Artemis Singers, Chicago’s Lesbian Feminist Chorus, is committed to creating an organizational culture that actively fosters equity and inclusivity by continuing to engage in the ongoing work of dismantling racism1 and white supremacy2. We are dedicated to taking the following actions, listed below in no specific order:
- Amplify and support BIWOC (Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color) through music selection, artistic and social collaborations, business interactions, racial justice activism, and financial contributions.
- Prioritize outreach to and accessibility for BIWOC in membership recruitment and audience development.
- Provide ongoing educational opportunities and facilitated discussions for chorus members to continue learning about interrupting and eradicating racism and white supremacy culture.
- Review and evaluate on a regular basis all chorus policies/procedures/systems to root out any that perpetuate racist/white supremacist ideas and actions.
1Racism Definition
Racism = race prejudice + social and institutional power
Racism = a system of advantage based on race
Racism = a system of oppression based on race
Racism = a white supremacy system
Racism is different from racial prejudice, hatred, or discrimination. Racism involves one group having the power to carry out systematic discrimination through the institutional policies and practices of the society and by shaping the cultural beliefs and values that support those racist policies and practices.
SOURCE: “What Is Racism?” − Dismantling Racism Works (dRworks) web workbook.
Related Resources: Racism
2 White Supremacy Definition
The idea (ideology) that white people and the ideas, thoughts, beliefs, and actions of white people are superior to People of Color and their ideas, thoughts, beliefs, and actions. While most people associate white supremacy with extremist groups like the Ku Klux Klan and the neo-Nazis, white supremacy is ever present in our institutional and cultural assumptions that assign value, morality, goodness, and humanity to the white group while casting people and communities of color as worthless (worth less), immoral, bad, and inhuman and “undeserving.” Drawing from critical race theory, the term “white supremacy” also refers to a political or socio-economic system where white people enjoy structural advantage and rights that other racial and ethnic groups do not, both at a collective and an individual level.
SOURCE: “What Is Racism?” − Dismantling Racism Works (dRworks) web workbook.
Related Resources: System of White Supremacy and White Privilege and Addressing Hate and White Supremacy
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