Lamont Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Statement
Music is a fundamental form of human expression that can unite and humanize people. As we confront power, privilege, and oppression today, we ask how we as musicians and scholars can foster greater equity and inclusion through our creative and educational practices. We examine how our practices are inclusive or exclusive, how they cultivate community or deepen divisions, and how our own engagements with music may unite, divide, include, or exclude. Which musics, values, and identities do we privilege in our own practices? How do we engage (or not) with diverse peoples and cultures? How does this engagement impact our creative and scholarly work? Why have we made these choices?
We strive to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion at Lamont by (1) affirming BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and other minoritized peoples through our policies, curricula, and individual actions, and (2) purposefully building a more inclusive and welcoming community based on cultural humility, trust, and self-awareness.
To this end, we are committed to:
- introspective work to better understand and critically reexamine ourselves and our past through the lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion
- individual and systemic change through immediate and long-term actions that address: policy, curricula, recruitment, hiring, retention, and community-engaged collaborations
We acknowledge the importance diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice have in making Lamont a vibrant, innovative, and creative space for learning about, teaching, and creating music. We recognize that meaningful change requires all members of our community to reflect, learn, and take action with curiosity and humility.
