Our Organizational Values

We Believe...

The arts, especially local arts, are a pillar of social change

When emerging artists and diverse communities get the resources they need, our world becomes less violent and fearful

When people feel a greater sense of belonging, we awaken to our inner expressiveness, curiosity and humanity

The most powerful way to improve life for all people is to strategically increase opportunity for those furthest from opportunity, thereby addressing centuries of inequity

Actions we take...

We provide no-cost artist mentorships, and low to no-cost studio, development, and venue space to emerging artists and diverse communities, so they can feel a sense of safety and belonging while they do their work

We commit to dismantling white supremacy by consistently training our board, staff, facilitators and contributing artists in restorative, resilient, and compassionate communication

We curate our programming to center those from diverse groups, creating an environment where a wide variety of perspectives are uplifted

We design our leadership and staff to represent as broad a variety of views as possible, placing diverse individuals in positions of authority and power

We go slowly, softly and humbly, knowing our work is the work of multiple lifetimes

Our Journey Towards

Intersectional Inclusivity

We are actively exploring and promoting programming that engages diverse artists and communities.

Intersectional Inclusivity
To experience togetherness for dance, discussion, social gatherings, performance, and mentorship, we are using the skills acquired from 30 years of creating accessible, embodied programming, and gradually putting into place more building blocks as we bring diverse groups together.

We believe that diverse groups have unique:

  • Languages
  • Shared Experiences
  • Social Signals
  • Physical Gestures
  • Signs Of Belonging

Creating a sense of belonging between groups and individuals is the challenge of a lifetime. While we believe skillful curation and caring support are at the heart of our commitment, this is not enough to encompass this multidimensional challenge. Therefore…

We are exploring pathways to engagement, and are committed to learning more sustainable ways to inspire and engage, uplifting each group and person’s authentic differences. In this way, we hope to contribute to a more inclusive world.
La Familia Dancers

155 S. River St. Santa Cruz CA, 95060

(831) 466-9770

community@the418project.org