Last updated: 2025-03-01
At Studio Northeast, our mission is to support the growth of all photography and small businesses in Saratoga Springs NY and the Capital District. We do this because every emerging, growing and changing business deserves a chance to be fully seen, deeply understood and truly experienced. 
Studio Northeast is committed to becoming an inclusive, anti-racist small business. It is important to me as the owner to have policies in place that allow for the ease of business with diverse clients, families, and clientele. It is also important to me to not only implement policies that are inclusive and anti-racist, but hold myself accountable to those policies. This not an “arrival”, but rather part of an ongoing process that will evolve and change over the lifetime of my business as I learn and iterate to create more inclusive, welcoming, and safe spaces for all folks.
Studio Northeast supports legislative action to protect equal rights for all humans, especially LGBTQ+, Women, Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanics, People with diverse abilities, and Veterans. I oppose unlawful discrimination in any form and intend to equally represent all genders, races, and backgrounds with my work (published or otherwise). 
SPECIFIC POLICIES
LISTENING + AMPLIFYING
  • Listen to and amplify the stories and experiences of marginalized groups in and out of the small business industry.
    • Examples include, but are not limited to:
      • Promotion of diversity-and-inclusion-minded businesses in our social feeds and blog
      • Sharing studio portfolios from underrepresented folks in my social feeds and blog
  • Use my privilege, and speak up when witness to problematic statements, situations, and practices
  • Own my own mistakes when - not if - I make them, make reparations, and do better next time
REGULAR AUDITS OF WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS
  • Quarterly for website:
    • Ensure the use of inclusive language (e.g. gender neutral terms) across website
    • Ensure Diversity + Inclusion (D+I) Policies are up-to-date and accurate based on ongoing work and evolving best practices
  • Quarterly for social:
    • Ensure representation of underrepresented groups in feeds, across all platforms
    • Ensure the use of inclusive language extends to all social posts
NETWORKING + REFERRALS
  • Regularly and consistently seek out, work with, and refer underrepresented businesses. This includes:
    • Creating (year 2024) and maintaining (ongoing) a business network referral list that is made up of 50% underrepresented folks.
ADVERTISING SPEND + OUTREACH
  • Spend at least 50% of advertising dollars for the year with organizations that act in ways that prove a commitment to social justice and equity and who make D+I a public part of their business practices.
 
This is only the start. I commit to updating these policies as I learn and grow. Thank you for reading, and if you have any concerns, suggestions, or other comments, please don’t hesitate to reach out to info@studio-northeast.com
Inspiration and foundations for Studio Northeast's Diversity and Inclusion Policy are credited to and with permission from Venture Ever After.