¡JUNTOS SE PUEDE!

I’m sure I’m not alone in saying there are rocks in my stomach. The unnerving injustice that continues to rattle us is so vast, and sometimes it’s so overwhelming that it makes me rethink how I might do more.

Our world is full of so many cultures, peoples, and beliefs that has made the tranquil waters of peace a life-long battle. I am proud of the demand for justice, and find beauty in the voices that speak for an awakening. We have lost too many people unjustly, and too many are victims of a system of racial oppression. While my heart is heavy, I am lightened by the small reminders of human kindness and beauty everyday.

Each of us speaks a different language. Let us use that voice to speak the truth, and to offer a hand to those that need it. In my own explorations I’ve understood my voice to be as an artist, and my language to be dance. We won’t all speak the same, but it’s time to share.  

I encourage each of us to be brave, and to fight the hard fight for a just and loving world. Let us move together to create beauty. Let us change our observations, judgements, and actions to encounters, engagements, and creations of beauty. We imagine and shape a world for those that come next. Imagination energizes and awakens new alternatives. 

Let us awaken ourselves. We can start small, with seeds that can grow. Within my own life, I plan on highlighting and giving to a JUNTOS BIPOC community alliance monthly. Within my own household, I plan on reading one article about a community that is less familiar to our family, and discussing our learnings and how they might lead to action. These are seeds. JUNTOS too, was a seed that was watered. What seeds might you plant?

I’ve always been proud of the door JUNTOS has offered into this imagination and creativity. Now, it is time to push through that door, to speak the truth we know, and to reevaluate our strengths so we can let the silenced and unheard voices be amplified. All lives will not matter until Black Lives Matter. 

I’d like to share some collective words and actions from JUNTOS staff:

JUNTOS believes in justice, equality, and developing community among people of different backgrounds. As a Latinx dance and education non-profit, we strive to create safe spaces for creative expression and collaboration, especially with those that suffer from or are affected by poverty, racism, colorism, injustice, immigration, mental health, and more. As such, we support the Black Lives Matter movement, and agree with the radical need for justice and equality. We support each of our BIPOC community alliances and members, dance volunteers, supporters, and alumni. We value your life, art, and voice.

JUNTOS pledges to use our platform to continue to serve through arts and dance education. We will continue to empower and highlight voices that go unheard and people that go unseen in our world. We commit to exploring new ways to build a network of people from different backgrounds to become creative leaders, and in doing so hope to foster a more awake and united world. We have outlined action items below. We look forward to doing this work with you.

1. Create conversations with our BIPOC members of our community to discuss how JUNTOS can better serve our community.
2. Work to include more BIPOC choreographers into our repertory.
3. Continue to work to make our Board and Alumni Board more diverse and reflective of the colors of our JUNTOS familia.

To any of our community members needing support, please reach out to us by email or direct message.

Together we can! ¡JUNTOS se puede!