Black Theatre United (BTU) was created by multiple Black actors, directors, musicians, writers, technicians, producers and stage managers as a response to the recent heightened awareness of police brutality. The group explains in their promotional materials that they hope to serve as a vessel to bring awareness to bring light to various topics. Striving to be a unique blend of civic engagement incorporated with theater, they want to be able to spur action to fight against policies that heavily target the Black community. To do this, BTU brings “members with local connections to use their visibility and influence for good in theater and on the national stage.” Black Theater United is filled with activists who are using their platforms to aid in the fight for justice. The combination of expert speakers with celebrity moderators helps Black Theatre United bring in a wider audience to the virtual meetings. This is vital due to the importance of the information presented in this writer’s opinion.
In their recent virtual town hall meeting, Our Voices. Our Votes. Our Time, Black Theatre United brought on three guests: Leader Stacey Abrams is an author, nonprofit CEO, and a political leader serving for 11 years in the Georgia House of Representatives. She is also the founder of Fair Fight and Fair Count; Dr. Jeanine Abrams McLean, sister of Stacey Abrams, is the vice president of Fair Count and a researcher; and moderator Viola Davis, an accomplished actress who is an Academy Award, Oscar, and Emmy winner.
Actresses Capathia Jenkins and Vanessa Williams, both members of Black Theatre United, also made an appearance.
The virtual meeting did not have closed captioning, but there were ASL interpreters. Clocking in at about an hour, the fairly short time was filled with information vital for all citizens. The main topics of the night were the 2020 census and voting. Viola Davis - and later Capathia Jenkins- helped to facilitate conversation by bringing up questions that we all may have on the night’s topics. Abrams and McLean provided historical references to help further our understanding of why certain policies came to be. The history of the census is based on slavery, and voter supression is reminiscent of past laws to keep Black citizens from voting. The speaker’s answers were detailed and easy to understand. They debunked common fears about the census (the data is safe and protected!) in addition to explaining how the census not only provides our communities with money, but also a voice.
The Abrams' sisters strive to build power in the community, they explained. They hope to continue to educate and have people be more proactive about civic engagement. As Dr. Jeanine Abrams McLean said, “You don’t just see problems you try and fix it.”
With relevant links and phone numbers, these virtual meetings provide a means of continual civic engagement past the actual meeting itself. These virtual meetings are great for those who want to continue to learn about relevant societal issues, systemic racism, the history behind it, and our role to fight it.
This event can be streamed from the Theatre United YouTube Channel .
For information on future Virtual Town Hall Meetings visit Black Theatre United
To follow up on the information given in the Virtual Town Hall Meeting visit Fair Count and 2020 Census webpages.
Images courtesy of Black Theatre United
About the Author: Lisa Ryou
Lisa Ryou is from a suburb of Chicago. Having lived near Chicago her whole life, she is no stranger to the creative scene of the city. She is currently studying History, Museum Studies, and Art at the University of Michigan. She has been involved in fine arts her whole life and tries to use her works, both art and writing, as a way to give voice to BIPOC. When she is not at school, you can find her baking, reading, painting, or taking photos.
