Diversity and Inclusion

The Missoula Writing Collaborative believes that our communities are stronger when we come together from all cultures and walks of life to share our stories and learn from each other. We believe poetry and creativity have the power to unite us and celebrate our differences, and we are devoted to creating safe and inclusive spaces for all individuals to express themselves freely and without fear.

Racism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, and myriad other forms of oppression are systemic problems that have a profound impact on our society, and the Missoula Writing Collaborative believes it is our shared responsibility to dismantle these systems in an effort to create a more just and equitable world.

Mental health awareness and trauma-informed teaching approaches are essential for supporting the holistic wellbeing of our faculty and students. We provide our staff with training in trauma-informed teaching and work to create a compassionate and supportive learning and teaching environment for all.

Toward proactively fulfilling these aims, the Missoula Writing Collaborative commits to:

• Recruiting and hiring leadership, staff, and faculty that reflects the diverse communities we serve.
• Providing responsive and inclusive programming that meets the needs of all learners.
• Providing training on anti-racism and implicit bias to our leadership, staff, and faculty.
• Maintaining an atmosphere of cultural awareness and humility.
• Recognizing positionality, power, and privilege and working toward a “power with” rather than “power over” social paradigm.
• Providing training in trauma-informed, compassionate teaching practices.
• Advocating for social justice and equity in our community.
• Offering scholarships to students in need.
• Partnering with local organizations that serve marginalized communities.

MWC is devoted to establishing a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for our students, staff, faculty, and community partners. We believe everyone deserves access to a quality education and to the transformative power of poetry and language, regardless of sexual orientation, gender, geography, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, or ability. Everyone has a place at the table, and we strive to create a space where everyone feels they belong, and where all voices are welcomed, respected, nurtured, and valued.