INCLUSIVITY IN ON-CA MPUS ACA PELLA
Written by: Kiara Tynan | Designed by: Shelby Mitchell | Photographed by: Chika Okoye
BU Acapella Groups Address Rising Concerns on Diversity and Inclusion
As the nation develops in its awareness of diversity and inclusion, this concern has spread to all corners, including spaces as niche as Boston University’s own acapella community. Various acapella groups on campus have been forced to reckon with their own issues of biases affecting their members,
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who have reported experiences of judgement during auditions based on appearance and race, in addition to various other exclusionary practices. In response to growing concerns, twelve groups pledged to dedicate themselves to new diversity efforts in a Diversity Statement issued this past spring. The declaration opens, “The Boston University A Cappella Community aims to create a safe space for all singers and musicians in the BU community, regardless of race, sexuality, socioeconomic status, political affiliation, ability, ethnicity, religion, or gender identity.” The statement dictated various resolutions they intend to commit to, as early as preliminary auditions to throughout their time as members. These pledges include the implementation of blind auditions in preliminary auditions
to “eliminate implicit bias”, making space for auditionees to express their pronouns, promoting their acceptance of non-binary and transgender auditionees, and gradually reaching a level of 50% of their repertoire coming from diverse artists. The statement also announced the establishment of a Diversity Committee, set to include one figurehead from each acapella group to ensure that the best interests of all of the BU acapella community are kept in mind. The committee has opened an anonymous tip forum for students to safely express their thoughts on the state of their acapella group, report any incidents, and give their thoughts on how their group can improve. There will be an annual conversation held for the entire community to attend “to hold each other
