Diversity and Inclusion
Diversity Statement:
Mission of Diversity and Inclusion at Improv Utopia
Creating a Welcoming Environment
Improv Utopia strives to create a welcoming and supportive environment where people from all backgrounds can come together to explore and develop their improvisational skills. We recognize that diversity enriches the creative process and strengthens the community. By fostering a culture of openness and respect, Improv Utopia ensures that everyone feels valued and included.
Representation in Leadership and Programming
Improv Utopia is committed to ensuring diverse representation in its leadership, faculty, and programming. This commitment is reflected in their efforts to involve instructors and performers from various cultural, ethnic, and gender backgrounds. By doing so, we provide a broad spectrum of perspectives and experiences, enriching the learning experience for all participants.
Scholarships and Financial Accessibility
Understanding that financial barriers can prevent individuals from participating, Improv Utopia offers scholarships and financial aid to ensure that their programs are accessible to everyone. These initiatives aim to remove economic obstacles and make improv education available to a diverse range of attendees.
Community Outreach and Partnerships
Improv Utopia actively engages in community outreach to bring the benefits of improvisation to underserved and marginalized groups. We partner with organizations that share our commitment to diversity and inclusion, extending their reach and impact. Through these partnerships, Improv Utopia can offer programs and workshops to a broader audience, promoting the values of diversity and inclusion beyond our immediate community.
Continuous Improvement and Feedback
Improv Utopia understands that the journey toward true diversity and inclusion is ongoing. We regularly seek feedback from their community to identify areas for improvement and to ensure that our efforts are effective and meaningful. This commitment to continuous improvement helps us adapt and evolve our practices to better serve a diverse and inclusive community.
Conclusion
Improv Utopia's mission of diversity and inclusion is integral to their identity as an organization. By fostering an environment where everyone can feel welcome, safe, and valued, providing access to improv education for all, and continuously striving to improve, Improv Utopia sets a powerful example for the improv community and beyond. Their dedication to these principles not only enriches the artistic experiences of their participants but also helps build a more inclusive and equitable world through the transformative power of improvisation.
We aim to make Improv Utopia an inclusive and diverse environment where improv enthusiasts can connect.
Our Commitment:
We aim to make Improv Utopia an inclusive and diverse environment where improv enthusiasts can connect, feature diverse representation in our instructors and leadership, and make partnerships with advisors to maintain a safe environment.
Continued goals:
Mandatory staff, instructor and volunteer diversity training.
Virtual programming throughout the year featuring our diverse community leaders.
Generate more diverse content, featuring diverse communities and artists on the Improv Utopia platform.
Increase racial diversity and representation of differing capabilities across all camps.
Maintain the strong gender and LGBTQIA+ representation at our camps.
By 2025 we aim to:
Increase the racial diversity at all our camps to 25–30% or more of our total campers.
What We've Done:
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Completed
❥ Provide truncated staff Mental Health training based on camper request
❥ Updated trainings based on camper feedback
❥ Set up Non-binary housing option
❥ Allow campers to identify first and second housing choices
❥ Encouraging first time campers to reach out if have travel or safety concerns
❥ Capture camper health safety plans
❥ Update FAQ regarding off-campus limitations (insurance complications)
❥ Camper-comprised Diversity Committee for training feedback/thoughts
❥ Listing workshops as “advanced-beginner” focused on site (camper request)
❥ Continue to support diversity in camp staff and encourage all to apply
❥ Enhanced Neurodiversity support for those with dyslexia: arial on printouts, avoid one word pattern games
Goals In Progress
❥ Search for grants to increase diversity offerings
❥ Consider offering mocktail option
❥ Create annual diversity funding application for diverse improv groups that need help with gas money, bringing in speaker, etc.
❥ Virtual Campfire with Nick & Jacque where campers can provide direct feedback/questions outside surveys\red flag
❥ Transitioning over to community support medals for Yosemite
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Set and accomplished the following goals:
Financial Support ❥ Build scholarship program to assist with hardship, open to all, not specific to diversity. This year, for West we were able to provide assistance to over 10 campers. ❥ Continue to maintain diversity discount.
