Our hearts are grieving as yet again another life—another Black life— was violently taken away. George Floyd did not have to die. Philando Castile did not have to die. Jamar Clark did not have to die. Countless other men and women should not have lost their lives due to these intolerable acts of injustice. It is simply unacceptable that Black and Brown persons in our beloved community and around the country are still victims of discrimination and systemic racism.
As an arts organization with deep roots in this community, we acknowledge that we have not done enough. We have celebrated and honored Black and Brown voices, but we have not amplified them enough to be heard. We have convened advisory councils of community members representing the diversity of our community, but we have not listened enough. We have prioritized advancing inclusion, access, and equity in our strategic plan, but we need to do more to truly advance this work.
We stand ready to listen to you and learn from you as we work harder to unearth our own racial biases to create an inclusive culture throughout the organization. We will work to diversify our ensembles and audiences, to increase access for those who have been excluded, and to present programs that elicit conversation and inspire action that will lead to meaningful change.
We stand in solidarity with our collaborating artists and communities and believe that by singing together we can make this world safer, more equitable, and more loving for all.