Equity Response

Our Community,

The theater has always been a place to come together and learn from one another's journeys and stories. Playthings Theatre is committed to creating an equitable, anti-racist, safe space to share these stories.

In that vein, we must examine the harmful problem of racism and white supremacy beyond the actions of individuals, for it is embedded in the very fabric of our society. We acknowledge that racism can be unconscious or unintentional, and that identifying racism as an issue does not automatically mean those involved in the act are racist or intended the negative impact. As an anti-racism organization we vow to purposefully identify, discuss and challenge issues of race and color and the impact(s) they have on our organization, its systems, and its community. We will also challenge ourselves to understand and correct any inequities we may discover and gain a better understanding of ourselves during this purposeful process.

We are aware that living at the intersection of systems of oppression defined by race, sexual orientation, and gender, LGBTQ+ people of color face many specific challenges that white LGBTQ+ people do not. Gender and sexual minorities of color grow up in different, and not mutually exclusive communities that operate outside of the mainstream, white-dominated culture.

We are resolved to explicitly and publicly affirm our identity as an anti-racist theatre company. We are resolved that our anti-racism commitment be reflected through our policies, programing, and practices as we continue to learn about racism. We resolve to develop and work to implement strategies that dismantle racism and white supremacy within all aspects of our company, the LGBTQ+ community, the New York theater community, and society.

The Playthings Board of Directors.