A Statement from Brooklyn Youth Chorus

Dear Brooklyn Youth Chorus Community,

As an organization dedicated to amplifying young voices, Brooklyn Youth Chorus strives to support our students and community in using their voices to uplift others and effect change.

The current crisis over racial justice has made us take a deeper look at ourselves and reckon with the amount of work that is overdue, where we have failed, where we cannot be silent.

Although our artistic and educational mission is rooted in our belief that ‘every voice matters,’ we have not adequately heard or addressed the concerns of our own staff, choristers, and community.

We have a responsibility to infuse anti-racism throughout our organization’s practices and to make racial justice a priority every day. We remain committed to this work for the long haul, and will begin immediately to engage with professional facilitators to help us reflect on our past actions and improve our institutional culture.

There is much to be learned and much to be done. We thank you for being a part of our community and for supporting our efforts to educate and evolve. To our Black colleagues and friends: You are heard. You are seen. You are valued. We are with you in the ongoing pursuit of justice. We are with you in song and solidarity and commit to using our voices to speak out against racism.

Black Lives Matter. Black Voices Matter.

Dianne Berkun Menaker, Founder & Artistic Director
Megan Lemley, Chief Operating Officer

Nicolas Grabar, Chair of the Board of Trustees
Jacqueline Aguanno, Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees

***

Read our organization’s Equity and Inclusion Statement