BLACK
LIVES
MATTER
June 3rd, 2020
Friends,
As we behold the events unfolding in our communities--Greg through the warped lenses of news sites and social media, and Chie through the egg-splattered glass of our apartment window just south of Union Square--we feel the urgent necessity to raise our voices in the collective call for change, and to act on that call with intention and alacrity.
FORGE NYC stands in solidarity with black artists, makers, and the black community in the struggle against white supremacy, systemic injustice, and institutional violence. We see the suffering of our friends, neighbors, and fellows, and mourn with them. We recognize the persistent violence and pernicious oppression that emerge from racism, permeating our country from its earliest days and now claiming the lives of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and still more as we write these words.
In order to confront racism we must examine and exhume its influence on our choices, voices, and values. We are walking this path in the footsteps of those who had no choice but to learn through suffering. Though we are many steps behind and our footing is uncertain, we are committed to coming side-by-side and pushing together towards a more inclusive, equitable, and just society.
Today, FORGE is rededicating itself to:
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Interrogating our assumptions and attending to the impact of our work;
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Holding space in our consulting and developmental process for those who are hurting and grieving;
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Aligning our core practices with anti-racist values while pushing our clients to do the same;
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Offering opportunities for collective action at our remote and in-person events;
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Broadening our reach to serve more BIPOC creators;
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And generating substantive resources for the artists, makers, and companies we work with to add their voices to the call.
This is only the next step. We will keep finding new ways to forge ahead--in solidarity, humility, compassion, and action--because we cannot stop until it is understood by every human being and reflected in every aspect of our culture:
Black Lives Matter.
-Chie Morita + Greg Taubman
Co-Founders & Partners
FORGENYC
