Who Are We the People? by Robyn Phillips-Pendleton. Norman Rockwell Four Freedoms interpretation, “Enduring Ideals: Roosevelt, Rockwell, and the Four Freedoms” traveling exhibition
The People of Color (PoC) Affinity Group is a NASAA members-led group open to all state and jurisdictional arts agency and regional arts organization staff and council members who identify as persons of color. The PoC Affinity Group recognizes that people of color working in organizations that have a majority-White demographic can benefit from spaces where race and ethnicity can be explicit experiences and topics of conversation, unmediated by White culture and privilege. The PoC Affinity Group connects people of color within the state arts agency field with each other, and ensures a safe and brave space within the larger body of NASAA membership for members of color to speak and participate openly in identifying, recommending and leading the changes necessary to achieve true inclusivity for all. All state and jurisdictional arts agency and regional arts organization staff and council members who identify as persons of color are invited to join this affinity group.
The PoC Affinity Group was launched and is supported by NASAA. Its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is articulated within its policy statement, which affirms the importance of ongoing reflection, dialogue and learning to accomplish this work authentically and alongside state arts agencies. The PoC Affinity Group recognizes that the voices and efforts of people of color within the state arts agency network are powerful and necessary to advance racial justice. To this end, the affinity group is designed to be a key advisory voice in further shaping NASAA’s DEI activities, policies and programs. The PoC Affinity Group meets quarterly. Please be sure to check the NASAA events calendar for upcoming meetings.
If you identify as a person of color, are on the staff or council of a state arts agency or regional arts organization, and would like to join the affinity group or attend a meeting, please contact NASAA’s Marisa Summers at marisa.summers@nasaa-arts.org or 202-347-6353. We welcome your input and insight.