Arts Excellence Project Inc.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Mutual Aid Fund for BAM Staff - For Staff, By Staff

Current and former BAM workers can request funds here.

As the pandemic continues to affect BAM workers in many ways, including the end of pandemic unemployment assistance, we are reigniting the DEI Mutual Aid Fund for and by BAM Staff. After hearing from our colleagues about the continued impacts of COVID-19 on their lives, our new goal is $15,000. If you can, please join us in supporting our community by donating to the fund. All donations are fully tax-deductible! 

 

About the Fund

Members of BAM’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Task Force and BAMunion bargaining committee formed a 501(c)3 (called Arts Excellence Project) in 2020 to support our colleagues at BAM. This fund prioritizes Black, Indigenous, and other workers of color at BAM and seeks to support any BAM worker, current or former, who has been impacted by the pandemic. This includes but is not limited to full-time, part-time, temporary, and seasonal workers. All money raised is distributed to individuals to help cover immediate expenses.

 

All responses will be kept confidential. If you know someone who may need assistance, please let them know about the survey, or have them contact us at the below link.

 

Report on 2020 Fundraising

You can find our 2020 Fundraiser here! We have felt incredibly blessed to be able to support the BAM community and to help out so many of our colleagues over the last year. The outpouring of financial support from so many of you, those of you we know and those we don’t, from board members, staff at all levels, and the larger BAM public has been overwhelming and deeply inspiring. Information on the timeline and distribution can be found in our 2020 annual report.

 

If you have questions about the DEI Mutual Aid Fund for BAM Staff including the application process, timeline, distribution of funds, how to support, etc. please contact us below.

We understand this continues to be a difficult time financially for many. No donation is too small, and if you are not in a position to contribute financially, please consider sharing on social media. Together we make up the vibrant BAM community that we all value so much. Thank you for being our friends and colleagues and neighbors, you make our lives, and the cultural world of NYC a better place.

Timeline and funds distribution

 

We restarted fundraising and accepting requests for support on September 27.

 

Requests and donations are being continuously monitored as they come in.

 

In our commitment to a fair, transparent mutual aid process that prioritizes Black, Indigenous, and POC (BIPOC) communities, we are following a similar funds distribution model to the COVID-19 Mutual Aid Fund for LGBTQI+ BIPOC Folks (https://www.gofundme.com/f/covid19-relief-fund-for-lgbtqi-bipoc-folks). We want to acknowledge their incredible work, which was very inspiring for us as we developed this fund.

 

In Round 1, we will redistribute $100 to every qualifying Black, Indigenous, and POC who applies for funding. We have already completed round 1 funding for everyone who applied before 10/31.

 

In Round 2, if there are more funds available after the first round, we will prioritize additional fund distribution to applicants who are (in no particular order):

 

- Black, Indigenous, or POC

 

- Not currently receiving income from BAM or unemployment.

 

- Disabled, immunocompromised, or chronically ill

 

- Food, housing, or healthcare insecure

 

We will move folks who live at the intersections of these identities or experiences to the front of the line.

 

Round 2 funds will be distributed according to the following formula:

 

Give every person who asked for $101-400 the full amount requested

 

Give every person who asked for $401+ 60% of the amount they requested, or $400, whichever is greater.

 

Individual grants will be capped at $1500.

 

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Organized by: Kaitlyn Chandler, Sky Olson, Emily Searles, Cynthia Tate, Jesse Trussell, Mica Verendia

 

Logo Designer: Kimberly Lum