Stop Asian Hate Statement

Dance Marathon is deeply saddened by the news of violent crime against the Asian community in Atlanta and across the country. We denounce racism, bigotry, and xenophobia in our program, our community and our world. We stand in solidarity with all members of the Asian, Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities during these troubling times.

As an organization, we have committed ourselves to making Dance Marathon a safe and inclusive environment for all people. This year has brought great progress in eliminating socioeconomic barriers and enhancing education on systemic racism, privilege, and implicit bias. In 2020 and 2021, we have:

• Established a new executive position as our Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Redefined our fundraising minimums to value effort and hospital advocacy as much as we value dollars fundraised
• Offered new, more accessible events and meetings to meet the demands of COVID-19, while also eliminating other barriers to member involvement in our organization
• Had conversations with our diverse membership to understand the needs of our community and identify further areas for improvement

These are only the beginning. Called again to action by the violence in Atlanta, we commit to continue working to eliminate the racism that permeates our society. As part of these efforts, we will:

• Continue to offer trainings and education on dismantling racism and discrimination
• Expand the accessibility of our annual Big Event for people with disabilities, people with limited financial means, and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
• Diversify our recruitment efforts, community partnerships, and sponsoring partners

At any time, if you find something Dance Marathon can do to improve, please email isudm.codirectors@gmail.com. We are hear to listen and improve ourselves so you can feel empowered to be part of our community and our mission.

#StopAsianHate

Riley Wilgenbusch, Sarah Longmire, Brenna Meier, and David Wahl

Dance Marathon at Iowa State Executive Directors

Black Lives Matter Statement

Dance Marathon at Iowa State stands with all people of color in times of crisis, and beyond. We are your advocates and allies in this continuous fight against injustice and want to strive to continue making Dance Marathon at Iowa State a safe and inclusive community for all people of color. Together, we will work to create a community that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. Below are the actionable steps we will take as an organization to reaffirm our commitment to inclusivity. Additionally, we encourage our members and all people to self-educate, reflect, and become empowered to make change in our communities. 
1) Prior to our return to campus, we will continue to encourage our members to strive for individual understanding of racial injustice. We’ve linked a great resource for Dance Marathon members and all people to further educate themselves in our bio.

2) We will establish a position as Assistant Director for Diversity and Inclusion within our recruitment and morale team. This person will be trained in diversity and inclusion and serve to ensure all people of color are welcome and included in our organization.

3) All members of Dance Marathon leadership will participate in trainings on diversity and inclusion to create a uniform understanding of the challenges racism presents in our community and how we can all serve to end that culture.

4) We will have conversations with our diverse network of alumni, families, and current members to understand their identities and how Dance Marathon can be more supportive and inclusive to all those who seek to be part of our mission.

These steps are the beginning of our stand against systemic racism, but they are not the end. As we begin working through these actions and better understanding our community’s perspective, we will continue to adapt and expand these plans to ensure that people of color may always find a safe and inclusive home in Dance Marathon at Iowa State University. 

Riley Wilgenbusch & Sarah Longmire
Executive Co-Directors, Dance Marathon at Iowa State