Dear MAR Community,
The MAR-AMTA Executive Board condemns the recent Supreme Court rulings striking down affirmative action and protecting bigotry under the guise of free speech rights. We recognize that institutional racism in the United States continues to create barriers for Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color in higher education and that this is especially egregious in music therapy education. We reject the notion that religious freedom or freedom of speech supersedes the rights of LGBTQI+ individuals and communities. The impact of these rulings will harm music therapists, educators, students, and the communities and people we work with. We hope that we can support each other in navigating our reactions to the rulings in the moment and in building resistance to the rulings as we move forward.
Please reach out at president@maramta.org with any requests for support or ideas for resistance or related community building.
Wishing you Peace and Justice,
Audrey Hausig, President, MAR-AMTA
Below you’ll find portions of the AMTA Code of Ethics which speaks to how these rulings do not align with our organization.
Code of Ethics:
1.1 provide quality client care regardless of the client’s race, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, ethnic or national origin, disability, health status, socioeconomic status, marital status, or political affiliation.
1.2 identify and recognize their personal biases, avoiding discrimination in relationships with clients, colleagues, and others in all settings.