WHITE ANTI-RACIST WORKING GROUP - MEETING REPORT

Meeting #10 Information

Date: February 20, 2022 Start: 6:05p

End: 7:02p

Attendance Manny M, Michelina S, Katie H, Nick S, Vivi B, Sam B, Sylvie E, Orlando G, Olive F

Agenda ● 6:05-6:15 - Check-in (Rose Bud Thorn) / Land Acknowledgement

● 6:16-7:02 - Discussion of potential solutions to improve Mainstage experience

Topics Covered ● How do we improve the mainstage community policy?

● What guidelines or positions can be added to ensure accountability and uphold
safe practices?

Notes ● Overworking and mainstage

○ Theatre program does not profit from Mainstage productions, the
University does
○ So why are we overworking students and causing them to burnout?
● Mainstage accountability policy
○ Recent issues – Fucking A stage management, Savnoarola outside
director, The Drag costume/makeup designer
○ Who is in the room to make sure safe practices are happening?
■ Not far to put pressure on student stage managers who often
get gaslit when they bring it to attention of faculty members
■ Too much rides on production managers
● Potential solutions to change larger structure of way rehearsals are run
○ Read “Anti-Racism” & “Community Values” statements regularly, not
just at the first rehearsal
■ Have it posted in the rehearsal space
■ Attach link in the daily call
■ Make it more accessible and regularly put into the space to
make it a form of habit
○ Institute a role where someone acts as a “Union Deputy” who is
responsible for ensuring that the room is ran safely and is someone
anyone can always come to
■ Cast votes on person they would be most comfortable with for
each production
■ They can talk to representative about how they feel
director/designers are behaving in their roles
 ■ One a week there is a designated time for actors to meet with
deputy
■ Should be a work study position that also counts for lab hours
– person should be compensated for their time and labor
■ Assistant to head position?
○ Implement anonymous reporting policy
■ “Concerns may be brought to your production stage manager, and/or the
Fordham production manager as well as the head of your track if you are a
student. Whomever you choose to contact will notify the appropriate
administrator in order to examine our practices and make the necessary
adjustments” – this is not specific, concrete, or accountable
■ Should list names and contact information for multiple faculty
members, as well as a link to an anonymous reporting system
○ Do post mortems after every production – who makes sure that we
make changes and don’t make the same mistakes?
■ Takeaways go into document for next Mainstage team as well
as faculty member responsible for outside hires
■ Make a public document with successful actions that we should
always implement going forward
● Community statements need to be simple and precise, not abstract ideas
○ People are more likely to have concrete rules stay in their minds
○ Do not beat around the bush: “If you are called out, you need to
change your actions”
○ There should be consequences for not following the policy!
● NEXT MEETING – think about what we want to put in writing
○ How can we make these ideas solid policies in a contract?
○ Brainstorm: What are the actual structural changes we want? What
prevents our processes from being educational and solely
product-oriented?
■ Adding policies, not just rephrasing
○ Review BIPOC Alliance demands
○ Create a draft!!

Reminders ● Please email us if you are interested in being a facilitator for our next meeting!
Anyone is welcome!
● Encourage other white theatre students to join!
○ PLEASE NOTE: even if you haven’t attended a meeting yet, you are
still welcome and encouraged to join!! Come for as long as you can to
our meetings, even if it’s only for 30 minutes. Showing up and doing
the work for half the time is better than not ;)
● JOIN OUR REMIND: text “@fordhamth” to 81010
 ● FOLLOW OUR IG: @warwg_ft
● We are still looking for more chairs! We would love to have 1 or 2
representatives from each class so all voices are heard! If this interests you,
please email fordhamtheatrewarwg@gmail.com

Work 1. Read the Mainstage Community Agreement and Studio Handbook!

Identify changes that must be made to create a safer rehearsal and
production environment.
2. Review the BIPOC Alliance Demands.
3. Brainstorm the concrete structural changes we need and how to put
them into writing!

Upcoming WARWG Meeting #11

● Thursday, March 3rd - 1:00pm-2:00pm
● Location: Whitebox

* Spring 2022 Meeting Calendar