JAG Productions: A Statement in Response to the Murder of George Floyd
JAG Productions: A Statement in Response to the Murder of George Floyd
JAG Productions, an award-winning theater company that has brought classic and contemporary African-American theater to the Upper Valley and beyond, issued the following statement about the murder of George Floyd, (reproduced below with permission.) It provides links to local (Upper Valley/Vermont) organizations to which you may want to direct donations.
The murder of George Floyd, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery —and countless others—is part of a long history of anti-black state-sanctioned violence in the United States. This violence is woven into the fabric of our nation through structural attacks on Black, Indigenous, POC and LGBTQ members of our society. We must actively work to end it.
We support and stand with the courageous community of Black artists, staff, supporters, audiences and students who have made JAG a space where people gather to better understand our world and bear witness to a new vision. JAG Productions was founded to tell the powerful, beautiful and important stories of Black lives in this country. We support and stand with the protesters demanding justice. We condemn those who overlook the systemic anti-black violence, and are quick to dismiss anger as a response to democide.
We invite all people and institutions in Vermont and the Upper Valley to commit to antiracism by taking the following steps:
Stand in solidarity with Black people and communities of color.
Listen to what is needed, and take action to address injustice.
Question the histories, practices, and patterns that reinforce institutionalized oppression and inequity.
Commit to creating space that actively combats racism, bigotry, and violence.
Examine and acknowledge missteps in doing this work, accepting this is a lifelong process. Hold ourselves to a standard that accepts this work is never done.
Share resources to amplify the voices of Black and POC artists, activists and organizations already fighting for justice.
Call on white people in our communities to acknowledge the way they benefit from white supremacy in all its forms.
Call on our elected officials to address violence perpetrated against Black bodies and communities of color.
In addition to the George Floyd Memorial, Minneapolis Community Bail Fund, Minnesota Freedom Fund and other national organizations doing this tremendous work, we encourage you to materially support our local anti-racist organizations by donating to:
Black Lives Matter of Greater Burlington
Black lives matter. Black stories matter. Black voices matter. Black art matters. To those already doing this work, we thank you for leading the way. We send comfort to those in our community who are experiencing this trauma personally.
We will not stay silent.
If you share this letter, please attribute the source: http://www.jagproductionsvt.com/
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