A message of solidarity

Dear LP Community,

We write to you today with hearts still aching for the families of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery, and the countless victims of police brutality and other acts of racial prejudice enabled by systemic racism.

We join the voices of people across America in support of justice, safety, and equity for Black Americans and acknowledge the incredible sacrifices of those who have been on the front lines for decades.

We recognize that true progress involves taking a hard look at our own practices and the ways in which we currently uphold systems of oppression, so we can build an anti-racist organization on all levels.

To do this, we will:

• Form a committee made up of members of our staff to oversee studio initiatives and actions towards diversity and equity.
• Engage with an outside diversity and inclusion consultant with a proven track record of success in creating more equitable organizations.
• Match funds already raised through an employee-led effort.
• Commit to race equity training within our studio.
• Commit to more diverse hiring practices and embrace innovative programs that can advance candidates from backgrounds generally underrepresented in the exhibit design field.

We encourage our community to take intentional, accountable actions, as we will do, in the fight for justice. Here are a few we support:

Education:

• Read the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s helpful resource on talking about race in a productive way.
• Read and adopt the Innocence Project’s guide to supporting the fight for justice.
• Read Thaly Germain’s Eyes White Shut: Now Are You Ready to Work.

Action:

• Donate to the Let Us Breathe Fund created in the wake of Eric Garner’s murder, and supports the long-term movement for fair and just policing, as well as resilient and economically sustainable Black communities.
• Donate to Black Lives Matter and support their ongoing fight to end state-sanctioned violence and white supremacy.
• Donate to Color of Change, a group that designs campaigns powerful enough to end practices that unfairly hold Black people back, and champion solutions that move us all forward.
• Engage with The Laundromat Project, an arts organization that advances artists and neighbors as change agents in their own communities.

We promise to follow up and be transparent about our progress and struggles. And we thank those who have been working towards a more just future all their lives.

In solidarity,
Local Projects