DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

A Commitment to Change

As an international film festival, we recognize the power of our platform in addressing the systemic racism and inequality in our country. We stand against all forms of racism, bigotry and violence. We will continue to share stories from diverse, marginalized voices that expose injustice, promote understanding and advocate for equality — and we will continue to champion them through the power of cinema.  

We recognize the critical role the arts play in American culture and accept our responsibility to make positive change through our work, our practices and our policies. As an organization based in a relatively non-diverse community, we recognize that we still have more work to do and are committed to the following actions:

• Improving the diversity of our organization among board members, screening and selection committee, and staff
• Increasing funding and seeking opportunities that spotlight marginalized voices
• Providing space for inclusion and representation in our film festival programming and year-round programming
• Continuing conversations and dialogue around racial equity and inclusion within our organization
• Implementing standardized inclusion practices such as gender-affirming pronouns, land acknowledgements, and accessible language
• Improving overall accessibility for those who identify with a disability, including access training for volunteers and access improvements to venues  
• Providing continued training and resources to staff and board members

We are committed and working diligently to embrace the challenges ahead and we will listen to our community about the best ways to build and support each other in a transforming society.