The arts community has long been influenced by Black culture. From jazz to theater, many of the stories and performances we know and love are rooted in, and gain their power and passion from, the Black community. At MogoARTS, our hearts break as those around us suffer from the constant injustice created by systemic oppression.
Now is not the time for us to be silent as we fight for the equality that our Black performers, artists, and communities deserve. We hear you. We see you. We mourn for you. We commit to standing in solidarity as we continue to fight against racism.
We believe that it is our job as a company to use our platforms for good, and we intend to do just that by bringing to light resources, petitions, and funds so that the fire that America has right now to fight the systemic injustice will not die out.
Below you’ll find petitions, funds, and resources for you to engage with to help fight this battle that has been fought for far too long. Injustice for one is injustice for all.
PetitionsChange KKK Status into Terrorist Organization – Ever since the inception of the Ku Klux Klan in December 24,1865 they have terrorized American citizens for the color of their skin and opposing views. This group has a long history of murder & intimidation of people based on color and religion.
Justice for Breonna Taylor – Breonna Taylor was an award-winning EMT and model citizen. She loved her family and community, working at two hospitals as an essential worker during the pandemic.
Text “ENOUGH” to 55156 – demand justice for Breonna Taylor
Text “JUSTICE” to 55156 – demand DA George Barnhill and Jackie Johnson are removed from office
Justice for David McAtee – David McAtee was shot and killed by the LMPD and the National Guard on June 1st at his BBQ stand in Louisville, Kentucky. He was unarmed when he was shot and his body was left in the street for more than 12 hours after the incident occurred. McAtee volunteered his time giving meals to his community.
Please note: Many funds have received overwhelming support and have requested for donations to be sent to other organizations. This list is accurate of those who are still asking for donations as of 6/18/2020.
Black Lives Matter – https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ms_blm_homepage_2019
Center for Constitutional Rights – https://ccrjustice.org/home/what-we-do
Campaign Zero – https://www.joincampaignzero.org/#vision
Columbus Freedom Fund – https://www.paypal.me/columbusfreedomfund
Equal Justice Initiative – https://eji.org/about/
My Block, My Hood, My City – https://www.formyblock.org/donate
My Brother’s Keeper – https://www.obama.org/mbka/our-work/
National Urban League – https://nul.org/donate
Race Forward – https://www.raceforward.org/about
The Loveland Foundation – https://thelovelandfoundation.org/
Unicorn Riot – https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Note: We have linked to Amazon, but we encourage you to shop Black-owned bookstores when possible, here is a helpful list
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism – White fragility is the tendency of a white person to become defensive when confronted with information on racial injustice and how that often benefits white people. This book explains the dynamics of that tendency and how white people might build their capacity of taking on that (uncomfortable) conversation in the on-going work towards racial justice.
Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism by Safiya Noble – Dives into the field of information science, machine learning to investigate how negative biases against women of color are embedded in search engine results.
Rage Inside The Machine, Rob Smith – This book demonstrates how morals have been embedded in our technology infrastructure by diving into historical stories and investigating complex connections between institutional prejudices and new technologies.
Note: We have linked to Amazon, but we encourage you to shop Black-owned bookstores when possible, here is a helpful list
All Are Welcome – All Are Welcome Here shares the message of a school where everyone’s differences are loved and celebrated.
Sulwe – Sulwe creates a heartwarming story to inspire children to see their own unique beauty and appreciate it.
I Am Enough – I Am Enough focuses on loving who you are and respecting others while being kind to one another no matter the differences.
When They See Us (Available on Netflix) – Dramatized account of the Central Park Five. Show follows the corrupt trial that resulted in five innocent men being convicted of a crime that they were innocent of.
Dear White People (Available on Netflix) – A campus culture war between blacks and whites at a predominantly white school comes to a head when the staff of a humour magazine stages an offensive Halloween party.
13th (Available on Netflix) – Documentary on the unjust imprisonment system and systemic inequalities of the prison system.
Black Power Mixtape: 1967-1975 (Available to rent) – Documentary film examining the evolution of the Black Power movement in American society from 1967-1975.
American Son (Available on Netflix) – An American film based on the story of the Broadway play, shining light on the injustice of systemic racism that leaves a mother desperate to find out what officials have done to her missing son.
The Hate U Give (Hulu) – The movie follows Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg), who lives in the black neighborhood of Garden Heights. After a gun goes off at a party Starr is attending, she drives home with her best friend Khalil when they’re stopped by a police officer. Khalil has to exit the vehicle and is shot and killed by the police officer, which becomes a national news story. The movie handles a very relevant matter and reminds you of all the police violence that happens to this day.
Blindspotting (Hulu with Cinemax or available to rent) – Plot follows a parolee who only has three days left on his sentence but he witnesses a police shooting that threatens a lifelong friendship. The directors’ purpose in this movie was to combat the misrepresentation of Oakland that is commonly seen in films.
Clemency (Available to rent on YouTube or Amazon) – The movie follows a Death Row prison warden who must confront her inner demons when she has to execute another inmate. The movie unearths social issues and has been nominated for several awards.