Dear friends of Anna Crusis,

We are writing to join the chorus of voices —  broadcast in writing, lifted in song, shouted in protest — asserting that Black Lives Matter. We stand in solidarity with Black activists leading the charge toward a reimagined future, a future in which we work collectively to dismantle centuries-old systems of oppression, white supremacy, and institutional racism. Silence is not an option.

Black Lives Matter. Black Trans Lives Matter. Black Women and Femmes Lives Matter. Black Queer Lives Matter. All Black Lives Matter.

We honor the memories of those who have been murdered by police and white supremacists, whose lives were seen as disposable because of racism, sexism, transphobia. George Floyd. Ahmaud Arbery. Breonna Taylor. Tony McDade. Dominique “Rem’mie” Fells. Riah Milton. And countless others. They were loved ones. They were community members. They were cherished. They should still be alive. Say their names.

We also know that words of solidarity and concern are not enough in this moment. That is why we have spent the last months engaging as a community about what commitments we can make to work towards a world where all black lives matter. 

For 45 years, ANNA has been active in the movements for women’s liberation and LGBTQ rights. We have historically been a safe space for lesbian, bisexual, and queer women. Today, we continue to value the diversity of experiences, cultures, and backgrounds that our singers bring to the ANNA community. And, though we are a multiracial choir, we must acknowledge that we are a predominantly white choir with white leadership. We are not immune to the poison of white supremacy and the culture of racism that it perpetuates. 

If ANNA is truly to embody feminist values, then we must commit to centering anti-racist work in all that we do. Our feminism must be intersectional, inclusive, bold, and self-reflective. With this in mind, and with the collective support of choir membership, we plan to form an anti-racist committee that will be tasked with integrating the following action steps:

    • We will increase the number of Black musicians and composers who we hire, and form deeper partnerships with Black-led choirs and organizations.
    • We will review our musical repertoire through an anti-racist lens.
    • We will provide opportunities for continued learning and anti-racist education initiatives within the choir.
    • We will aim to foster a safe, inclusive environment and improve the culture of our choir by investigating the retention of Black singers and singers of color.

 

We acknowledge that these steps are the beginning of a journey that we must commit to for the long haul. We will continue to evaluate our progress on the above action steps and incorporate additional internal- and external-facing practices to end our complicity in white supremacy and racism. We welcome you to join us.

In solidarity and song, 

Anna Crusis