Equity Statement

Statement

As defined in its guidelines, the Cashion Cultural Legacy and its programs, including Los Lupeños de San José, Los Lupeños Juvenil, and Los Lupeños Academy, firmly believe that arts, and specifically dance, build connections between people that bridge gaps created by systemic inequity and racism. Our cultural experiences are a welcoming place for everyone and do not discriminate based on age, background, culture, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, economic standing, marital status, religion, ethnicity, or national origin.

Renewed Commitment

Our dancers, students, and audiences learn about Mexican Culture through dance education, documentation, and performance. We renew our commitment to equity in the Cashion Cultural Legacy’s administration and dance programs. We will:

• Effectively portray Mexican folk culture and traditions with authenticity, insight and positivity
• Value and celebrate cultural diversity in the arts through partnerships, collaborations and alliances
• Offer options to guarantee that everyone can partake of our classes, performances and events
• Provide resources, including financial support, to ensure equitable participation in our programs
• Focus on creativity, not ability, so that everyone has a place to contribute in their own way
• Denounce racism, intolerance, systemic injustice, and exclusion
• Look for and take advantage of teachable moments
• Appreciate and accentuate our team’s diversity
• Treat our community with respect and honesty
• Make space for positive outcomes to flourish
• Adhere to CCL’s Anti-Discrimination Guidelines

Anti-Discrimination Guidelines

The Cashion Cultural Legacy (CCL) Board is committed to providing a safe environment that protects students, dancers and staff from discrimination, harassment, intimidation, bullying, and other behavior motivated by a person’s hostility towards another person’s real or perceived ethnicity, national origin, immigrant status, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, age, disability, or any other physical or cultural characteristic. The CCL Board President or designee shall design strategies to promote harmonious relationships among students, dancers, and staff, prevent incidents of hate-motivated behavior to the extent possible, and address such incidents if they occur.

The CCL Board President or designee shall collaborate with regional programs and community organizations to promote safe environments for youth and staff. Such collaborative efforts shall focus on ensuring an efficient use of CCL and community resources, developing effective prevention strategies and response plans, providing assistance to students, dancers and staff affected by hate-motivated behavior, and/or educating students, dancers and staff who have perpetrated hate-motivated acts.

The CCL shall provide students, dancers and staff with age-appropriate instruction that includes the development of social-emotional learning, promotes their understanding of and respect for human rights, diversity, and acceptance in a multicultural society, and provides strategies to manage conflicts constructively.

As necessary, the CCL shall offer counseling, guidance, and support to students, dancers and staff who are victims of hate-motivated behavior and to students, dancers and staff who exhibit such behavior.

The CCL Board President or designee shall ensure that the rules prohibiting hate-motivated behavior and procedures for reporting a hate-motivated incident are provided to students, dancers, staff and parents/guardians.

The CCL Board President or designee shall provide staff with training on recognizing and preventing hate-motivated behavior and on effectively enforcing rules for appropriate student conduct.

Complaint Process

A student, dancer, staff or parent/guardian who believes they have been a victim of hate-motivated behavior is strongly encouraged to report the incident to a teacher, the directors, or other staff members.

Any staff member who is notified that hate-motivated behavior has occurred, observes such behavior, or otherwise becomes aware of an incident shall immediately contact the Executive Director or the CCL Board President for coordinating the response to complaints and complying with state and federal civil rights laws. As appropriate, he/she shall also contact law enforcement.

Any complaint of hate-motivated behavior shall be investigated and, if determined to be discriminatory, shall be resolved in accordance with law. If, during the investigation, it is determined that a complaint is about nondiscriminatory behavior, the CCL President or designee shall inform the complainant and shall take all necessary actions to resolve the complaint.