DEIAJ

The DEIAJ (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Justice) committee’s goal is to identify, address, and implement necessary steps to uncover and dismantle the systems that reinforce oppression. We are committed to actively engage in allyship based action to foster anti-oppression, safety, and inclusion within our region. We also invite members of NER-AMTA who are interested in collaborating on DEIAJ to discuss how they would like to be involved in creating positive change for our region. We believe this work is central to the values of NER-AMTA, and is an important step in uniting our membership and community.

We invite our community to join us in creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment that celebrates each voice in our community. If you would like to actively participate in the NER-AMTA DEIAJ committee, email us at DiversityEquityInclusion@neramta.org

Defining racism in our community:
As a committee, we are committed to acknowledging the racism and oppression that continues to persist in our community. We continue to work as active anti-racists, and define racism and anti-racism respectively below. Our definitions are malleable and will develop as our community engages and educates each other. Currently, we pull from the work of Ibram X. Kendi who “is one of America’s foremost historians and leading antiracist voices.”

Racism: the act of doing or not doing that promotes the idea of racial inequity and power. Racism can occur from an individual, community, or population level and actively denies the acts of racism.
Anti-racism: the act of doing or not doing that promotes racial equity and power. Anti-racism can occur on an individual, community, or population level and admits awareness to racism that has occurred in the past or present.

Click here to review the AMTA Code of Ethics
AMTA’s Code of Ethics states that music therapists must:

1.2 identify and recognize their personal biases, avoiding discrimination in relationships with clients, colleagues, and others in all settings.

As stated from AMTA, “Members of the AMTA Ethics Board are a resource for consultation and support for AMTA members and the public who may have questions, concerns or be faced with ethical dilemmas. A list of current Ethics Board Members can be found here. More information for AMTA members from the Ethics Board can be found here. If you have a question, concern, or complaint related to the AMTA Code of Ethics, please contact a member of the Ethics Board using our secure email address: amtaethics@hushmail.com. Please allow at least 72 hours for a reply. You may also initiate contact via the AMTA Ethics Board Contact Form here.” -AMTA website

Our current charge from NER-AMTA:
“The diversity, equity, and inclusion committee of NER is charged with identifying, addressing, and implementing the necessary steps to uncover and dismantle the systems that reinforce oppression in order to build an inclusive environment in NER.”

Resources for our community:
Link to Allyship Resources compiled by the DEIAJ committee:
Allyship Resources Google Doc

Affinity Group Links:
Black Music Therapy Network
Latin American Music Therapy Network
Asian Music Therapy Network
Disabled Music Therapists Collective
LGBTQIA2+ Music Therapy Affinity Group
Trans & Nonbinary Music Therapists & Students

Contact information:
Committee Email: DiversityEquityInclusion@neramta.org

Shayla McDermott: shaylamc@musictherapynewengland.org

Laura Sekarputri: lauras@musictherapynewengland.org

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