{"id":10895,"date":"2020-06-17T19:00:31","date_gmt":"2020-06-17T23:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/artistsunderthedome.org\/malc\/?p=10895"},"modified":"2020-07-20T10:39:01","modified_gmt":"2020-07-20T14:39:01","slug":"thank-you-to-those-taking-action-black-lives-matter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/artistsunderthedome.org\/malc\/news\/thank-you-to-those-taking-action-black-lives-matter\/","title":{"rendered":"Thank You to Those Who are Taking Action"},"content":{"rendered":"
Black Lives Matter. <\/strong><\/h5>\n
Black Creativity Matters.\u00a0<\/strong>Black Artists Matter. <\/strong>Black Breath Matters. <\/strong><\/h5>\n
Justice Matters.<\/strong><\/h5>\n

It is long past time for a reckoning with the racist foundation of the economy and culture of the United States. White supremacy has systematically discriminated and terrorized our country\u2019s black, brown, indigenous, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ communities. 500+ years is a long time, and George Floyd is only the latest in a long, terrible list of people who have been murdered because they were not considered equally human by their killers. As artists of many disciplines, we reflect, create culture, and have the opportunity and responsibility to amplify the voices of those who have been left out, to celebrate and support the cultures and peoples that have been ignored and mistreated, and to stand with anyone and any community that has been denied their human rights, indigenous rights, civil rights, and the fundamental opportunities granted in our Constitution.<\/p>\n

So, thank you to those who are taking action.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Say their names: Ahmaud Arbery – Breonna Taylor – George Floyd – Rayshard Brooks.<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Thank you to those taking action across our country and the world \u2014 who continue to put their lives at risk from police brutality and Covid-19 for racial justice, social change, and accountability. Thank you for honoring and remembering all of those from the Black community that have been killed by police violence and all of those who have been victimized and exploited by our country\u2019s criminal justice system.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Black Lives Matter.<\/b><\/h5>\n

The institutional structural racism and the economic, discriminatory, and legal barriers and structures that founded and are embedded in\u00a0all<\/strong>\u00a0of our U.S. systems (private and public) must be dismantled. Public workers and governmental officials at all levels are paid with public tax dollars. They work for the public and they must answer to the public. The public has every right to hold them accountable. They work for us. This includes law enforcement.\u00a0Thank you to those who are taking action.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Protests of all kinds are key tools for change \u2014 whether participating in a protest march, signing a petition, participating in a boycott, making phone calls and sending emails \u2014 it all helps to make change. Providing funding (no matter what amount) to people, organizations and\/or causes that are working for accountability and for racial & social justice helps to make change.\u00a0Thank you to those who are taking action.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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