NEW HAVEN, CONN.: ArtEquity, in partnership with Yale School of Drama, has announced the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Leadership Circle, a leadership program aimed at field-wide systemic change. The leadership circle, with an inaugural cohort of 50 BIPOC leaders from 48 organizations across North America, will have six virtual convenings between Nov. 5 and Dec. 17.
“As more and more leaders of color are given access to occupy the most senior leadership roles within cultural arts organizations, we are finding that many predominantly white organizations are not adequately prepared to support them,” said artEquity executive director and founder Carmen Morgan in a statement. “Leadership models that support white leaders are not necessarily effective leadership models for BIPOC leaders. On the contrary, often those leadership styles and models are incongruent to the leadership styles and needs of BIPOC leaders. This cohort aims to both support BIPOC leaders and support new leadership models and values.”
This initiative, which will work with BIPOC individuals working within predominantly white organizations and fields, was developed as part of a five-year relationship between Yale School of Drama and artEquity. The two organizations are aiming to foster new paradigms for BIPOC leadership through this leadership circle. Sessions during the program will focus on strengthening individual and collective BIPOC leadership, while also growing a network of field-wide leaders whose values are aligned.
The inaugural cohort, which features participants in a variety of art fields, includes: Narda E. Alcorn (Yale School of Drama), Renee Alston (Metropolitan Museum of Art), Shaminda Amarakoon (Yale School of Drama/Yale Repertory Theatre), Renee S. Anderson (Smithsonian Institution), Gabriel Barrera (ScenicG), Toni Bell (International Documentary Association), Katherin Canton (California Arts Council), Elena Chang (Theatre Communications Group), Frankie Charles (Minnesota Opera), Alejandra Cisneros (the Public Theater), Leticia Delgado (Ballet Lubbock), Kellee Edusei (Dance/USA), Sonia Fernandez (Magic Theatre), Karena Fiorenza (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), Shanelle Gabriel (Urban Word NYC), Napolean Gladney (Musco Center for the Arts/LA Contemporary Dance Company), Laura Gomez-Mesquita (Kartemquin Films), Natalia Goodnow (Creative Action), Maura Hackett (NEO Philanthropy, Inc.), Audrey Hoo (Berkeley Repertory Theatre), Kathy Hsieh (Seattle Office of Arts and Culture), Sajal Javid (Alley Theatre), Rocky Jones (Minnesota Opera), Khady Kamara (2nd Stage), Teiya Kasahara (Amplified Opera), Natalie Kennedy (Minnesota State Arts Board), Ginger Klee (Mt. San Antonio College), Frances Koncan (Sarasvati Productions), Anika Kwinana (the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts), Emalie Mayo (Yale School of Drama/Yale Repertory Theatre), Gabriela Muñoz (Arizona State University), Tariana Navas-Nieves (City and County of Denver), Kristal Pacific (OPERA America), Tricia Patrick (MCC Theater), Christian Ramírez (Phoenix Art Museum), Chantal Rodriguez (Yale School of Drama), Faith Davis Ruffins (Smithsonian NationalMuseum of American Art), Aaron Salley (Musical Theatre Factory), Stacey Shelnut-Hendrick (Crocker Art Museum), Niegel Smith (the Flea and A.R.T./New York), Megha Agrawal Sood (Doc Society), Mei Ann Teo (Musical Theatre Factory), Candace Thompson-Zachery (Dance/NYC), Alexander Tom (Pace University), Alejandra Valarino Boyer (Seattle Opera), Marie Vickles (Perez Art Museum Miami), Stacy Waring (the Lark Theatre Company), Nicole A. Watson (McCarter Theatre Center), and Michael Winn (Children’s Theatre Company).
This cohort will be supported by artEquity’s Morgan, Nijeul X Porter, and a team of co-facilitators, including Mica Cole, Ty Defoe, Patricia Garza, Leslie Ishii, Dat Ngo, and Lauren Turner.