Diversity Training ❥ Continue staff, instructor & counselor diversity training. ❥ Add diversity training for campers. ❥ Add Virtual programming focused on accessibility and also featuring a diverse panel.
Set Targets ❥ Continue our goal to increase diversity and representation another 5% for East, West and Yosemite.
Increase Accessibility ❥ Try to provide lighting arrangements for those with light sensitivity when possible in classrooms. ❥ Provide travel assistance for those who require help at camp (ex. rides up the hill at West).
Request and Respond to Feedback ❥ Poll campers about affinity jam feedback. ❥ Add a new affinity jam for neurodiversity. ❥ Receive feedback regarding Yom Kippur and Yosemite overlap. ❥ Maintain and encourage various reporting structures: Surveys, Red Flag, email, direct contact. ❥ Create diversity facebook page and continue diversity roundtables for feedback and community.
Regular Internal Communication ❥ Hold monthly meetings between diversity advisor, board member and managing director to review diversity concerns, outgoing materials and upcoming events.
Maintain Existing Connections & Initiatives ❥ Continue to maintain the strong gender and LGBTQIA representation at our retreats. ❥ Continue to find ways to acknowledge campers in various ways through awards and cabin awards. ❥ Continue diversity recruitment. ❥ Continue camper Bill of Rights. ❥ Continue to support recognizing camper pronouns. ❥ Continue to update diversity and FAQ section of website. ❥ Continue to receive instructor recommendations and maintain instructor application form on site.
Open Up Recruitment ❥ Open up counselor selection. ❥ Include board member in D&I process.
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Appointed Anita Nicholson our Diversity Adviser
With her assistance we:
❥ Set diversity targets.
❥ Added diversity and inclusion page to site. ❥ Updated site to include past diversity actions and current focuses.
❥ Reached out to diverse improv groups & individual members for recruitment to increase representation. ❥ Sent out recruitment emails with more targeted diversity message.
❥ Offered a diversity discount to BIPOC campers. ❥ Awarded 4 Diversity Scholarships and 9 Partial Scholarships
❥ Reached out to past POC campers for feedback on increasing diversity. ❥ Reached out to other Diversity directors on the East Coast for feedback.
❥ Established Staff Diversity Training. ❥ Added Red Flag Reporting for safer reporting practices and accessibility. ❥ Included into opening ceremonies a diversity message with safety discussions. ❥ Held D&I Brainstorming Sessions at Camp.
❥ Created D&I Facebook group for year round discussion. ❥ Requested specific diversity feedback via our surveys.
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Hired Allison Reese-Shapiro to be our Outreach / Inclusion Manager.
With her assistance we:
❥ Awarded four Diversity Scholarships and nine Partial Scholarships. ❥ Aimed for more inclusive language, welcoming campers to share their pronouns and diversity with us.
❥ Opened conversations at our camps regarding boundaries to support a safe environment.
❥ Sought out diverse and talented instructors for our camps.
❥ Hosted free workshops marketed directly for diverse communities, featuring Master Instructors from those communities, including LGTBQA+, 50+, A Black Empowerment Workshop, All Encompassing Diversity Workshop, Women of Color, Asian, and LatinX/Latin(e).
We are currently offering a $50 discount for campers who aren’t traditionally and currently represented within improv stages. We also have scholarships open and available. You can reach out to Diversity@ImprovUtopia.org anytime for the diversity discount.
Do you qualify for diversity discount?
CONTACT US ANYTIME
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Client Code: Utopia
To file a report, provide client code Utopia and simply do one of the following:
Visit www.RedFlagReporting.com and click on “File a Report”
Call 1-877-647-3335
Text RFR to 234-231-9005
You may also use the following (be sure to be detail oriented, provide our client code, and indicate if you wish to be anonymous our not):
Fax to 330-572-8146
Email to redflag@redflagreporting.com
Mail to RFR, P.O. Box 4230, Akron, Ohio 44321
Red Flag Reporting is your hotline for:
Fraudulent activity / theft
Misconduct
Safety violations
Unethical behavior
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