The New York State DanceForce affirms our support of Black Lives Matter and of all Black, Brown, Indigenous and people of color. We join them in speaking out against racial discrimination and in protesting the violence that threatens them. As a consortium of dance activists whose mission is to increase the presence of dance across the diverse communities of New York State, we are committed to bringing dance in all its forms and expressions to our communities, and celebrating the contributions of people of color to the art of dance. We acknowledge that we have benefited from the malignant system of white supremacy and pledge as individuals and as an organization to become more actively anti-racist. We pledge to undertake the work of educating ourselves, listening deeply, and to expanding our efforts to confront the racist structures, policies, and actions embedded in our personal, professional, and organizational practices so that we may work toward racial equity and justice.
We are dance activists. The field of dance should be a space of racial justice: one that honors the contributions of people of color and that is truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive. To make progress on realizing this goal we will examine our organizational structures and practices to identify the ways they do not reflect the anti-racist practices we wish to embody, and we will formulate action plans for change. We anticipate sustained conversation and concrete action steps. We recognize that dismantling systemic racism takes ongoing commitment from all of us, and we pledge to do the work.