Race, Equity, and Social Justice at SIFF
SIFF believes it is our responsibility to promote access, representation of diverse backgrounds and stories, and an artistic home for all artists, audiences, and other stakeholders of all backgrounds.
EQUITY VALUES
SIFF believes that valuing and promoting diversity is vital to our mission. We are dedicated to improving racial equity within our organization and our community. SIFF uses our unique position to share diverse perspectives in visual storytelling while empowering new voices to share their own stories and promoting accessibility for all people. We strive to foster diversity in all facets of our organization, from board to volunteer, from artist to audience and beyond.
SIFF is committed to...
Making Our Culture More Inclusive and Affirming
SIFF uses email signatures that include pronouns as an opportunity for people to make their gender pronouns visible, and gender inclusive restrooms to provide welcoming spaces that best fit their identity.
Seattle's Indigenous Heritage
SIFF acknowledges* that we are on Indigenous land, the traditional territories of the Coast Salish people.
Race, Equity and Social Justice
Through programming, meaningful partnerships, and a staff-led cohort SIFF executes our mission with increased relevance, effectiveness, and impact. We understand that to meet this goal we must address the inequities that exist within SIFF, our programs, and our wider communities while creating opportunities for new inclusive practices.
ABOUT RESJ COHORT
SIFF's staff-led Race, Equity, and Social Justice Cohort was established in 2017. We work to address inequities that exist within SIFF, our programs, and our wider communities; and create opportunities for new inclusive practices and aspire to be community leaders within our region and wider industry.
We center race in our equity conversation as it's the primary intersection that unites all social justice issues.
We have a responsibility to use our position to promote access, representation of diverse backgrounds and stories, and an artistic home for all artists, audiences, and other stakeholders of all backgrounds.
We define diversity broadly to include and extend beyond all notions of race, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, socioeconomic status military status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and creative expression.
Contact Us
Have feedback for us about our Race, Equity, and Social Justice Work? It can be something positive you experienced through our work or something that SIFF should focus more attention on to improve. We want to hear from you!
EQUITY WORK IN ACTION
Gender Diverse Bathroom Signs and Gender Pronoun Usage
In effort to show solidarity with members of our community who are transgender, non-binary, or fluid in their gender identity and/or gender expression SIFF has installed gender diverse bathroom signs at all three SIFF Cinemas. This designation provides a safer and more welcoming space to someone who is transgender or may not identify with the male or female gender binary, by which public restrooms are often divided. SIFF staff have also been incorporating gender pronoun usage across our organizational culture.
*Learn more about acknowledging Indigenous land here:
- Territory Acknowledgement - Native Land Digital
Note: This is an useful, though imperfect resource, and they are constantly working with tribes to make updates. - "Indigenous Land Acknowledgement, Explained" - Teen Vogue