DITA Host Site Applications Close November 25th at 5 PM MST.
Host Sites are vital to the DITA program as they provide opportunities for aspiring DEI leaders to get practical experience in the arts & culture community. Join the growing group of Colorado Arts & Culture nonprofits demonstrating their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion by fostering the next generation of leaders!
DITA's Advisory Board Expands
We are thrilled to announce the addition of two new members to the DITA Advisory Board. The Advisory Board meets regularly to review the internship's progress, address any challenges, and bring new ideas to the Program Administrator. Additionally, the Advisory Board members review applications, participate in applicant interviews, and determine which applicants will be a part of the upcoming internship.
As DITA Internship alumnae, our newest members have demonstrated a strong commitment to DEI as leaders and advocates. They bring unique perspectives to the decision-making process and are intimately familiar with how DITA functions; their strong voices will help launch our internship to new heights.
DITA Spotlight: Indigenous Inclusion in Theatre
I was 19 when the head of the musical theatre department at my college told me I needed to shorten my name to make myself more castable.
I sat there hearing him in a way I had never heard anything before. Like my senses had been turned up to level twenty. I nodded in agreement, still the meek and sweet girl who had for the first time been away from her parents' home. I wasn’t who I am now. I was easily persuaded, never stood up for myself, and took the words of authority as if it were sacred acts set in stone. I went home and changed my name on my resume from “Marcelina” the name of my grandfather, the name of my father, and my brother, the name of thousands of years of tradition scrapped with the click of my fingers on a keyboard. I started to go by “Lina” in audition rooms, knowing that name was easier to go by, made me more ethnically ambiguous, made me more castable.
I look back at that girl and I want to punch her square in the back of her neck...
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, DEI advocate Marcelina Agapita Ramirez (a member of the Mescalero-Apache and proud Chicana), reflects on her journey in theatre.
Organizations to Support:
Denver Indian Center, Inc.: "The Denver Indian Center Inc. (DICI) is an urban cultural gathering center for the American Indian/ Alaska Native community. of the Denver Metro area. Founded in 1983 to meet the unique needs and challenges facing the of the Native community; we support our Native youth and community by providing guidance for economic empowerment and self-reliance, programs that empower families and honor our elders, and by offering a space where Native culture can be preserved and celebrated." (Denver, CO) First Nations Development Institute: "Our mission is to strengthen American Indian economies to support healthy Native communities. We invest in and create innovative institutions and models that strengthen asset control and support economic development for American Indian people and their communities." First Peoples Fund: "Founded in 1995, First Peoples Fund's mission is to honor and support the Collective Spirit® of First Peoples artists and culture bearers. First Peoples Fund recognizes the power of art and culture to bring about positive change in Native communities, beginning with individual artists and their families." Native American Rights Fund: "Since 1970, the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) has provided legal assistance to Indian tribes, organizations, and individuals nationwide who might otherwise have gone without adequate representation. NARF is governed by a volunteer board of directors composed of thirteen Native Americans from different tribes throughout the country with a variety of expertise in Indian matters." (Boulder, Colorado) Native Arts & Cultures Foundation: "The Native Arts and Cultures Foundation advances equity and cultural knowledge, focusing on the power of arts and collaboration to strengthen Native communities and promote positive social change with American Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native peoples in the United States." Northern Colorado Intertribal Powwow Association, Inc.: "The Northern Colorado Intertribal Pow-wow Association, Inc. celebrates our Native American heritage and helps to preserve our culture through honoring our ancestors and inspiring our youth while increasing public awareness. We do this by sharing our values and providing educational and cultural experiences through music, dance, food, and the arts." Spirit of the Sun: "For over a decade, we have partnered with Native American communities across the nation to develop new opportunities for tribes and Native American individuals. Spirit of the Sun is founded on the belief that effective and sustainable development work recognizes the intersections of culture, community, economy, and health, and that true success is only possible through collaboration." (Denver, CO)
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