Looking for community support in archiving the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement on the theatre industry after 5 years

[stageleftreport]

Posted: 5/26/25 at 12:37pm

Hi folks! I'm a NYC backstage worker and writer. I release a biweekly newsletter covering Broadway and the nonprofit theatre industry, and I'm currently working on an archival project of moments that have changed the industry over the years.

I'm working on a longform archival project to document the impact of the Black Lives Matter protests and Anti-Racism Movement on the industry during the summer of 2020, archiving the good, the unexpected, and the weird/bad/backlash.

I would love to know what the community is interested in recollecting, and I'm looking to gather some personal accounts/vibes of what it was like working across the industry during this time, especially May - August 2020. (I know a lot of people were not working during this time due to the shutdown, so also open to hearing about the first 3 months back whenever you were working again '20-'21)

I’m looking to document:

• The pledges & programming changes made vs discussions/actions behind the scenes by theatres/institutions

• The labor organizing, leadership change, and other unexpected activist momentum sparked by the movement

• DEI or anti-racism departments created at an org you worked at, and what happened to them/what is their status now?

• How YOU were personally impacted as artists, workers, and community members in the moment, and how you feel about that time now?

Feel free to comment, DM, or share links or notes from that time. Thank you in advance!