All of us at Rubicon are devastated by the senseless murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and others whose lives have been lost due to the systemic racism that still exists in our country. Although we can by no means know the grief their families are feeling, we mourn with them and stand in solidarity with all those who are denied their rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. While our doors are closed due to the pandemic, our hearts and ears are open. We recognize that there also exists a pandemic of racism in our country and acknowledge that it’s our responsibility as a theatre company to give voice to the stories of those who may not be fully heard. Theatre can be a powerful tool in combatting ignorance and hatred and we renew our commitment to be a safe place to shine a light on stories that matter and to do our part to create a company and an industry that represents the diversity of our community and our country.
Excerpt from “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou
You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.
Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise
