San Diego REP Announces Equity, Diversity And Inclusion Strategic Action Plan

San Diego Repertory Theatre announced today the details of a 5-year Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Action Plan, with the goal of making meaningful changes towards equity for all across all departments and programs of the company.

The plan, available in full at sdrep.org/action, is focused on a 360-degree company-wide commitment to artistic, administrative and Board of Trustee appointments and programming aimed at 50% Black, Indigenous, and people of color representation and gender parity in all areas of the company. The goal of the plan is to transform San Diego REP into a truly equitable, fully inclusive, expansively diverse, anti-racist organization.

As part of the early first steps of the Action Plan, the theatre has promoted three current staff members to new positions in the Artistic Department of the company. Joining REP Associate Artistic Director Todd Salovey, who has been in his position for 28 years, are two new Associate Artistic Directors: Dr. Maria Patrice Amon as Associate Artistic Director & Latinx Projects Producer and Danielle Ward as Associate Artistic Director & Literary Manager. Ahmed Dents, co-host of the successful online series We Are Listening, is joining the Artistic team as Development and Artistic Associate.

Artistic Director Sam Woodhouse notes, "The insights, experience and wisdom that Ahmed, Patrice and Danielle will add to our artistic leadership team will have a profound impact upon our artistic imagination and future. In addition, I am proud that the appointment of Danielle, a queer woman; Ahmed, an African American man; and Patrice, a Latinx woman, will enrich and significantly expand the perspectives gathered at The REP's artistic table. This expansion is a direct part of our commitment to building an artistic leadership team that includes no less than 50% BIPOC and gender representation." Woodhouse will be appearing on a special edition of San Diego REP's successful online salon, We Are Listening, to discuss the Action Plan in more detail. This special edition will be streamed live online Wednesday, November 18 at 5:30 PM Pacific. Details and registration can be found at sdrep.org/listening

To nurture and monitor the Action Plan, San Diego REP will establish a new Vision Council. This council will consist of Amon, Ward, Dents, Salovey, Woodhouse, Associate Producer & Casting Director Kim Heil, and Managing Director Larry Alldredge.

The Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Action Plan, developed by REP staff and Board of Trustees over the past six months, will address these primary goals over the next 3 to 5 years:

• To impact company structure: San Diego REP will reframe organizational structure from an anti-racist and anti-bias perspective with emphasis on transparency.

• To impact company culture: San Diego REP will establish best practices to eliminate systemic racism throughout the organization and create equity overall.

• To impact the art on the theatre's stages: San Diego REP will widen the lens of diversity across all artistic programming to advance racial justice and multicultural equity.

• To impact San Diego REP's audience and community: San Diego REP will deepen community engagement and patron experience around a multicultural worldview.

• To impact the theatre field nationally: San Diego REP will help evolve American theatre by centering on Black, Indigenous, and artists of color.

The full text of San Diego REP's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Action Plan is available to read at sdrep.org/action.

To post a comment, you must register and login.