The killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers has sparked a collective outrage, and his name joins a long list of victims of racist policing and white supremacy: Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Philando Castile, Trayvon Martin, Oscar Grant, Emmett Till - the names trace a continuum of violence and oppression that date back centuries. Bindlestiff Studios stands in solidarity with our fellow Black artists and Black communities. We will listen, support and amplify the Black voices within our communities.
We support those working to end systems of oppression that create conditions for these tragedies to repeat. As Pilipinxs and Asian-Americans we can empathize with Black trauma (given our own experiences with colonization and ongoing prejudice - particularly amid coronavirus scapegoating), but we must actively challenge ourselves to examine the ways we fit within the contours of privilege and how we prop up the very racist structures we want to dismantle. The fact that an Asian American was complicit in the murder of George Floyd, can not be ignored. The model minority myth has been used to divide black and asian communities and continues to serve white supremacy and capitalism.
Protesting is the most visible direct action, but we are still in the midst of a pandemic. There are various forms of activism to take. We encourage everyone to be safe while participating to uplift the voices of our black communities. Here is a compiled list of resources, petitions and calls for donations.
In honor of Breonna Taylor’s 27th birthday on June 5th, please consider making these 10 direct actions to bring justice for her and her family https://msha.ke/30flirtyfilm/
We join other AAPI organizations to commit to anti-racism and stand with the movement to demand that Black Lives Matter! APICC Statement of Solidarity: https://www.apiculturalcenter.org/statement_of_solidarity
Aureen B. Almario, Artistic Director | Oliver Saria, Managing Director