Black lives matter. Young Audiences stands with those fighting for justice in Maryland, Minneapolis, Louisville, and across our country. We honor those who have been murdered and otherwise harmed by our nation’s systemic racism and police brutality.

We recognize that #BlackLivesMatter is a movement, not a moment, and as an organization it is our responsibility to be engaged and stay engaged—both in this powerful moment, and in those that follow. We acknowledge that our organization has benefitted from systems of oppression, and in the fight for racial justice, we must continue to examine and change our own organizational practices and culture.

Artists shape culture. Artists help us to see, understand, and express injustice. And, if we want to build a world that is just—we as a society need to be able to imagine that world. The arts are critical to that. 

Knowing that this time, while not new, is extremely challenging for Black people, we wanted to share a Black only healing space that some may be interested in: 

• The Healing Hour: On Thursday, June 4, a safe space on Zoom for Black voices to process feelings surrounding black lives lost to police brutality, hosted by a Black clinician Brie Sutton, LGPC

We also want to share some of the organizations and resources that we have found valuable in our learning. The resources below are just some of many resources to explore. 

We are committed to continuing to learn. To listen. To question. To be questioned. To respond. To act. We look forward to growing together.

Resources

Organizations:

• WombWork Productions, Inc.
• Baltimore Racial Justice Action
• Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle
• Teacher’s Democracy Project
• The National Black Lives Matter Week of Action in our Schools
• Baltimore Ceasefire

Resources:

• Two Baltimores: The White L vs. the Black Butterfly by Dr. Lawrence Brown
• White people assume niceness is the answer to racial inequality. It’s not.by Robin DiAngelo
• Rethinking Schools: “Racial Justice is not a choice” by Wayne Au
• The Year I Gave Up White Comfort: An Ode to my White “Friends” on Being Better to Black Womxn by Rachel Ricketts
• Filling our Cups: 4 Ways People of Color can Foster Mental Health and Practice Restorative Healing by Threads of Solidarity: WOC Against Racism
• How to Set a Boundary and Survive the Shame and Guilt That Follows by Fat Black Sadistic