Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Policy

Mission

The Fernando Pullum Community Arts Center (“Pullum Center”) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower young people to create a new vision of who they are and what they can become. Pullum Center provides quality performing arts instruction to youth in South Los Angeles.

About

Founded in 2011, Pullum Center provides free performing arts instruction to underserved students, ages 5 – 20, who reside in South Los Angeles. Pullum Center brings together a diverse group of teaching artists who specialize in music, theater and dance to reach underserved youth.

By identifying our community’s core needs, Pullum Center fills a critical void in the lives of South Los Angeles youth by using performing arts as a catalyst to foster interracial friendships, develop leadership qualities, encourage civic engagement and promote academic interest.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Pullum Center is committed to building cultural diversity and equity at every level of the organization. Pullum Center strives to ensure that underrepresented communities and voices are included and heard. We believe the arts can amplify diverse voices, celebrate cultures and heritages, and bring social change.

Pullum Center is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusivity within our organizational structure, the programs we provide, and the community we serve. To promote equity and inclusion in all aspects of the organization, Pullum Center encourages and values all employees, volunteers, artists, and constituents—whatever their gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation or identity, education, or disability.

The Board and Staff of the Pullum Center resolve to:

Integrate diversity, equity, and inclusiveness as a practice that furthers Pullum Center’s mission.
Represent diverse voices, marginalized identities, and unheard stories in our programming.
Use anti-biased language in our communications.
Support all forms of diversity, including but not limited to: gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation and identity, education, religious and spiritual beliefs, neurodiversity, socio-economic status, and ability.
Ensure that our Board members, staff, and teaching artists represent the diversity of our community.
Provide leadership in our community as an advocate for cultural equity and social justice.
Actively seek to expand and diversify our partner network to reach a broader audience in the community, as well as to seek multiple perspectives and embrace feedback for more informed decision-making.
Invite community members to participate in the decision-making of our programming in collaboration with our teaching artists and leadership.
Broaden accessibility of classes, workshops, and performances by ensuring physical accessibility, no-fee or sliding-scale fees, school outreach, and additional efforts.
Regularly share educational content and resources on promoting diversity and equity with our Board, staff, and teaching artists.

On January 26, 2022, the Fernando Pullum Community Arts Center Board of Directors unanimously adopted the “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Statement.”