Over the weekend, the frustration of centuries of injustice and violence in America reached a new boiling point.

The daily trauma faced by Black Americans has forced many people to take to the streets, despite the dangers of being in the middle of a pandemic and the risk of violence, in the hope that their voices will finally be heard.

We at Adventure Theatre stand together with those calling for justice and safety for all Americans.

Our prayers and condolences go out to the to the families and communities of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and countless others impacted by unwarranted violence. We are all diminished by these losses.

Adventure is committed to dismantling obstacles that prevent all people from learning and loving theatre, and we know it is critical to model the change we need to the children we serve.

Consequently, we are announcing two new actions this week:

1. On Sunday at 2 pm, instead of a planned tribute to Broadway and the Tony’s, African American artists will bring a moment of truth, discuss their experiences that are difficult and real, and find talking points for parents and kids to share and discuss on Facebook Live.

2. We will leverage our social media pages, especially Facebook, to provide family friendly resources, educational materials, and calls-to action to bring the full reach of ATMTC to bear.

In addition:

• We will grow into and champion the character and hallmarks of a fully Anti-Racist organization

• We will lift up the voices and stories that accurately celebrate the full diversity of our community

• We will listen and hear what our diverse community has to say and incorporate it into our work

Collectively, we are stewards of our children’s future and we call on the extended ATMTC community to stand up and demand better from ourselves, our society, and our leaders.

There is so much we all can do:

• Talk with your children about racism and discrimination. Check out these kid-friendly books

• Read “How to Be an Anti-Racist” by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi

• Look for ways to show solidarity in your community, check your local listservs and neighborhood groups for vigils, protests, and other nonviolent activities that support justice

• Model engagement in our full community for the children who learn by watching us

• Call your legislators and demand criminal justice reform

• Support groups working to get out the vote and to restore voting rights to disenfranchised voters

Change must happen. It will not happen if we do not recognize our common humanity, our common need for justice, and our common obligation to foster change that leads to justice. The arts—and theater, in particular—have a special role in this work. We are committed to engaging in this work and thank you for your support in enabling us to do it.

On behalf of the Adventure Theatre MTC Board and Staff,

Leon Seemann, Executive Director

Leslie Miles, Board Chair