Gennean M. Scott, Chief Diversity Officer of The Broadway League, Has Resigned

The Broadway League's Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Gennean M. Scott has resigned, according to a post on her Instagram account.

Scott resigned on January 2nd and her last day was yesterday, Friday, January 19th. She has been with the Broadway League since July 2021.

In the post, Scott reflected on the State of the Industry speech she gave at the Broadway League Diversity Summit. In the speech, she posed the question: "Is the work we are doing here really making a difference?, and discussed "moments of discouragement where [she] not only questioned the state of Broadway but [her] role within it." 

"The challenges faced by diversity practitioners, specifically as a POC in this field, are profound. The burdens we carry are not just professional; they are deeply personal. To borrow the words of a colleague, 'This work is intrinsically connected to our daily lived experiences," wrote Scott.

She asked that instead of her, the focus should be directed to those who are doing the work of fostering diversity on Broadway, such as Black Theater Coalition, stage manager Cody Renard Richard's scholarship, Black Theater United, Broadway Bridges, The Industry Standard Group, Broadway Musicians Equity Partnership, Breaking the Binary Theatre, Broadway for Racial Justice, Broadway Advocacy Coalition, and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Scott says that she is beginning a transition to another national role outside of Broadway.

Despite her resignation, Scott does believe that diversity work is making a difference on Broadway. "The work is underway, change is happening and change takes time," said Scott.

Read the full post below.

Gennean Scott is a senior diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion leader with a collaborative and comprehensive vision that has enabled organizations to transform their internal and external practices. For the past seven years, Gennean has worked as a key leader for Omaha Performing Arts, one of the region’s premiere arts and cultural organizations. Serving as the Vice President of Human Capital and Inclusion, she conceived and spearheaded programs that have increased and retained BIPOC staff, exceeding national standards. Her strategies have led to the creation of the monthly Voices Amplified series that focuses on multidisciplinary arts and social justice initiatives to amplify artists in diverse cultures. Gennean has developed extensive community relationships and serves as a local and national resource for the arts industry.

For the past twenty years, Gennean’s commitment to inclusion and equity includes her work on various racial and social justice initiatives in community organizations and professionally in non-profit and education sectors. In 2013, Gennean founded and directed a non-profit dance school, to promote equity in the arts for Omaha youth. As a co-founder of the Black Arts Leadership Alliance (BALA) a network of black professionals in the Midwest dedicated to empowering, training, recruiting, and retaining African Americans/Blacks in arts administration, she has helped the organization establish a strategic vision for growth. She also serves as a co-founder of the Nebraska Association of African American Human Resources Professionals, an organization designed to center Black voices in human resources and Blacks in the workplace. Gennean is active in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc and The Links, Inc where she serves as the local Chair of The Arts.

A native of Omaha and a former dancer, Gennean’s past positions have included serving as a human resources administrator and educator. She currently serves as a keynote speaker, facilitator, trainer, and consultant for organizations and businesses that want to promote an inclusive work environment for their staff and customers.

THE BROADWAY LEAGUE, founded in 1930, is the national trade association for the Broadway industry. The League’s 700-plus members include theatre owners and operators, producers, presenters, and general managers who present in nearly 200 markets in North America. Each year, League members bring Broadway to nearly 30 million people in New York and on tour across the U.S. and Canada. The Broadway League has recently added a new category for International membership to collaborate with professionals from around the world who produce and present Broadway quality theatre. The Broadway League annually co-presents the Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards®, one of the most coveted awards in the entertainment industry.

Key League programs and resources include: Kids’ Night on Broadway®, The Jimmy Awards®, Stars in the Alley®, Internet Broadway Database® (ibdb.com), Broadway.org, SpotlightonBroadway.com, Commercial Theater Institute (with Theatre Development Fund), as well as numerous conferences and forums for our members. Broadway Bridges®, with the support of the New York City Department of Education, is aimed at giving every New York City public high school student the opportunity to see a Broadway show before graduation. Careers.Broadway is a one-stop resource for anyone who wants to know what to do, where to look, and how to build a career on Broadway. TheatreAccess.NYC (co-produced with TDF) is the one-stop website of accessible Broadway performances for theatregoers with disabilities. Broadway.org is the League’s official on-line headquarters for Broadway in NYC, on tour, and internationally. 

 

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