Raise Your Voice Against Ageism, mixed media, 2019, by seniors at JCA Kensington Club at Parklawn

 

The brutal killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Philando Castile, Sandra Bland, Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Amadou Diallo, Emmett Till, George Stinney, countless black lives in our communities, are rocking the country to its core. Laid bare by not one but two pandemics — racism and covid-19 — systemic disparities continue to deny the freedom, safety, and lives of black communities and communities of color.

In this country and the world over there is a reckoning. One that demands action.

Arts for the Aging is standing with black lives and those who seek justice against racial violence and police brutality.

Saying it isn’t enough. We will take action.

Our multi-cultural programs and therapeutic community impact are core to our mission. We are committed to transforming the makeup of our board and leadership so that we better represent our communities and nation. With that horizon, we eagerly dive into change.

In our next steps:

  • We are starting a race-equity learning series for our entire organization;
  • We will intentionally partner with more black-owned businesses and like-minded organizations to carry out our mission;
  • We will share our stories of where we have failed, and how we are righting it using our e-news and social media platforms to hold ourselves accountable.

Self-expression is central to Arts for the Aging’s mission. So is our multi-disciplinary arts curricula and multi-cultural programming. We stand as a beacon for healing through the arts, focusing our reach on vulnerable and underserved citizens and communities.

We believe that black lives matter and that our very own humanity depends on it.