In one of the most divisive and isolating years in modern American history, a large group of Boise arts, cultural and history organizations came together to call for the dismantling of racist systems and practices that persist.
Artists, staff members and leaders of organizations of all sizes started gathering via Zoom to confront the continued legacies that isolate, tokenize and exclude Black creativity, voices and art, and to explore how they, as nearly all white Idahoans, could do something beyond the lip service and "performative allyship" that may serve to tamp down immediate tensions but does little to make the deep and systemic changes needed to make a real difference.
Panelists Leta Harris Neustaedter, actress, writer, singer and therapist, and John Michael Schert, entrepeneur, co-founder of the Trey McIntyre Project and executive director of Treefort Music Fest were guests of the City Club of Boise to discuss action steps within their own organizations as part of a greater community-wide effort to effect change to systemic racism.
