Cantare Con Vivo

Statement on Racial Equity

January 2021

WHO WE ARE

Cantare Con Vivo (To Sing with Life) is a non-profit music organization located in Oakland, CA, that serves a diverse populace, ages 4 through 90, through music education classes in Oakland public schools and an annual series of community adult choral concerts.

Mission Statement: “Cantare Con Vivo seeks to foster a diverse community of compassion and understanding across generational, cultural, and economic boundaries, through the beauty and power of choral music.”

Vision Statement: "Inspiring people to live in harmony, treating one another with dignity."

OUR ON-GOING COMMITMENT

Cantare Con Vivo has a zero tolerance policy for racism and bias. We are committed to calling out racism and bias in the communities where we live and work as well as globally. Barriers to individual achievement—based on race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, disabilities, and religious beliefs—must be confronted and overcome. This effort requires that we focus on racial, social and economic injustices as we confront inequities of the past, reveal inequities of the present, and develop effective strategies that further our advancement toward an equitable future.

Cantare Con Vivo is compelled to enact racial equity, which we view as social justice, in arts education for those who are being excluded because of lack of economic resources that are often aligned with ethnic minorities living in urban communities. We believe that the life-changing benefits that complement first-hand participation in the arts are fundamental to the social development and success of all youth.

Cantare Con Vivo remains committed to sustaining an inclusive work environment that values diverse identities and perspectives. Our Board of Directors, staff, teaching and performing artists, and the populace of adults, youth and children that we serve will exemplify respect and appreciation of others irrespective of cultural, societal, religious or economic classification.

Cantare Con Vivo will strive to maintain a diverse Board of Directors and staff in matters of race, ethnicity, gender identification, sexual orientation, disabilities, and religious beliefs.

Cantare Con Vivo will strive to partner with organizations and individuals that are endeavoring to lead efforts in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion. We seek to be an organization that displays credibility in addressing these same issues in the community-at-large.

IT REQUIRES ALL OF US

Cantare Con Vivo recognizes that our future–locally, nationally and globally–requires that all of us as individuals, families, schools, neighborhood groups, faith communities, small businesses and large companies, and governments commit to fighting racism in all its forms.

Approved by Cantare Con Vivo’s Board of Directors on January 19, 2021.