In April 2020, SANCA formally created the IDEA (Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Antiracism) Committee to establish and implement strategies to ensure that SANCA reflects its community and serves all people regardless of background, identity, and socioeconomic status.
This page, and the plan listed below, serve that effort by providing transparency about SANCA’s IDEA efforts with supporters, staff, and students, as well as with the larger Seattle and King County communities it represents. SANCA recognizes that we are just beginning this work. There is a considerable amount of work to do to unseat policies, practices, and systems that uphold white supremacy.
Further, this page is not meant to applaud SANCA for tackling this work or exist as a performative gesture. Instead, the effort is meant to point to the fact that SANCA is behind the curve in addressing systemic racism in its operations and needs to take appropriate action. That work cannot be taken on rapidly and needs careful consideration and planning. This page expresses our beginning effort so that SANCA is transparent and open with its constituents about the journey we are undertaking.
Board members: Dylan Forbes (chair), Claudia Kirkland
Staff members: Jasmine Manuel, Tania Nambo Escobar, Mercury Bergren, Sara Haverkamp, Lily Baumgart, Echo Fallat, Julia Schoemig
Community members: Teresita J Bazán Beltrán, Octavia Graham
If you would like to provide input on this plan or if you are interested in joining the IDEA Committee, please contact Chair Dylan Forbes
This plan has been updated in February 2021. The previous version of this plan was approved by the SANCA Board of Directors as of October 2020.
IDEA Committee Strategic Plan
June 2022
In 2020, SANCA formally created the IDEA committee to establish and implement strategies to ensure that SANCA reflects its community and serves all people regardless of background, identity, and socioeconomic status.
Current Strategic Plan
Bias Reporting
The School of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts (SANCA) is committed to creating a safe and supportive environment for all people. SANCA values and caters to a diverse community where all members are able to fully participate in the joy of circus. SANCA’s mission is to improve the mental, emotional, and physical health of children of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities by engaging them in the joyous creativity of acrobatics and circus arts. This mission can only be accomplished if the learning environments in classes are safe and free from violence, harassment and intimidation. Incidents of bias or hate affecting a person or group negatively impact the quality of experience in circus arts for our community members.
To report an incident of bias, send an email with all pertinent email to either [email protected] (if you are a student) or [email protected] (if you are a staff member). SANCA takes such incidents seriously and will respond appropriately to reported or observed incidents of bias or hate.
Community Library
The IDEA Committee has created a Community Library that is up and running at SANCA Georgetown! In the hallway on the way to the waiting & staff rooms we now have a small library with books donated by a couple of board members that all speak to issues of inclusivity, diversity, equity, and antiracism.
