Black Lives Matter
Black Lives Matter.
Something so fundamental shouldn’t be in doubt. And yet, centuries of structural inequality, cultural devaluation and aggressions have consistently shown that our society does not value Black lives. The contributions of people of colour get downplayed and their ability to lead peaceful lives is continually denied.
The current power structures cause pain and suffering, as seen with the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and many others at the hands of the police in the US. Similarly, in the UK, black people are disproportionately more likely to have violence used against them by the police and more likely to die in police custody.
Things have to change. Racial discrimination and injustice should not be our norm.
Art does not exist in a vacuum, and neither does Rusty Quill. We recognize that if we want to be part of the solution and not the problem, we cannot be silently complicit. We know that we have reflection and hard work to do, internally and externally. And we will work towards making a difference in our industry. We’ll say more on this subject as things develop, and we understand how best to actively & positively engage.
Rusty Quill stands with the Black community, with all the POC among our crew, performers, friends, creators and fans, and all those out there striving for a better world.
- Some useful links & avenues of support:
- (US) Thread of bail support
- (US) Reclaim the Block
- (US) North Star Health Collective
- (US) Black Visions Collective
- (UK) Green & Black Cross Legal Advice
- (UK) Network for Police Monitoring
- (UK) London Campaign Against Police & State Violence
- (UK) West Yorkshire Racial Justice Network
- (US) Updating list of ways to help