PNB’s Anti-Racism Action Plan
This page includes PNB’s Commitment to Racial Justice, Our Action Steps, and a list of Anti-Racism Resources.
Click here to read our Racial Equity Statement.
Our Commitment
As we witness repeated injustice and persistent inequities in our country and world, and as we see racial injustice called out in all its manifestations in our society, Pacific Northwest Ballet wants our patrons and supporters to know we stand in complete solidarity with our Black and Brown performers, students, colleagues, and community, and with those who experience discrimination and prejudice.
We acknowledge when we look at systemic racism, we must start by looking in the mirror, and at our own systems. When a child enters our ballet studios or McCaw Hall and doesn’t see any one who looks like them in the class, in the front of the room, on staff, or on stage, how welcome do they feel? Though our commitment to this issue is longstanding, we have more work to do. PNB is committed to dismantling systemic racism in our institution. We believe that everyone deserves to feel safe, welcomed, and represented.
Please read on to learn about the concrete steps PNB plans to make in the coming weeks and months, and to see a list of resources we’ve compiled to help PNB and our community make real and lasting change.
Action Steps
Understanding that every individual at PNB must uphold our organizational commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, we are committed to giving PNB’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee additional resources to expand its work across our organization and the larger PNB community.
Executive Director Ellen Walker and Artistic Director Peter Boal, will continue to build upon their work with The Equity Project.
Over the past 10 days we have reiterated our commitment to our Black and Brown colleagues, students, and community members on social media, in meetings with staff, company dancers, board, and faculty, and in email communications to all PNB School families. This dialogue will continue.
We will further engage and employ experts outside of our staff to help inform PNB’s equity work. Additionally, we recognize we have powerful voices within PNB who are being heard and who are a vital part of our growth as a company and school. Click here to watch the first episode of “PNB Is Listening”, a new video series that highlights these important voices.
We are committed to PNB School’s DanceChance and Community Education teams to increase equity and access to ballet training for young people.
Build upon our commitment to diversifying our organization by engaging more Black and Brown dancers, students, teachers, choreographers, contributors, musicians, and artists while recognizing we are stronger with diverse voices represented throughout our institution.
Anti-Racism Resources
Organizations & Funds
Seattle Black-led Arts & Culture Organizations
Seattle/King County Black Lives Matter chapter
Northwest African American Museum
Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute
Central District Forum for Arts & Ideas
Tacoma Urban Performing Arts Center (TUPAC)
National Organizations
Memoirs of Blacks in Ballet (MoB Ballet)
International Association of Blacks in Dance
The Loveland Foundation – provides mental health care access for Black women and girls
Black Visions Collective (Minnesota Organization)
Reclaim the Block (Minneapolis Organization)
Memorial Funds
Split a donation between 70+ community bail funds, mutual aid funds, and racial justice organizers
I Run with Maud for Ahmaud’s Arbery
Legal Help & Bail Funds
Seattle Area Black-owned Restaurants
Intentionalist – a tool to search for small businesses all over the country
Baked from the Hart in Mount Baker
The Comfort Zone in Columbia City
Conscious Eatery in Georgetown
Emerald City Fish & Chips in Rainier Valley
Emma’s BBQ in Hillman City
Ezell’s Famous Chicken in multiple locations
Gravy on Vashon Island
Island Soul in Columbia City
Jerk Shack in Belltown
JuneBaby in Ravenna
Mojito in Lake City
Plum Bistro on Capitol Hill
Salare in Ravenna
Simply Soulful in Madison Valley
The Station on Beacon Hill
Books & Articles
Op-Ed: Where is Your Outrage? Where is Your Support? by Theresa Ruth Howard, Dance Magazine
True Champions of the Arts Must End Their Silence
Race Across America: An Audition Tour Showed Me What Ballet Could Learn from the Art World by Peter Boal, Dance Magazine
How to Support the Black Dance Community, Beyond Social Media by Thomas Ford, Dance Spirit
Why IABD, DTH and Dance/USA Teamed Up for the Equity Project by Karyn D. Collins, Dance Magazine
How the arts can be Seattle schools’ stealth weapons in the fight for racial equity
Performative Allyship Is Deadly (Here’s What to Do Instead)
How to respond to “riots never solve anything!”
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo, PhD
Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
Kid’s Books & Articles
Colorful Pages – an organization that promotes multicultural literature and diverse books for young people
Art
Spectrum Dance Theater, Donald Byrd’s SHOT (and Donald Byrd’s essay, “Why You Need to Watch SHOT Right Now!”)
Watch
(All of These Are on Netflix)
13th
American Son
When They See Us
Who Killed Malcolm X
Strong Island
Time: The Kalief Browder Story
See You Yesterday
Dear White People