Cultural Equity Council

About the Cultural Equity Council

At the heart of FAI’s stated community and organizational values is an intentional and ongoing effort to ensure a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible folk music industry, free of racism, harassment, and discrimination. To address, encourage, and implement change in the folk community, FAI committed to a now eight-year process of self-examination, training, and outreach to make necessary changes and nurture a more representative membership.

Announced in 2020 in conjunction with the release of FAI’s draft cultural equity statement, and following a year of internal training with BIPOC**-owned Team Dynamics, we are thrilled to introduce FAI’s Cultural Equity Council. The Council is a formal arms-length listening body independent of the FAI Board and staff with the goal to make equity recommendations to inform FAI’s new strategic plan, moving from initiatives to policy. FAI is committed to accountable engagement of community members and provides honorariums for all equity-related work when asking BIPOC** and marginalized people to represent their unique perspectives. Select board and staff (including the Executive Director) participate in a non-voting capacity to provide context and administrative support.

Council Activities

  • Observe online Affinity Group sessions (March 1-4, 2022) designed for community input
  • Survey community regarding equity issues, experiences, and perspectives
  • Conduct an online Town Hall (March 29, 2022, 5 pm CT) for community reflections and feedback
  • Synthesize all input and reflections into an Equity Recommendations Report to the FAI Board

**Black, Indigenous, People of Color

Co-conveners of the Council

Karima Daoudi

Senior Program Officer (Education Program)

East-West Center

she/her

Dom Flemons

Artist

he/him

Council Members

Paula Boggs

Musician, Songwriter

she/her

Mercedes Caxaj

Head of Programs

Small World Music

she/her

Elexa Dawson

Artist

she/her

Susie Giang

Agent

Ground Control Touring

she/they

Reggie Harris

Musician Educator

he/him

Justin Hiltner

Banjoist, Songwriter, Music Writer

he/they

Amy Reitnouer Jacobs

Executive Director

The Bluegrass Situation

she/her

Umair Jaffar

Executive Director

Small World Music

he/him

Janice Jo Lee

Artist, Producer

she/they

Lilli Lewis

Artist

she/her

Jacquelyn Marushka

Founder/President

Marushka Media

she/her

Charlie Mosbrook

Musician

he/him

Alka Sharma

Canadian Arts Presentation Fund

Canadian Arts Presentation Fund

she/her

Gerald Torres

Professor of Law

Yale University

he/him

Caroline Randall Williams

Artist / Author / Scholar

Vanderbilt University

she/her

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