The following questions were asked of the people in attendance and these were their answers. "Dot's" were used to identify what items the group thought needed more discussion or attention to start.
What does harm look like?
• Being touched without permission • Excusing abuse on the basis of the abusers talent (1 dot) • Lack of equity, safety, etc. • Microaggressions • Misgendering • Turning people into numbers, liabilities • Threatening your sense of specialness • Lack of compassionate response • Dismissed, ignored, othered • Not believing • Culture of fear/silence • Martyr complex • Accepting unacceptability • Lack of boundaries/confidentiality • “the show must go on” (1 dot)
What does safety look like?
• Clear articulation of reporting process • Acknowledgement of harm • Equality/non-hierarchy • Checks and balances for power dynamics (2 dots) • Ability to be vulnerable with being used against you • Permission to fail together (1 dot) • Examples/modeling for how to name/report • Transparent accountability • Ability to ask for supports needed without retribution • Trust/actively built • To have your needs be widely accepted • Trauma informed workplaces (1 dot) • Create space • Normalizing emotional safety (2 dots) • Ground rules/consensus on behavior expectations at the start/beginning (1 dot) • Information/setting expectations/clearly available/easily available • Willingness to stop the show when needed/appropriate (3 dots) • People are more important • Compassionate engaged community • Quick response to microaggressions • Clearly articulated and respected boundaries/negotiated with all parties • Additional care depending on the subject matter/ability to talk about personal experience/ critical thinking • Keeping safety from and center/giving it the time needed (1 dot) • Making safety a true priority/not an afterthought • Engaging the whole community in discussions/decisions about safety (5 dots) • Budgeting for safety • Intentionality • Normalize regular cultural check ins—not just at the beginning (1 dot) • Clearly address the dynamics for children around lack of consent, understanding/willing- ness to notice and act (1 dot) • Child advocates for children • How to balance artistic vision with decent behaviors
• All aspects of humanity are respected, e.g. race gender, etc. (2 dots) • Accessibility/physical • Deeper understanding of child development • Emphasis on theater as education for children • Preparation so you can be proactive in responding to harm • Celebration of the successes beyond artistic
What does accountability look like?
• Commitment to healing after harm/not just “moving” the problem (1 dot) • Trust • Transparency • Consistency/commitment to fully engaging with all involved/what happened, what needs to change • Clarity of expectations (1 dot) • Use the skill sets/bravery of theater to create change • Active listening • Accountability to the community/neighborhood • Knowledgeable/training for Board of Directors • Active involved Board of Directors—more than financial • Trauma informed policies and practices • Trauma informed response to disclosures (1 dot) • Accountability needs to be systemic • Transformative/justice • Shifting resources
What does justice look like?
• Resources distributed to people who have been harmed (1 dot) • Reparations • Community support/care for victims • Having a voice • Suing people/organizations • Trauma informed organizing • “Our revenge will be the laughter of our children” (1 dot) • Healing for future generations • Removal of perpetrators/enablers from positions of power • Return what was stolen, e.g. agency, power, opportunities, education • In some way restorative to the harm, recognizing that trauma changes people and can’t be reversed • Acknowledgement that some harm is irreparable • Returning/giving agency to people who are harmed • Acknowledgement of the history, role impact in creation current systems (3 dots)
What’s next/steps needed:
• Start simply • Facilitate sharing of best practices, e.g. respect policies, etc. • PAHRTS website • Developing standards (3 dots) • Address intersectionality (7 dots) • Cultivate wider diversity in these conversations (1 dot) • Start an on-line process for increasing input
• Resource: New Brooklyn labor contracts • Resource: Chicago Theatre Standards (1 dot) • Commit to talking to 3 people about this meeting (1 dot) • Mechanism for sharing information about people who have caused harm (4 dots)