The Cedar Cultural Center’s

RACIAL EQUITY commitment

[Last Updated and Approved: april 5 2023]

Two years ago this organization made a public commitment that racial equity be reflected in all of The Cedar’s policies and practices. Goals were set in the areas of:

  • people (staff, volunteers, and board)

  • programming and artists

  • our neighborhood  

With transparency and accountability in mind, we are providing a progress update and identifying areas where this important work must continue. 

I. Board of Directors

Throughout the last two years the board governance committee revisited recruitment strategies aiming to be more thoughtful about engagement. In 2021, The Cedar committed to having a board composition that includes 40% BIPOC-identified members by the end of 2022. With an upcoming transition of board members in May of 2023, we are on track to meet this goal. Executive staff leadership transition interfered with some of the board’s training goals. However a committee (responsible for this statement) is now regularly meeting and will lead the full board through the following actions by the end of 2024: 

  • complete a comprehensive equity report card, the results of which will drive 2024-2026 strategic planning

  • train all board members and employees in a Belonging, Dignity, and Justice design framework

  • build deeper representation of our East African neighbors throughout all aspects of the organization

  • pursue understanding of the economic injustices that artists experience and allow that learning to reshape program planning and budgeting

II. Staff

In 2021, The Cedar set the goal that core staff will be composed of at least 35% BIPOC members. We are proud that this remains true today. Safer Cedar meetings — bi-weekly discussions on anti-racism, racial justice, and bias — were paused after reopening and during the executive leadership transition; however, those lessons informed a fall 2022 strategic visioning session that established goals in the areas of audience development, artist support, allyship within the neighborhood, and programming. Examples of 2023 commitments that staff have made to continue this work include:  

  • ensuring racial equity is a driving variable in our public safety planning

  • volunteering and board service in support of Cedar Riverside community groups

  • dedicating communications resources (staff time and digital real estate) to the generation of content intended to deepen audiences’ knowledge about global music, including legacies of colonialism and their effects on language and systems

  • auditing promotional outreach on a show-by-show basis to assess our engagement with varied communities representing ethnic and cultural makeup of Cedar Riverside, and the Twin Cities, broadly

III. Programming / Artists

In 2021, The Cedar stated that it would continue pursuing meaningful artist-driven programming and organizational feedback to make sure the needs of artists are centered. The annual Cedar Commissions — through which more than sixty emerging musicians have received commission funds and a professional launch — is a consistent expression of this commitment. In 2021, under the direction and curation of former Artist Collective member Alex Buffalohead, we created the Mni Sota Native Music Series and debuted four performances on the Cedar Public Access Channel each week in July. More than 10,000 audience members viewed the series.  

Other examples of artist-driven programming include The Griot Series, curated by Kenna Camara-Cottman and Voice of Culture; our partnership with Drones Not Drones, a 28-hour festival that raises funds for Médecins Sans Frontières; and a quarterly Afrobeats Dance Party, produced in partnership with our neighborhood Kenyan restaurant, Tamu. 

IV. Our Neighborhood

The Cedar Cultural Center owns one of the largest footprints on the block and takes its responsibility as a property owner and business operator seriously. In 2021, The Cedar stated that it would continue to support BIPOC-owned, immigrant-owned, and local businesses and restaurants whenever feasible. We proudly amplify neighborhood dining options on our website and in printed handbills that audiences can take when attending our shows.  

We share our public plaza with values-aligned groups looking to engage in community outreach. Free music programming has included the West Bank Block Party, produced by Cedar Riverside musician Deeq Abdi; and Cedar Cypher, produced by Summer Cypher Minneapolis. Neighborhood groups like Daryeel Youth and CRCC leverage high pedestrian traffic on our plaza to reach at-risk East African youth and extend critical services that promote well-being and safety.

Looking Ahead

As an organization we will continue to prioritize making space for interracial conversations amongst our decision makers who represent a diversity of cultures, identities, and experiences from a global perspective. These diversified perspectives bolster our mission-driven work to promote intercultural appreciation through the presentation of global music and dance. We believe that consistent manifestation of anti-racism and equity in all its forms is critical to ensuring every stakeholder of The Cedar feels safe, respected, and heard. We will continue to strive toward this by engaging in meaningful internal dialogue, considering the perspectives and guidance of outside consultants, and centering our people-first approach to a more equitable future.

If you have questions or comments please direct them to Executive Director Michelle Woster via email at mwoster@thecedar.org. 

Signed and Dated, April 5, 2023

The Cedar Cultural Center Equity Task Force,

Ritika Ganguly, Board Officer

Brent Hickman, Board Chair

Garrett McQueen, Board Officer

Michelle Woster, Executive Director

Maryam Yusefzadeh, Board Officer