Radio Boise is a founding member of the Antiracism Coalition of Treasure Valley Arts, Culture and History Organizations, formed in 2020 in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death. Over the course of several months in the summer of 2020, leaders within the Treasure Valley’s arts and culture scenes partnered on a shared statement and action steps for coalition members.
We believe Idahoans will benefit from holding each other accountable to create an equitable and inclusive community where Black history matter, and it is our belief that this accountability will elevate the conversation of equity and decisive action to move toward a shared future that is more just, safe, equitable and joyful for all Americans.
If the national conversation surrounding antiracism is to result in actual change, all of our work as individuals and organizations must be viewed through an antiracist lens. At this moment in our nation’s history, this coalition’s focus on antiracism work in regards to the Black community is a critical component of meaningful change and true equity for all Idahoans. Radio Boise’s outreach to the entire community and the myriad of identities traditionally underrepresented on the airwaves will benefit the specific focus of the group’s work.
We recognize that antiracism work is ongoing, and that some of the desired outcomes will take years to achieve. We believe this shared accountability over time within Idaho’s arts, culture and history scenes will result in lasting, meaningful change in Idaho and beyond.
How This Coalition Relates to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Radio Boise
Radio Boise was founded as a noncommercial radio station that brings people in a broadcast area together through locally-produced music shows plus programming centered on the arts, culture, affairs and issues that are not well-represented in other media offerings. We are affiliated with the National Federation of Community Broadcasters (NFCB), and Radio Boise leadership is actively engaged with NFCB’s ongoing trainings and support aimed at promoting diversity, equity and inclusion within our station and many other community radio stations across the country.
Per the NFCB’s Toolkit for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Community Radio Stations, “DEI is about having a purposeful understanding of how our community radio stations can champion diversity, equity and inclusion. Diverse, equitable and inclusive community radio stations make DEI core to their organizational values. They also intentionally make space for DEI. They talk about it in meetings, make it part of their messaging and operations, examine internal biases, engage nontraditional stakeholders and adopt initiatives to ensure DEI for everyone at the station and beyond.”
Radio Boise’s commitment to the action steps and specific focus on Black lives outlined in the shared work of the Antiracism Coalition is one critical component of our ongoing efforts to examine internal and external biases in particular. We believe that a shared approach to dismantling racism will empower our society to address inequity more rapidly and meaningfully than we would be able to achieve without our participation in the alliance. It is not enough to state that an organization strives to be inclusive without confronting racist attitudes and systems that can and must change within our society as a whole. These conversations may be uncomfortable, but they are necessary. At Radio Boise, we choose antiracism and will not be complicit in allowing racial inequities to persevere.
Boise Arts, Culture & History Antiracism Statement and Action Steps
Our coalition of organizations is committed to dismantling systemic racism in our community. This includes the oppressive impacts of segregation, mass incarceration and educational, economic and environmental discrimination; all of which are born from slavery. The arts and culture community has perpetuated White supremacy through appropriation and tokenization, such as recruiting Black people for shows, exhibits and performances without integrating them into positions of sustained leadership.
Although there has never been a time in America when Black art wasn’t a driving cultural force, we have used a White lens to define quality and influence. Our histories have also been written through the White lens, discounting and ignoring facts and stories of Black Americans. We must do better.
Coalition organizations agree to the following:
1. Include members of the Black community in the creation of programming and content.
2. Support the Black community with access to space and resources for independent projects or programs.
3. Prioritize intentional recruitment and hiring practices of Black staff, leadership and board members by investing time and/or resources to expand recruitment outside existing networks.
4. Create antiracist policies within governing and management documents, at board and staff levels.
5. Articulate the necessity of cultivating a deeper understanding of the communities that we serve, and incorporate their perspectives, needs, feedback and priorities into our strategic decisions.
6. Provide time and resources on an annual basis for board and staff to attend ongoing professional, Black-led antiracism training.
7. Commit to the ongoing practice of antiracism as individuals and organizations by fostering a culture of accountability and receptivity to learning.
(Generously funded by the Morrison Center and a Boise Department of Arts & History grant)