Bluecoats 2023 Diversity & Socioeconomic Impact Report

[scheherazadesghost]

8 minutes ago, MGCpimpOtimp said:

And my guess it's that high because a lot of students have no idea what their parents make!

I would've felt strange answering that in my youth for sure. But again here, methodology in data collection is important, and why universities have institutional researcher roles. Not saying that's financially feasible in lower-budget drum corps scenarios, but that data is easily smear-y without that kind of attention and care in collection and dissemination.

Indeed, were members asked or were their guardians/loved ones/funders? Ah the complexity of data. Looking back, the Methodology page says "students and staff" were asked. Fair enough. And the inclusion of a "prefer not to say" is industry standard in surveying. There's still important data in that response: how can you ask the question better? provide better options/answers? better survey tools? better timing on when the questions are asked? etc.

Again, just glad it's happening.

[BigW]

On 3/14/2024 at 12:16 PM, JimF-LowBari said:

How the hades is diversity political? Does that mean I’m being political for thinking it’s nice when my street finally had a minority on it. (And a nice lady)

Guess I’m wrong for seeing it as a human being issue. 

Jim, you hit a nail on the head, old friend. The old building I worked in was pretty diverse, the new one is even more diverse, and I feel great about that. We're more multi-lingual than before, and I'm working with even more really nice folks. More people are getting a great opportunity to get pretty well-paying jobs now, and if they're nuts enough to go into supervision and management, even better. It might have been a low bar to hurdle, but my job is better in large part because of this.

 

If I read a lot of the thoughtful posts here correctly, I'll try and slice this with Occam's Razor. The gist seems to be that the corps has identified that they have an issue they sincerely want to address. Admitting there's problems is always good. Denial in this activity has led to multiple disasters. The real problem is now, we have serious concepts we want to commit to getting better at and not just talk about it- but how can we effectively address this and do something concrete? My guess is this could be a long process of learning and evolution before they get to their eventual goals.

[JimF-LowBari]

2 hours ago, BigW said:

Jim, you hit a nail on the head, old friend. The old building I worked in was pretty diverse, the new one is even more diverse, and I feel great about that. We're more multi-lingual than before, and I'm working with even more really nice folks. More people are getting a great opportunity to get pretty well-paying jobs now, and if they're nuts enough to go into supervision and management, even better. It might have been a low bar to hurdle, but my job is better in large part because of this.

Keep thinking of when I started programming at the Navy. Almost all male and Caucasian. Had the first female supervisor and some saying she was a “test case”. 🤷🏻 In college about 10-15% of CompSci majors were female. Good friend of mine was only female math major at Susquehanna U. 
When I retired way too many years later there had been two female heads of the whole agency. And my office had various ethnic groups plus a Muslim (didn’t realize until lot later). Then there was this 60 some year old guy (guess who) that the younger folks had to get used to.
To try to relate to corps IMO part of the process is management to bother to look at the groups make up. Other is for everyone to have a diverse group and not really think about it (because not a big deal).

[scheherazadesghost]

34 minutes ago, JimF-LowBari said:

Had the first female supervisor and some saying she was a “test case"

I've been in this situation, often worse, more times than I can count. My identity group makes up a tiny, largely unrepresented percentage in nearly every space I occupy, especially employment. The only group in US employment representation that's smaller is Native American/Alaska Native. And that's only in studies that actually include us. My state doesn't even do that. It's not fun.

Code switching shouldn't be a survival tactic, but it is for some of us.

[JimF-LowBari]

13 minutes ago, scheherazadesghost said:

I've been in this situation, often worse, more times than I can count. My identity group makes up a tiny, largely unrepresented percentage in nearly every space I occupy, especially employment. The only group in US employment representation that's smaller is Native American/Alaska Native. And that's only in studies that actually include us. My state doesn't even do that. It's not fun.

Code switching shouldn't be a survival tactic, but it is for some of us.

Had to google code switching but think I understand now. 
My weird story from way back when was out of 600 or so employees they counted 2 Hispanic. We knew who one was but not the other. Finally found out one woman’s father was (100%???) Hispanic and her maiden name was Diaz. So she was counted as Hispanic so Mr Rivera didn’t look like a token. 🤦‍♂️

[scheherazadesghost]

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Edited March 16 by scheherazadesghost

[The Passionate Fan]

On 3/11/2024 at 6:25 PM, denverjohn said:

D.E.I. is political in nature. Doesn't this topic violate DCP guidelines?

100% agree and I think it goes farther than just politics

[jwillis35]

On 3/14/2024 at 2:52 PM, greg_orangecounty said:

Drum Corps has gentrified and it’s sad. Instead of being an activity any kid off the street can do it’s now something akin to grad school for music and dance majors. 

Very true. First let me say I love what Bluecoats are doing. It's kind of getting back to what the original Bluecoats were formed for when they were operated by the Canton Police Boys Club. 

In regard to your comment I totally agree. Certainly over time drum corps was bound to change. I don't think the changes were done in some mean-spirited kind of way to exclude kids, minorities, and those who were less fortunate. It was more of an organic change that just happened due to many converging forces. Everything from rising costs, public school expansion in the Arts, more access to other types of activities, new laws on travel and insurance, and even the competitive direction and innovations of drum corps and band which required different skill sets that contributed to the costs and the exclusion of some from the activity. 

Competition itself can change a lot of things. You need kids with more music training and who have the physical abilities to perform the more demanding and innovative shows. That competitive push forces others to follow suit. Drum corps went from being local and regional to Marching Music's Major League on a global basis. The best of the best if you will. The performers and performances are fabulous but can only be done by corps with experienced musicians and physically-abled marchers.

For many who do not have good local band programs -- or none at all, and who live in communities where these opportunities are limited or do not exist -- why would they bother auditioning for a corps that is looking for talented college kids? Consider that many of these shows are complicated and filled with music that requires the sensibilities and desire to learn complicated repertoire of this nature (Classical, Romantic, Contemporary, Jazz, New Age and on and on) that one gets from a good music education. 

It's nice to know that many of these organizations are taking a serious look at what their purpose should be. It's going to take money, but more local involvement in the community and more inclusion and diversity can only be seen as a positive for music/visual arts education and for drum corps. 

 

Edited March 20 by jwillis35

[JimF-LowBari]

To go with jwillis35 when I read “corps don’t take in kids who can’t read music anymore”, my response is “corps take the most talented members. If they can fill the corps with people who can read music then no need to go further “.

[Terri Schehr]

8 hours ago, JimF-LowBari said:

To go with jwillis35 when I read “corps don’t take in kids who can’t read music anymore”, my response is “corps take the most talented members. If they can fill the corps with people who can read music then no need to go further “.

I marched with people who couldn’t read a note of music as currently as 2003.  When we’d get a change, the mellophones would gather around me and I’d play it for them three or four times.  They were quick learners, though. I’m a slave to the page of music but they weren’t.   I did teach one of my fellow members how to read though because I got tired of seeing fingerings all over the  page.  He could read after the season and proudly showed me his practically pristine music in 2004. 

Edited March 21 by Terri Schehr