Statements of Diversity and Inclusion from
the Ensemble and Board of The Seeing Place
BLACK LIVES MATTER
(download signed statement in PDF format)
Dear Cherished Patrons, Donors, and Friends:
We at The Seeing Place have long been troubled by the inherent racism in our society, both in the community-at-large and in the theater community in particular. We’re especially sickened by the recent murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and Breonna Taylor as well as the thousands of others who have died at the hands of an unjust law enforcement and judicial system in the United States. We also denounce the system of racism that supports white people calling the police whenever they deem a Black person inappropriate, as in the case of Christian Cooper (and countless others.) In addition, hundreds of years of institutionalized racism - which have resulted in limited access to health care, inadequate access to quality food and shelter, and significantly fewer educational and job opportunities - have also directly resulted in a disproportional loss of Black lives to COVID-19.
We – the Board and Ensemble at The Seeing Place - pledge these specific commitments to stand with our Black community members to help stop the practice and spread of racism:
- We pledge to defend Black people when they are being abused/exploited.
- We pledge to seek out Black actors, directors, and producing partners when developing our artistic ensemble, and to have the Black experience represented on our board of directors.
- We pledge to seek out Black-owned businesses with whom to partner as we produce our art.
- We pledge to amplify Black voices whenever and wherever we have a platform.
- We pledge to donate to and volunteer with organizations that make it their mission to eradicate racism.
- We pledge to seek out experts from the Black space to deepen the conversation about race within our education and outreach program.
- We pledge to listen more than talk when it comes to understanding and eradicating racism.
- We pledge to publish these commitments on our website on our About Us page.
If you have any questions about this commitment, please feel free to reach out to us at info@seeingplacetheater.com (which is copied to our full Artistic team.)
In Solidarity,
Erin Cronican Brandon Walker
Executive Artistic Director Producing Artistic Director
Join us in taking immediate action to stand up to racism:
DONATE / VOLUNTEER / SPEND:
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP): www.naacp.org/membership/
American Civil Liberties Union: www.aclu.org
Brooklyn Bail Fund: brooklynbailfund.org
Split a donation between 38 community bail funds: secure.actblue.com/donate/bail_funds_george_floyd
Support Black theaters: blacktheatrematters.org/black-theatre-companies/ and blacktheatrenetwork.org
Buy from Black-owned businesses: officialblackwallstreet.com/app/
FOLLOW:
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/civilrightsorg https://twitter.com/IjeomaOluo
https://twitter.com/muslimgirl https://twitter.com/MatthewACherry
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/grassrootslaw/ https://www.instagram.com/rachel.cargle/
https://www.instagram.com/thegreatunlearn/ https://www.instagram.com/audrelordeproject/
READ:
Anti-Racism Resources For White People
http://bit.ly/ANTIRACISMRESOURCES
75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice
https://medium.com/equality-includes-you/what-white-people-can-do-for-racial-justice-f2d18b0e0234
ENGAGE IN POLITICS:
• Vote (especially for people of color, and be sure to include local and special elections)
• Run for office
• Sign and share petitions
• Protest and march
• Write to your representatives about initiatives that support Black people
SHARE:
Amplify Black and Brown voices on social media and share the above resources with the people in your lives. Always credit the original author. These actions may be uncomfortable. Do them anyway. |
