…companies mean well, they are aware of tokenism, and they want to avoid it. But, especially when you have a homogenous staff of mostly cis white men, many folks are so nervous about it, that it can become somewhat paralyzing and they don’t know what to do.

So, what can you do when hiring “the first” or first few folks of new identity for your company (much of this would also be applicable for booking shows or festivals, adding new folks to your artist roster, and more)? Here are some steps to take.