Black Lives Matter
We at Concord Youth Theatre stand in solidarity with those who suffer the brutality of racial violence, and condemn racial prejudice of any kind. We lift our voices to the national cry, demanding justice for George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and other black, indigenous, and people of color who have lost their lives. We challenge ourselves to listen more, read more, and do more to understand the issues that have plagued BIPOC communities for centuries.
As a theater, particularly as a children’s theater, our role is to create a safe space for creativity and growth. We continue our commitment to providing that space, while also acknowledging the lack of safe spaces for many children in our country. We are a space where stories are shared in community; CYT commits to increased diversity in our storytelling and to use story to help our students explore the importance of fairness, inclusion, courage, and human dignity.
We Will Act with Intent
CYT is looking very closely at the role we might play in amplifying the voices of BIPOC artists, practitioners, and students.
- We will be an affordable and accessible space for BIPOC-led programming.
- We will offer workshops and scene studies for works written by BIPOC authors, with BIPOC facilitators.
- We will bring forth narratives that have been suppressed and reject any that deny the existence of racism in our country.
- We will consult with members of the BIPOC artist community to explore ways we may become more accessible to BIPOC students and families.
- We will develop policies for staff and students that provide clear guidelines for anti-racist and anti-hate behaviors, and seek training in these areas.
- We will actively recruit for BIPOC representation on our executive board.
As always, CYT programming will be age-appropriate for and affirming of our students. We have tremendous appreciation for our young thinkers who are already organizing around and responding to recent acts of racial violence. Theater gives young people the courage and confidence to be themselves, and the thoughtful young people we encounter at CYT bring us feelings of hope. These last few months have been very hard. CYT looks forward to the day when our doors will be open, and we can gather together. Until then, we wish for your continued health, safety, and cherished time with family.
