The International Association of Blacks in Dance announces Can You Hear Me Now? Campaign

 The International Association of Blacks in Dance announces the launch of its Can You Hear Me Now? campaign with an open letter to the White American dance community. Can You Hear Me Now? is an online and social media campaign dedicated to acknowledging and dismantling long-standing racial disparities within the American dance community.

“After having read a number of solidarity statements issued by many of the White and large budget dance institutions from across the country, all we heard were empty and shallow promises. This was the time for many of my colleagues, who said they were about ‘the work’ in the many conversations that we had, to stand up and lean into all of the IDEA’s (inclusion, diversity, equity, access) to which they had committed. We are looking for your action plans. Statements are an act of silence,” said IABD’s President and CEO, Denise Saunders Thompson.

The letter, addressed to the white American dance community begins “The International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD) stands with the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) theatre-makers. We support their call and affirm The Ground We Stand On. We, who are Black, Brown and People of the Global Majority, come together to say to the White American Dance Community: The time of your systems of race preference is over. We are listening, we are watching and are no longer waiting for your stamp of approval…We have had enough. Your silence is no longer acceptable.”

The full contents of the letter may be found online at www.iabdassociation.org/mpage/canyouhearmenow.

For more information on IABD’s continued service to the field or to donate to their efforts, visit www.iabdassociation.org/.