A collective of Los Angeles-based theater artists dedicated to equity has released “The Los Angeles Anti-Racist Theater Standards” as a way to create systemic change within L.A. theaters.

The standards, which were created to hold L.A. theater companies of all sizes accountable, provides a list of actionable changes that should be implemented to ensure equity. The list was emailed to 130 local theater companies.

“This document exists to ensure that long-standing theatre practices made to benefit white supremacist ideals are abolished. In their place, are establishing standards that solidify the safety and equity of marginalized communities,” the document reads.

When drafting the standards, the collective received guidance from more than 140 artists including members of the Black, indigenous, Latinx, LGBTQ and white communities.

“The L.A. theatre industry has a history of causing harm to marginalized people and communities without any accountability,” the standards read. “Recognizing that these communities of color — those most affected by anti-racism and equity work — are so often left out of these industry-wide conversations, we solicited feedback from a large, intersectional cohort of L.A.’s BIPOC theatre artists at multiple points in our writing process.”

Adherence to the standards will be monitored through BLKLST, a newly-formed group that will collect data and manage the public accountability process. The mission of BLKLST is to provide safety and equity for all Black, indigenous and people of color in the Los Angeles theater community by creating BIPOC-led mechanisms of accountability.

“We must uplift and center Black, Indigenous, Latinx/e, AAPI, and SWANA artists — artists whose efforts and contributions have all too often been unrecognized and/or erased by an industry that disproportionately centers whiteness,” the standards read. “We understand that all identities are intersectional, and we will not ignore instances of discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation, religious practices, classism, ableism and/or ageism.”

BLKLST will create a list of Los Angeles theater companies that includes data and commentary on each theater so individual artists can make informed decisions about where they wish to work.

Members of the collective include A’raelle Flynn-Bolden, Armando Molina Carene Rose Mekertichyan, Celia Mandela Rivera, Daniel Shoenman, Desirée Mee Jung, Graham Wetterhahn, Herb Hall, Kendall Johnson, Michaela Bulkley, Nancy Renee, Rachel Berney Needleman, Sean Cawelti, Tiana Randall-Quant and Zach Davidson.

For information, visit latheatrestandards.com.