The Broadway Advocacy Coalition presents its next forum, What Now Part II: From Ally to Action, June 29 from 6–7:30 PM ET. The event follows BAC’s #BwayforBLM in June 2020 and What Now earlier this year.
From Ally to Action hosts an open dialogue with white industry leaders to explore how white supremacy can threaten the capacity of white allies to sustain the work of anti-racism and equity, dig into specific ways that white supremacy shows up, and learn practical tips for how to replace these habits. The forum also asks theatre workers to reconvene as a community and check in on the work that has been done, the work that is ongoing, and the progress of almost 8,000 white industry members who signed the Public Accountability Pledge in 2020.
“It’s time to come together once again to take account of all of the work done in the past year, understand the work ahead, and challenge ourselves to do more,” said BAC Director of Industry Initiatives Zhailon Levingston in an earlier statement. “We must get out of our private silos and start working together to ensure that this is not just a moment of checking boxes but a movement towards long-lasting change.”
In addition, the forum unpacks the characteristics of “White Supremacy Culture,” the ways it often shows up in the theatre industry, and how those ways can be addressed in order to ensure that this change is sustainable and enduring.
“Replacing the habits of white supremacy culture and building a life-long habit of anti-racism requires active and continuous practice. It must be built into our muscle memory,” added BAC Associate Director of Curriculum and Industry Initiatives Leia Squillace in an earlier statement. “Just as working out is easier to maintain when surrounded by others actively engaged in exercise, we must all come together to ensure we all remain accountable to this work. We must build a stronger white ally community that supports itself so that it can better serve people of color.”
While all interested in this work may join the conversation, BAC is asking those that signed the Public Accountability Pledge and others that consider themselves allies to Black people to attend.
To RSVP visit the registration page here or visit BwayForBLM.com.
