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– Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Sustainability –

I.D.E.A.S. Statement

Taliesin Preservation aims to converge around architecture, nature, agriculture, and culture, and is dedicated to increasing inclusiveness and diversity within these disciplines, our audiences, and our teams. We believe that by embracing a range of perspectives and ideas, we can offer more authentic experiences.

What We’ve Done

While we were anxious to leap to action, we recognized that we were all at a different point in our understanding of systemic racism, making learning and reflection the right place to start. Our year-round staff participates in Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Sustainability (IDEAS) conversations. The team meets for discussion and devotes time to completing assignments, including readings, exercises, videos, and exploring bias tests. Our goal is to reach a common understanding of the language and issues, develop an organizational IDEAS commitment, and develop actionable steps.

What’s Next

Our staff and departments are working on setting Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound (SMART) goals related to considering IDEAS principles in their work. We continue to update our HR policies and hiring practices to be more inclusive and equitable. We are studying our history and reflecting on ways to tell our stories with more balance and acknowledgment of historical wrongs. The process does not end here with a public statement. We are committed to continuing to cultivate a place that is rooted in equity. Change takes time and work, but it is work worth doing.

Our Goals

  • Focus on Universal Design Learning to accommodate learners of different backgrounds, learning styles, and abilities by identifying and promoting existing project-based learning that fosters UDL.
  • Build relationships with diverse groups and incorporate their perspectives.
  • Include more inclusive stories.
  • Reduce language bias in social media, blogs, websites, and videos.
  • Move IDEAS group work from reflection to action.

Our Accomplishments

  • Make ADA upgrades to our website.
  • Identify ways how to implement more IDEAS education for seasonal staff.
  • Increase the font size of our printed communication to make them more accessible.
  • Include alt text on our website and image descriptions in our social media content for screen readers.
  • Research and prepare a presentation and raise the flag over the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center for Juneteenth.
  • Develop the one-hour tour to be more accessible and available for people with different abilities.
  • Identify different personality types and work to improve communication and management styles to engage them better.