Black Lives Matter: A Statement from Red Herring

These are sad and tragic times in America. We see policemen wearing riot gear, using tear gas, pepper spray, and concussion grenades to disperse American citizens exercising their 1st Amendment right to assemble and petition the government. As a nation, we are rapidly approaching an intersection where we must decide who we are, or more importantly, who we want to be, as a society. Do we live in the past, support and sustain the status quo, and ignore the social, cultural, and economic injustices that have alienated and isolated our black and brown brothers and sisters for centuries? Or do we embrace a new world, one in which a black man can go running without the fear of being shot, go bird watching in Central Park without being confronted by white privilege, or be apprehended into police custody without being murdered.

Red Herring Theater chooses the latter. We reject the status quo and embrace a new world where all people, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation or social status are respected for who they are, valued for their contribution, and their lives are cherished and considered sacred. We mourn the loss of George Floyd and stand in solidarity with his family and all those demanding that the individuals who murdered him, and the social structures and forces that empowered them, be brought to justice and held to account.

In the theater, we are trained to listen. Even though our doors are temporarily closed due to COVID-19, we are continuing our mission to listen and will listen all the more closely as we move forward to build a more empathetic world centered on social and economic justice. We will march alongside those who are working for change. We will continue to raise our voices through the Arts to raise awareness and express those ideals. When our doors reopen, they will open to welcome all those who wish to speak truth to power, to demonstrate compassion and restraint, and to witness to our common humanity.

Black Lives Matter