A brief diversity thought — when I set up the SLF workshop, I didn’t put in an explicit diversity statement, mostly due to oversight on my part. But I’ve been pleased to note that with the workshop half-full, we already have good representation from women and POC.
I don’t know if that’s pure chance, or influenced by my running the workshop, or due to it being in a relatively urban area, or affected by our offering student rates and need-based aid. Or maybe some other factors I’m not thinking of.
It’s sometimes not so easy, creating a diverse arts space (see various essays in WisCon Chronicles 9, which I edited, addressing that issue), and I’m glad it’s shaking out this way fairly naturally. It’s only thirteen people, so it’s not a huge signifier one way or the other. But still.
Going forward, I plan to add a diversity statement, encouraging applications from people from marginalized groups (class, disability, age, etc.).