In the second part of the mini-series “Beyond the Equity Statement,” we share how we ensured that our newly articulated core values are integral to our day-to-day operations and embraced by everyone collaborating with ASI.

A mini-series on creating core values and living by them.

In 2020, when COVID-19 threatened our health and livelihood, and civil unrest forced us to reevaluate our privilege, we could no longer ignore the "brokenness" of our field and the art form we love. Developing equity statements was important, but for ASI, it was time to become outward-facing about our values and to live by them.

Like many nonprofits, we didn't have the resources to spend hours digging into these topics all at once. So, with grace (and privilege), we permitted ourselves to do this over time. Not to keep pushing this back on the to-do list, but by eating the elephant one bite at a time and making sure this work could go beyond a nicely designed piece of paper.

We hope this mini-series sharing our process will inspire others to create a culture of care within their organizations and put actions behind their equity statements.

Part I: Looking Inward, Crafting Our Vision Statement & Core Values