Black Lives Matter: Our Statement

Text reads: LISTEN. BLACK LIVES MATTER.

Rising fam. We’re not gunna lie, the past week has been heavy. We’re still trying to process what has been going on. We are horrified, we’re outraged and we’re overwhelmed by what’s happening—but we are not surprised. What is happening in the US is appalling and we stand in solidarity with everyone fighting for justice. But let’s not kid ourselves; this country, too, is built on a foundation of structural racism that continues today. 

As an arts agency, our mission has always been to champion the unheard voices of creative young people and to fight for a fairer society. This week has shown us that our work has never been so important, and we will not let fear of getting it wrong stand in the way of speaking out against systematic, structural and blatant injustice against black people. As long as Rising exists, we will use our platform to fight, platform and advocate for the voices and lives of our black friends, family, peers and community members.

Black Lives Matter. That’s a fact and it’s not up for discussion.

To our immediate community: we are here for you. We are here to listen and we will do whatever can be done. We’re here to learn, to unlearn, to fight, to be still and to invest. For the foreseeable future we will be using our platforms to nurture our community and celebrate the work of black young people in our community.

We hope to set a challenge to the arts, creative and cultural sector to stop, take stock and LISTEN. You have the resources, you have the influence—now use it to better the lives of the black people around you. We are committed to ensuring that the anti-racist fight is strategic, embedded and intentional. We are not playing around.

This needs to stop.

Signed Rising Arts Agency team and Board.

Kamina, Eli, Will, Rosa, Euella, Roseanna, Jess, Emma, Laura, Stacey, Cai, Asmaa, Alfie and Jazz.