Welcome Letter from RED

Dear KCACTF Region 6 Festival 55 Community and Guests,

The Representation, Equity and Diversity (RED) Initiative began as a grassroots campaign in 2018 and was developed in 2019 by the national committee of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. It is to ensure that we, as an organization, are doing everything we can to respectfully engage with all communities and identities at every level within the eight KCACTF Regions of the United States.

“In order to seek change, we must scrutinize our current systems, structures, and objectives. This includes examining the words we use to describe our actions. By stating our intention to create representation, we are committing to accurately reflecting the whole constituency we serve.”

“....We must practice equity, ensuring access for all and not just access for enough. We must unequivocally state and demonstrate that the rights of any individual or a group are neither more nor less important than the rights of another. We will be a levee, standing as a counter force to the rising tide of racism, sexism, gender essentialism, ableism, economic inequality, religious exclusivism, environmental degradation, the ongoing genocide of Indigenous communities, the erasure of Tribal Sovereignty, xenophobia, segregation, colonialism, and white supremacy in this country. With equity, we will seek to practice justice.”

It is in this context that we ask our guest artists and presenters to be acutely aware of how your work will be manifest under these principles. We are also committed to help guide our community via preparedness workshops and training as we continue forward. RED is not an addendum to what we do but part of the fabric of what we do. This includes the Irene Ryans, Design, Technology and Management, National Playwriting Program, SDC Directing Initiative, Dramaturgy, Institute of Theatre Journalism and Activism, Aspire, and all arenas at the festival.

As guests for Region 6 Festival 55, we are asking all guests/participants to LISTEN, WATCH, READ the following material before attending festival as a starting point for understanding and engaging with the RED Initiative:

We ask you for your support as we navigate these waters. We know our students and faculty/staff will grow in your wisdom. Thank you for your tremendous service to Region 6.

--Sherry Boyd, Yesenia Garcia Herrington Region 6 RED Co-Chairs

Special Thanks to Ed Trujillo, Region 7 Red Co-Chair, for his template of this document, and Julie Rae Mollenkamp and Region 5 for their additions.

KCACTF Moderator Training Region 6

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT For Faculty and Staff

THE GOALS FOR RESPONDING:

  • To honor artistic and creative work in college theatre

  • To celebrate and explore the theatrical process through the benefit of a response from a reasonably objective colleague.

THE ROLE OF A MODERATOR: (only faculty and staff can serve as moderators)

  • Acts as a neutral participant

  • Holds participants to time limits

  • Keeps participants from straying off the goals of the discussion

  • Intervenes to advocate for truth, insight, and brevity, kindness and culturally appropriate interaction from all participants

  • Remains invisible unless needed (if on Zoom, turn camera and mic off, remove non-video participants for view, and join only if needed)

  • Wields power when necessary

  • Protects the safety of all participants

  • Serves as the student’s champion.

THE DUTIES OF A MODERATOR in a zoom session:

  • Facilitates the waiting room for student participants

  • Introduces participant to respondent

  • Listens to the interaction

  • Maintains time limits

  • Intercedes only if needed based on the goals of responding and the roles of the moderator

SCENARIOS REQUIRING INTERVENTION BY MODERATOR:

  • Going over-time

  • Engaging in personal judgements (discussion of appearance, content of choices, etc.)  Using racist, sexist, homophobic, classist, ableist language

  • Utilizing harassing language

  • Being overly nasty in critique

  • Calling out microaggressions

ACTION STEPS: (video example will be available)

  • When a phrase or behavior is inappropriate:

REDIRECT by SAYING: “I respectfully request you move onto your next point”

  • When a phrase or behavior is inappropriate happens a second time:

REDIRECT by SAYING: “For the second time, I respectfully request you move onto your next point”

  • When a phrase or behavior is inappropriate happens a third time:

END the meeting by SAYING: “Thank you. Our time together today is up.”

  • If moderator is challenged by respondent or student:

END the meeting by SAYING: “Thank you. Our time together today is up.”

Event Coordinators must communicate with their respondents and moderator teams about expectations specific to their events.

FOLLOW UP:
MODERATOR: Please inform the event coordinator as soon as possible if you ended a meeting.
RESPONDENT: May request a meeting with appropriate event coordinator, the RED chair or the Regional Chair, and the Moderator.
STUDENT: May request a meeting with the appropriate event coordinator, the RED chair or the Regional Chair, and the Moderator.
EVENT COORDINATOR: Must follow up with the student.