In light of current, yet familiar, events, The Forum Collective must react to the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Nina Pop, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and all people whose lives were taken due to white supremacist violence.
We stand with Black people and all other groups that suffer under the weight of white supremacy, ableism, sexism, and capitalism—the four exploitative systems that have defined and crippled the world for centuries.
The Forum is a collective, and while we stand together, we are also individuals.
We are not interested in a uniform statement attempting to speak for each of our members. We are interested in creating a mosaic of discussions and perspectives. We are interested in giving space for personal, unique responses.
In lieu of a singular message from our company, you will find voluntary statements from our members regarding the uprising we are witnessing across the world as well as strategies on centering Black and Brown voices and destabilizing racist structures.
This, in turn, reflects the personal values that each of us bring to our work within The Forum.
This format also aligns with our shared-governance structure, as well as the responsibility on us as individuals to do work beyond solidarity. We must prioritize our actions over complacency and meaningless drafted words.
To the few companies, galleries, organizations, and art-makers that already follow these practices, we thank you.
To our allies, we thank you for reaching out to friends, family members, and community members of color.
To our colleagues at other artistic companies, performance-based or otherwise, please follow these thoughts if you’re looking for guidance.
This time, credit the sources of your inspiration.
If you are interested in collaborating or entering discussion with us, you can contact Leigh Rondon-Davis at leigh.rondon.davis@gmail.com. If you have further questions about our mission or goals, you can contact Julius Rea at julius.rea@gmail.com.
