A Message from our Director of Education, Wilfred Paloma: 

To be our authentic self is a revolutionary act that should be celebrated. An act that historically for the LGBTQIA+ community has been met with ridicule and persecution. I believe that embracing diversity and leaning into our shared humanity fosters a world where we can all thrive. That is why I decided to become a part of the Diversionary Theatre team.

In my artistic practice, I seek to create drama/theatre-based, community engagement events that provide time & space for all stakeholders [patrons, audience and broader community members] to connect and share. As the Director of Education & Community Engagement, I seek to bring this work forward as a way to build bridges and foster a deeper sense of community.

As an educator, I am interested in cultivating within all people a greater sense of practice: professional–whether we are talking about artistic, teaching/facilitation, or personal. One way I do this is by connecting early to mid-career theatre artist-practitioners, artisans, designers, and educators to professional pathways in the theatre industry through internship/apprenticeship opportunities.

I seek to build a world where LGBTQIA+ people and our contributions are seen, heard, experienced–celebrated. By forging relationships with K-12 partners, we strengthen LGBTQIA+ visibility highlighting our abilities as evidenced by our ongoing in-schools and community facing programs. I am expanding our reach to new K-12 partners by connecting with school teachers, administrators and families.

Another arm of this work is to leverage my existing positions in the higher education sphere to build intentional partnerships alongside universities and colleges to engage young adults in our programming. This will grow our audience to include a wider range of lived experience and ensure that Diversionary Theatre is truly a place that exemplifies equity, diversity, inclusion and access.

Here are a few of my personal goals:

• Explore and uplift the full breadth of LGBTQIA+ experiences
• Strengthen empathy and understanding between all members of the Diversionary Theatre community and beyond
• Activate positive change that centers equity, diversity, inclusion and access for all people.
• Build cross cultural threads of conversation: (A) amongst LGBTQIA+ community members, (B) allies, and (C) dominant culture
• Diversify and increase Diversionary Theatre’s audienceship
• Strengthens the intersection of education, entertainment & art
• Expand K-12 footprint by reimagining current programs adhering to the emergent needs of students with sensitivity to the larger cultural climate

Should you need to reach me, my door is always open. I look forward to connecting in the future.

Director of Education & Community Engagement, Wilfred Paloma