As part of P.S. ARTS’ ongoing commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace culture based on equity, staff and Teaching Artists recently participated in a workshop led by SHIFT, a woman of color-owned racial and gender equity consulting group. Originally envisioned through a subgroup of P.S. ARTS’ DEIB committee efforts focused on skills and wellbeing, the training emerged as a collaborative opportunity to bring these priorities together in a single experience. Founded in 2017 during the height of the #MeToo movement, SHIFT creates spaces for honest dialogue, reflection, and community accountability. Through discussions on implicit bias, systems thinking, and the ways individuals shape culture and institutions, participants explored how workplace norms and broader systems can impact equitable outcomes and opportunities for belonging.
Guided by the workshop’s central theme of finding moments of courage to disrupt harmful systems, participants engaged in reflective activities and small group conversations about “choosing otherwise” and moments of courage. As SHIFT shared, the workshop invited participants to acknowledge the intersecting systems of harm and violence that impact daily life while also exploring the “seemingly small” possibilities for challenging them. By creating space for honest reflection and dialogue, the session encouraged participants to consider how they can contribute to more equitable outcomes and foster a stronger sense of belonging.
