PHANTOM REGIMENT AFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO CULTURE OF INCLUSION AND RESPECT

When Phantom Regiment formed its first Equity Committee nearly 2 years ago, it was tasked with identifying and addressing equity-related issues and systemic bias in the organization. Since that time, the Phantom Regiment organization has committed significant time and resources to push the findings and recommendations of this committee forward.

As the research and conversations continue to evolve, we believe it is important to share our actions with our stakeholders. Over the past 2 years, Phantom Regiment has:

  • Included diversity, equity, and inclusion as a regular part of discussions at all levels of the organization. We acknowledge that Phantom Regiment’s drum and bugle corps is not representative of either the community it represents or of the population in general. There is no simple solution, however, we believe that making DEI a part of the conversation – from the boardroom to the field – is a vital step toward improvement
  • Recruited T. Andre Feagin, director of bands at Central Washington University, to lead training sessions focused on diversity awareness for the Board of Directors and 2021 drum corps membership. Feagin is an alumnus of Phantom Regiment from 1998-2001, is a member of the diversity committee for the College Band Directors National Association, and is active with the National Association of Negro Musicians
  • Made a conscious effort to expand our job applicant pool by publicly listing job vacancies. By expanding our job search beyond “who we know,” we open the doors to a more diverse pool of candidates. It is our intention to do this at all levels of the organization.
  • On March 14, the Board of Directors, employees, and design and instructional leadership participated in an interactive workshop with Diversity Builder, a DEI workplace training organization based in Nashville, Tenn. The purpose of the training was to equip staff and leaders of Phantom Regiment with relevant knowledge and actionable strategies regarding diversity and inclusion in the workplace and how to incorporate those strategies into our daily communications, interactions, and initiatives.
  • This spring, Diversity Builder will provide additional workshops. Sessions will be held for everyone in the organization, including the corps membership.

In addition to Phantom Regiment’s DEI efforts, the organization is committed to the continuous improvement of training, reporting, and investigation policies related to harassment and other misconduct. This includes working with Drum Corps International to implement SafeSport training for all members, staff, employees, and board members. 

SafeSport training is a front-line abuse and misconduct prevention measure that raises awareness of misconduct and abuse issues in sports and related activities. This training is designed to help members become more proficient at identifying, preventing, and responding to misconduct and abuse in sport, including the pageantry arts.

Additionally, Phantom Regiment is investing in a trusted third-party software application scheduled to launch this spring. Available for both desktop and mobile devices, the application allows members, staff, and others to anonymously report violations of any policy to a screening panel that will ensure all concerns are addressed appropriately. While anonymous reporting is already available through our website, this application will live natively on a user’s device and allows for 2-way, encrypted communication between the reporter and the screening panel.

Phantom Regiment is proud of its efforts to live up to its value statement of creating a culture of inclusion and respect. We continue to examine all aspects of our organization for potential areas of improvement and are committed to taking action on behalf of our constituents. 

Look for more updates in the coming weeks on what Phantom Regiment has been working on in the “offseason.” It’s been one of the organization’s busiest winters!