Diversity Committee Annual Report 2020

submitted by Callie Holmes

Current Roster

  • Misti Shaw (2021)
  • Winston Barham (2022)
  • Terra L. Merkey (2022)
  • Sara D. Outhier (2022)
  • Z. Sylvia Yang (2022)
  • Zachary L. Tumlin (2023)
  • Nurhak Tuncer (2023)
  • Callie Holmes, chair (2024)
  • Ellen Ogihara (2024)
  • Mallory Sajewski, ex-officio

List of Previous Goals and Progress Made

  • Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee (EIS) formed: In an effort to address intersectionalities of the music librarian profession, the MLA Board approved the formation of the Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee in June 2019. In 2019/2020 the subcommittee was formed pulling some members from the existing Diversity Committee and some new members, and a charge was written.
  • Co-sponsoring panel session at MLA Annual Meeting 2021: The Diversity Committee agreed to co sponsor with the EIS a panel entitled “Guiding Aspiring Allies: The Self-Advocate/Ally Relationship & Learning from Those with Lived Experience”.
  • Membership changes: Joy Doan ended her term as chair of the Diversity Committee in 2020. Callie Holmes started her term as chair from 2020-2024. With the completion of her term as chair, Joy Doan also rolled off as a member of the Diversity Committee, opening up a slot. A call was put out for applicants and the applications were reviewed by the committee members at the 2020 Annual Meeting in Norfolk, Virginia. Ellen Ogihara was selected as the newest member, for a term of 2020-2024.
  • Anti-Racism response: Following the killing of George Floyd and the national protests, the Diversity Committee and EIS chairs assisted the board in writing a public statement decrying racism and police brutality. As many MLA members shared suggestions on the MLA listserv of anti-racist goals and tasks MLA could work on, the Diversity Committee collated these responses and began discussing the development of goals for the organization.

List of Future Goals

  • Help develop a public facing Statement of Diversity: Aligned with the goal areas of Organizational Excellence: Objective 2: Improve access to information by and about the Association to meet the needs of members and other interested parties; and of Membership: Objective 1:  Increase outreach efforts to members from underrepresented groups.
    • Work with the Board to help develop a Statement of Diversity for MLA that would be prominently displayed on the website.
  • Formalize commitment to having a student and/or MLStEP representative on the Diversity Committee at all times: Aligned with the goal areas of of Organizational Excellence: Objective 2: Improve access to information by and about the Association to meet the needs of members and other interested parties; Value of the Profession: Objective 1: Increase the visibility of MLA among library and music organizations, individual scholars, musicians and librarians;  and of Membership: Objective 1:  Increase outreach efforts to members from underrepresented groups.
    • Update Diversity Committee Handbook with this requirement.
  • Develop anti-racist goals and actions for MLA: Aligned with the goal areas of Organizational Excellence: Objective 2: Improve access to information by and about the Association to meet the needs of members and other interested parties; and of Membership: Objective 1:  Increase outreach efforts to members from underrepresented groups.
    • Further develop a list of goals and actions MLA can take as an organization to further address the lack of diversity and systemic racism within the organization, and decide on a plan of action to recommend.