Ongoing Equity & Inclusion Work at Akin
Akin has worked with Artist, Anti-oppression, Liberation & Meaningful Inclusion consultant Rania El Mugammar to build safer, more inclusive spaces for our community members. We conducted a demographics and equity survey using Ontario Human Rights Code consistent grounds, to better understand the makeup of our spaces, as well as the needs and experiences of our artist community. Through this survey, and our ongoing work, we were able to identify gaps in our services and learnings, and to reaffirm our commitment to doing the work of equity through an anti-oppressive lens.
Akin is committed to maintaining an anti-oppressive, queer and trans positive environment, welcoming indigenous, marginalized, and racialized folks, and folks with disabilities. Our intentions are to cultivate safer, more inclusive and accessible spaces that centre and support the most marginalized members of our communities. We aim to foster respect, collective responsibility and a vibrant sense of community.
Akin’s studio locations and programming activities are located on the territory of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee and traditional territory of the Wendat. We also acknowledge the large urban Indigenous community in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). A great deal of injustice has characterized colonization in the GTA and elsewhere in the country. Akin supports restitution and the return of Indigenous land back to Indigenous peoples. While Akin has created modest steps towards restitution in our own work, we will continue learning about colonialism, treaties (especially Treaty #13, the Williams Treaties, Nanfan and the Dish with One Spoon), and respectful relationships generally. We are also committed to better understanding our obligations and how to act on them. One artist-centred resource we rely on is the Yellowhead Treaty Map, which offers Indigenous perspectives on Treaties in Canada. We encourage our community to learn along with us and begin the work of translating that learning into action.
As part of our commitment to implementing anti-oppressive practices and policies, Akin engages in trainings and educational opportunities surrounding anti-oppression. Akin commits to anti-oppressive analysis when planning, implementing and evaluating programming and policy and in ensuring access to its spaces and services. Akin is dedicated to advocating for change, acknowledging that inequitable practices and access to resources create barriers for different communities. We aim to support work that confronts oppression in our society as a whole and be proactive with learning and prioritizing.
We understand that this work is very important, and that we will inevitably make mistakes, as a result, we are committed to a process of accountability and transparency. We welcome your feedback and reflections, please visit www.akincollective.com/contact to leave comments, questions, suggestions or feedback. If you wish to report a conflict or other emergency that needs urgent attention please visit www.akincollective.com/reporting.
Resource database
Policy & Process
Addressing systems issues, alongside increased capacity and more inclusive programming, is pivotal to continuing this work in a sustainable and meaningful way.
As a result, we’ve made many changes to existing policies, as well as developing new processes to better understand the needs of our community, to limit risk/harm to our members and staff and to better serve our clients.
Code of Conduct
With the guidance of our consultant, and with input from our members, we have revisited our code of conduct in order to create a robust, actionable and clear policy that centres the most marginalized members of our communities.
Feedback Forms and Reporting
We have created two Feedback forms where members can report conflicts or concerns to us anonymously or with their contact information.