Mission and Values
Our Mission Statement
NEAMA (Nonprofit Education and Advocacy for the Movement Arts) is a division of Edify Movement, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, whose mission is to support transformative change toward safer practices in the movement arts. Our evidence-based education and advocacy works to identify, address, and prevent abuse in the industry. NEAMA is centered on safeguarding and supporting the physical, psychological, and sexual wellness of youth and adults, emphasizing the importance of the whole community, while never forgetting the inherent value of the individual.
What are the movement arts?
The movement arts comprise artistic practices that center expression of the physical body through movement, which includes dance, gymnastics, cheerleading, circus, band, drill team, and more. Our team is composed of a group of seasoned educators and advocates whose primary focus is safeguarding the individuals who entrust themselves in the environments and spaces of the movement arts. NEAMA aims to expand our community to all of the movement arts.
NEAMA’s Values
Collaboration
Community. From supporting organizations in areas we align, striving to make community connections, and building trustworthy relationships with survivors, the magnitude of our mission is better supported through collaboration.
Compassion
Calling in. NEAMA’s advocacy is rooted in compassion and takes a strong stance against a culture that centers on the shaming and dehumanization of people, even those who have caused harm.
Accountability
Impact is important. Alongside our compassionate advocacy resides a strong commitment to accountability. NEAMA holds those who cause harm accountable.
Occupational Humility
Self-aware. Our educators and advocates pledge to remain aware of the limits of our authority and to seek resources in areas outside our expertise.
Transparency
Lights on. We recognize that a healthy advocacy culture practices internal and public transparency, and adopt this in our practices.
Trauma-informed
Trust. Our advocacy is designed to promote a culture of safety, empowerment and healing. This means acknowledging that trauma is not one-size fits all, and we are committed to remaining thoughtful in our language.
Evidence-based
Tested and proven. Our education and intervention practices are informed by current research, including work with our own medical, clinical and behavioral science collaborators.
Accessibility
Open door. We want our work to be accessible for everyone. If finances are a barrier to accessing our services, NEAMA strives to never turn anyone away. We also commit to digital accessibility.
Diversity and Inclusion
Representation matters. We are a spectrum of individuals from diverse walks of life. We represent diverse cultures, nationalities, political views, religions, socioeconomic classes, health choices, racial, sexual and gender identities, and more. We foster a culture that values inclusion and embracing difference.
Sustainability
Here to stay. To keep our advocacy fresh and passionate, we foster a culture that considers the wellbeing of not only those we serve, but also ourselves as advocates in this field. We recognize that our longevity as advocates requires self-care, rest, and humility within the organization.
NEAMA as a Nonprofit
At NEAMA we believe that success of the mission is first and foremost measured by our ability to help safeguard our spaces in the movement arts. This is seen as the most important aspect of our work, up and beyond profit or revenue. For this reason, among others, we take our status as a nonprofit seriously.
Many who serve on NEAMA have worked in both nonprofit and for-profit business models, and many have their own thriving for-profit businesses that make positive contributions to our industries. As we built NEAMA allowed for robust internal discussions and reflections of our cumulative experiences in both of these spaces. We came to the unanimous decision the nonprofit model is the best fit to prioritize and sustain the values, ethics, and standards we feel an organization that stands for the safety and wellness of youth and adults must be accountable to.
We believe that a healthy nonprofit infrastructure allows for:
- more voices to be heard.
- decisions to be collaborative and not in the hands of a sole owner. No one owns a nonprofit.
- checks and balances among the leadership to attain a level of accountability and transparency, both ethically and financially. This protects the mission, educators, and advocates from self-dealing, monetization, commodification, and exploitation.
- volunteers and sponsors that have a passion for our mission can be included in our projects, as the nonprofit business model allows for this involvement in our education and advocacy.
Take a look at our Ethics and Policy page for more information on how we ensure our nonprofit is conducted with integrity and accountability.
Tackling Sexual Abuse in the Dance Industry
In recent years, dancers have begun to take a stance against institutions and individuals that have participated in enabling a culture of harm. Their testimonies have laid bare the reality that various forms of abuse have had devastating impacts on the dance community as a whole. NEAMA is a response to this time of reckoning and aims to work with dance companies, conventions, studios, educators, choreographers, dancers and survivors throughout the industry to push for change.
Read about some recent important stories on sexual abuse in dance: