ITOWNY’s Statement on the Killing of George Floyd and on the Persistence of Racism in America
The members of Inclusive Theater of WNY (ITOWNY) are horrified by and abhor the murder of George Floyd by members of the Minneapolis Police Force on 25 May 2020. The lives of Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmad Aubrey, and a tragically long list of other black Americans lost to the hands of racial injustice and police brutality in recent years is cause for despair, especially because the stories are not new.
It is easy to look to the arts in moments of crisis such as the present, when we seek an understanding of the incomprehensible persistence of political, economic, and social discrimination against persons of color. It may seem harder to remember the outrage we feel in this moment when we return to our theaters and performing art spaces.
However, ITOWNY resolves to keep these troubling aspects at the forefront of our work going forward. There is, of course, much to celebrate in the artistic work that we do, but our passion should never blind us to injustices.
We must never let that indifference to human suffering become our own. We must never deaden our hearts to the pain of others. Our fundamental values demand that we care.
We must bridge the differences of our individual thoughts, to make space for the conversation! This is how we can move forward and sustain momentum, to bring about real change!
Inclusive Theater of WNY
Inclusive Theater of WNY (ITOWNY) 