The April 20, 2021 conviction for the murder of George Floyd represents just one step towards enforcing greater accountability and achieving better equity for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in our country. For decades, even centuries, we have witnessed many acts of violence against BIPOC folks. And, sadly, we continue to see acts of violence and hate with the recent attacks and murders of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) and unarmed Black and Brown people. The verdict that was handed down yesterday was an important and necessary one; but there is still so more work to be done.
At Seattle Rep our vision is Theater at the Heart of Public Life. Public Life represents our extended community. It is a commitment to the elevation and celebration of Black and BIPOC community voices including artists, staff, supporters, and audiences – you and your stories matter.
As we continue to examine ourselves, our work, and our role in this community, we continue to take the following steps:
- Elevate and celebrate Black and BIPOC community voices including artists, staff, supporters, and audiences
- Stand in solidarity with anti-racist and social justice organizations, listen to what is needed, and advocate for BIPOC communities
- Create intentional spaces for our community to convene, and strengthen our collective through conversation, debate, and the power of storytelling
- Uphold principles of racial equity, diversity, and inclusion in all our practices
- Confront systems of oppression, racism, anti-Blackness, and hate in our institution
- Share our resources and amplify the voices of artists who have long been engaged in the fight for justice
We have compiled a growing resource list of organizations actively engaged in helping to end these acts of violence and the racial injustice in our country, as well as mental health support. We will continue to update these lists and engage our community with action in this urgent and vital work.
George Floyd’s life mattered. Our hearts are with his family and loved ones.
In solidarity,
Your Friends at Seattle Rep
#BlackLivesMatter