From the Staff, Board, and Story Tapestries Family
We, at Story Tapestries, acknowledge that we are late in showing our solidarity through a statement, and for that, we truly apologize. We witness structural racism in every aspect of the community and we are appalled by the continued disregard and disrespect for black lives entrenched in the institutions of the judicial system, law enforcement, education, healthcare, and housing.
In the wake of the international uprisings in response to George Floyd’s murder, we will continue to amplify the voices and messages of the black community in an effort to disrupt the forces of racial bias and violent abuse. #BlackLivesMatter is more than a movement. The principles of the BLM movement reflect the core values of Story Tapestries.
Karina, one of the youth we have had the honor of supporting, wrote a poem after the senseless death of George Floyd. Her words reflect the voice of so many and the heart of Story Tapestries.
…..A black man jogging is a criminal
But killing him and recording it is A-ok
I don’t get it.
You can say whatever you want because you think
You’re the law.
But as soon as a black person breathes
They’re a criminal.
So when you kill, you’re “mentally ill”
But if we walk the streets like humans
We are a societal threat?…….
By Karina
We stand in solidarity with protestors worldwide calling for change. We understand that racism is structural and direct action is necessary. Each person is challenged right now to take actions that will advocate for #BlackLivesMatters.
Story Tapestries continues to commit to recruiting and hiring teaching artists of color and recruiting board members that reflect the communities we stand with and work alongside. We as an organization, a network of individuals collaborating together, commit to creating safe, equitable spaces for listening and dialogue, both in-person and online. We commit resources through the Amplify US! Initiative to shift the narrative of power.
We stand ready as a network and community of artists, educators, community leaders, and business members to listen and speak up with those black lives who are oppressed by systemic racism, learned prejudice, and bias. We will join our voices and efforts with yours to bring about institutional change for black lives.
If you feel strongly as we do about racial equity but don’t know where to start, here are some resources below.
Resources
Organizations:
- SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice)
- Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle
- Teacher’s Democracy Project
- The National Black Lives Matter Week of Action in our Schools
- Impact Silver Spring
Books, Articles, and Websites:
- Rethinking Schools: “Racial Justice is not a choice” by Wayne Au
- 7 Essential Anti-Racist Reads to Become a Better Ally
- Empathy
- Black Lives Matter! Yes, even in the workplace: Siji Onabanjo | Jun 2, 2020
- NMAAHC Talking About Race
- POLITICAL EDUCATION, TOOLKITS, AND OTHER RESOURCES
- Anti-racism resources: A Comprehensive Google Document
- The 1619 Project
- Cook Ross, Inc Racial Justice Statement
- 10 Steps to Non-Optical Allyship
- Dirt.
- https://www.epl.org/antiracist-resources-and-reads-lists-for-all-ages/
- White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
- What Does It Mean to Be White by Robin DiAngelo
- The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
- Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
- Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad
- White Rage by Carol Anderson
- The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore
- The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
- So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
- Why are all the Black Kids Sitting together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Tatum
Looking for resources during the COVID-19 pandemic? Check out these RESOURCES.
Now is the time to register for Story Tapestries Online Summer Programs! Register to enjoy summer camps, performances, single or week-long workshops, stress-relief classes, networking events and more.