Pegasus Theatre stands in unity with those grieving the tragic loss of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless, nameless other Black lives that have been lost to systemic racism, societal injustices and sanctioned police brutality in America.
With broken hearts, we lament that Floyd, Taylor and Arbery must now join a legion of lost lives starting in 1619 when the first African slave ship landed in America. Today, their descendents are still being oppressed, targeted and murdered by a system of institutional racism and tyranny.
As a theatre rooted in telling stories of relevance and social justice, (e.g., Shakin’ The Mess Outta Misery, The Green Book, Heatwave, The Face of Emmett Till and Dead of Night: The Execution of Fred Hampton), we recognize the violence and dehumanization that is systemic racism.
I am personally angeresd, frustrated and triggered, One of the many incidents I’ve experienced living while black occurred several years ago. I was driving my car in our old Uptown neighborhood when suddently at least five police cars rolled up on me lights blaring, sirens blasting and guns drawn. My out-of-town guest started loudly complaining, “they can’t do this, they have no right.” I said, “be quiet, this is Chicago.” A cop replied, “you better listen to her.”
Now is the time for us all to work together to demand the end of systemic racism. Please be safe and be well as we will stand together until we win justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and every human being that faces oppression in our nation.
Here’s some helpful resources collected from friends and colleagues:
Assata’s Daughters
Antiracism Center
Audre Lorde Project
Black Lives Matter
The Black Star Project
Black Women’s Blueprint
Chicago Community Bond Fund
Color Of Change
Colorlines
The Conscious Kid
Equal Justice Initiative (EJI)
George Floyd Memorial GoFundMe
The Leadership Conference on Civil
& Human Rights
Minnesota Freedom Fund
MPowerChange
NAACP
RAICES
Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ)
Sincerely,
Ilesa Duncan
Executive and Producing Director
PEGASUS THEATRE CHICAGO
