Statement on Non-Discrimination and Diversity for Lakewood Theatre Company/Lakewood Center for the Arts Board, Staff, Volunteers and Programs

Lakewood Theatre Company (dba Lakewood Center for the Arts, Lakewood Gallery, Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts) believes that art and society is enhanced by cultural diversity.

It is our belief that this diversity enriches our appreciation of the world we live in. Lakewood is committed to providing an environment that demonstrates sensitivity and appreciation for the unique needs and qualities of the individuals that we serve.

To that end, Lakewood’s policy is to provide services, programs, volunteer opportunities and employment opportunities that do not discriminate based on race, color, creed, religion, age, gender, ethnicity, culture, nationality, sexual orientation, military status, marital status, political opinion, learning style, national origin, familial status, mental and physical disability, gender identity, and source of income or disability status.

Lakewood policy is intended to be consistent with the provisions of applicable State and Federal laws.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF LANDS

Our region sits on the traditional lands of the Multnomah, Wasco [Wass-coh], Cowlitz [Cow-litz], Kathlamet [Cath-lah-mit], Clackamas, Bands of Chinook [Cha-nook], Tualatin [Too-ah-la-tin], Kalapuya [Cal-a-poo-yah], Molalla [Mow-la-la], and the many other tribes who made their homes in this area and along the Columbia and Willamette Rivers.

We also acknowledge the broader Native community, with members of over 380 tribes from around the country, who call Portland and its surrounding communities home today.

We pay respect and thank indigenous people for being the original stewards and protectors of these lands where we live and work.  We give gratitude for their continued work and challenge ourselves to learn about their rich histories, spirituality, practices, and cultures that are tied to the land. We acknowledge their enduring perseverance and resilience across generations. This also calls us to commit to continuing to learn how to be better stewards of the land we inhabit, and understand and challenge the past and current practices of colonialism in the communities we all call home.