Published 5 January 2023
Welcome to the first edition of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Newsletter for the Department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts at The Ohio State University! It is hard to believe that the Spring 2023 semester is already underway. As part of the department’s DEI efforts, we have been thinking about what is important to our community, our sense(s) of belonging, and how we might work to create the conditions in which all can thrive because of our rich differences.
This newsletter is a part of that effort. Through it, we aim to keep you up to date on DEI-related events and programming in—and sometimes beyond—the department, to celebrate the wonderful work that people in our community are doing, to share helpful resources, and to think ahead to exciting things that are in the works.
And there certainly is a lot in the works. A few highlights from this first edition of the DEI Newsletter include an invitation to celebrate Black History Month with the Costume Studio Manager Coco Mayer; a reminder to mark your calendar for a screening of Making Sweet Tea and discussion with the filmmaker E. Patrick Johnson; a brief interview with Associate Professor Kevin McClatchy about diversity in the upcoming production of Everybody at Ohio State; and a review of Post-MFA Fellow Amber Whatley’s “Blackout” workshop.
In terms of resources, this newsletter also includes an interfaith and DEI calendar that lists holidays, observances, and other dates that are significant to many of us in the TFMA community. Lastly, be sure to check out some of the hyperlinked essays and editorials that discuss how we might redefine racism, (re)consider privilege, and make the everyday use of gender-affirming language habitual.
In the spirit of community building, the DEI Committee welcomes your input and contributions for future editions of this newsletter. We see this as a co-created resource that benefits—and reflects—all of us. If you are planning or participating in a DEI-related event, have news to share or accomplishments to celebrate, or know of resources that should be shared with the department, please email the committee chair John Brooks at brooks.1310@osu.edu.