institution ready to name and address systemic racism as the root cause of the inequities we experience in the arts and culture sector? Enrich Chicago is committed to advancing anti-racist change. We view anti-racist change as distinct from diversity, equity, inclusion, or access initiatives. Our organizing efforts aim to bring visibility to hidden inequities in seemingly neutral systems, center voices of those most impacted by systemic racism, and ultimately shift power to BIPOC(Black, Indigenous, People of Color) communities.
*Is your institution ready to commit to a long-term change process and invest the needed resources to sustain it? Enrich Chicago believes that the workshop is not the work. We offer anti-racism learning opportunities as an entry point to what is ultimately a long-term project toward generational change. Institutions interested in taking on this work should consider whether they are positioned to invest the needed resources to successfully catalyze and sustain an anti-racist change process. Resources to consider include: time, people, and financial resources.
*Is your organizational leadership prepared to commit to a process of public learning? Some change is immediate, other change is incremental and becomes more visible over time. Enrich Chicago members commit to publicly sharing their annual goals and priorities for anti-racist change and publish an annual report of learning (promising practices and areas of continued challenge). These documents are available to the whole of the arts and culture in Chicago and beyond. They are essential tools for deepening transparency and accountability to BIPOC(Black, Indigenous, People of Color) people.
*Who is currently committed and interested in racial equity work? Key areas to consider: Is there a shared commitment among leaders and people who hold power and influence within the organization? How thoughtful and deep is the commitment? Are people committed enough to expend real resources for the work? Are people going to go backward in times of challenge/resistance?
* What is motivating people within the organization to take on racial justice work? Are people interested in the work out of a sense of solidarity with BIPOC(Black, Indigenous, People of Color) people, political thinking that prioritizes the work, a sense of guilt, or opportunism?
* What is and has been your organization’s relationship with BIPOC(Black, Indigenous, People of Color) organizations and ALAANA people?
* Is there a shared and comprehensive analysis of race and racism among your organization’s leadership and membership?
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO INQUIRE REGARDING TRAINING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, PLEASE FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW.
Please note, you can expect a response between 7-14 Business Days after submission
These questions are adapted from several resources: Western States Center, Dancing on Live Embers: Challenging Racism in Organizations by Tina Lopes & Barb Thomas, Embracing Cultural Competency: A Roadmap for Nonprofit Capacity Builders by Patricia St. Onge, and Grantmakers in the Arts.
