It’s Black History Month, and here at TCG, we’re reflecting on how we can help end anti-Blackness and support Black liberation, both within our theatre ecology and beyond. As we write this post, we’re experiencing grief and outrage over the murder of Amir Locke. We stand in solidarity with racial justice organizers in the Twin Cities who have continued to fight for public safety practices that actually protect and support Black lives and communities.
We’re also following the leadership of the Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) who again this year are celebrating Black Futures month, their “visionary, forward-looking spin on celebrations of Blackness in February.” This year, they’re focusing on: Black, queer, and transfeminist perspectives; liberating Black political prisoners; and the the future of labor for Black people.
In the spirit of Black Histories and Black Futures, we wanted to share some additional resources with you:
- If you’re a Black Theatre, Indigenous Theatre, and/or Theatre of Color (BITOC), keep an eye out for the THRIVE! application, which will launch the week of February 14.
- Earlier career Black theatre-makers, and all BIPOC/PGM/BILAM theatre-makers, please consider applying for the Rising Leaders of Color 2022 when the application process launches the week of February 21.
- Check out the The Nap Ministry, which frames rest as resistance. This resource is for BIPOC, but all are welcome to explore her work.
- Read an excerpt from Woodie King Jr.’s 2003 book The Impact of Race: Theatre and Culture honoring playwright Ed Bullins, who died last year.
- Revisit the visionary calls for Revolutionary Theatre from the 2020 Black Theatre Common's series.
- Watch TCG’s Legacy Leaders of Color Video Project (LLCVP), which includes interviews with founders of Black theatres such as Lou Bellamy, Woodie King Jr., Jackie Taylor, and Douglas Turner Ward.
- Advocate for the policy platforms laid out in M4BL’s Vision for Black Lives.
- Read articles from American Theatre’s series, “Tapestry of American Black Theatre”
- TCG Books has curated a list of our plays by Black playwrights, and you can access them with the special 25% print discount code of GROUND2021.
- We invite you to revisit American Theatre’s State of Black Theatre special issue from March 2019, as well as the September 2020 special issue, Trans Voices Lead The Way, which includes Black TGNC artists like Goddess. Wriply M. Bennet and Lady Dane Figueroa Edidi.
Black history and futures are not limited to the month of February, so let us use the celebrations this month as an opportunity to deepen our understanding, commitment, and actions.
To all of our Black colleagues, we wish you a February that is joyful, reflective, restful, restorative, visionary, and whatever you need it to be.
To the rest of us, let’s use this month to deepen our daily commitment to defending and celebrating Black life, and to help build Black power.
Teresa Eyring and Adrian Budhu
Teresa Eyring(she/her/hers)
Executive Director/CEO
Adrian Budhu(he/him/his)
Deputy Director/COO