Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

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You don't grow up in Ellisville, Mississippi as I did, and miss seeing American racism at its ugliest. Growing up in this small southern town, I learned that there were other social divisions besides the racial one. There was hatred of gay and lesbian people, hatred of Jewish and Muslim people and suspicion and resentment toward immigrants especially those from countries like Iraq and Iran. As a child, I quickly learned that I could have a black friend or a gay friend or a Muslim friend at school, I just couldn't bring any of them home with me. Then there was the hostility I personally experienced because I was so interested in music and theatre. This was enough to attract that class of bullies who always delight in terrorizing anybody who seems different. Luckily, by the time I entered high school I was physically able to defend myself. Still, the taunting and name-calling were continuous; I was even spat upon.

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I describe these experiences because they taught me about people who have to endure class hatred and torment. I also recognize that as a white male, I could only imagine what it would be like if I were black or brown. In any case, this background helped mold my attitudes toward the fundamental need for inclusivity in all aspects of public life.

 

Now, twenty years later, with a background in performance, choreography and acting, and having received my Master of Fine Arts in Directing, my awareness about the essential role of theater and its power to teach and inform has deepened and expanded. I recognize how theater can be an agent of social and political change. Theater can teach us about ourselves, how we fail and how we can make better life choices.

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I believe it is essential that students be supported in exercising and strengthening their artistic abilities to communicate ideas effectively.  It is my continuing career goal and focus to help my students prosper as they prepare to step onto the diverse stages they will meet in life with a coherent and intellectual appreciation of theatre as a vital place to promote social change and an intentional, measurable, deliberate move towards equality for all.

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My goal as an Educator, Director of Theater, and Choreographer is not primarily focused on persuading individuals to adopt a particular belief or set of beliefs, but to encourage and promote awareness of the vital need for us to explore our own prejudices and attitudes that can harm others. Sometimes, theater's job is just to delight and entertain. Yet, the history of Theater has established its right and obligation to challenge our assumptions about people, institutions and customs. Theater can mold and recruit agents of change who are willing to confront systems of injustice. Theater can model the kind of inclusivity that can transform the world.

 

Theater can be and should be a portal through which all are welcomed.

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