Nebunele's Updated Mission Statement
We are working on refining our mission statement! Here is the latest version.
¨Empower a global community of artists committed to dismantling the
patriarchy with an eye on uplifting traditionally excluded voices in their fearless
investigation of the human experience; develop and support this community to
create work that builds courage, fosters empathy, and ignites the imagination
to bring forth a new world.”
This mission statement hits differently in the light of news that the US
Supreme Court is set to reverse a legal decision that has been a cornerstone
of women's rights. Roe v Wade is most commonly known as the decision that
established a woman´s right to choose an abortion. Most importantly it
established that right with a clear legal precedent in the Constitution. The
original decision states that under a 14th amendment privacy clause a
woman's choices about her body were personal and private. The new
decision refutes this claim essentially saying that women have no such right to
privacy that the court is compelled to obey. The language is condescending,
harsh and final. A woman's most personal and private decisions will now be
governed by the state. This tremendous victory for the religious right is 50
years in the making.
Unfortunately, women are not the only ones who have been targeted. The
religious right and their allies have spent the past few years passing
legislation against the LGBTQI community, too. Particularly transgendered
folk. Some states have banned their participation in school sports, prescribed
bathroom use, as well as curtailing their ability to seek vital medical treatment.
Florida has recently passed a bill called “Don´t Say Gay” which prohibits
people from talking about homosexuality in any way shape or form in schools
and other public spaces. Forms of violence against women and LGBTQI folk,
especially of color has been on the rise. When seen all together it becomes
increasingly clear there is a targeted campaign against communities that fall
outside of prescribed heternormative boundaries and a desire to control
female bodies.
We wrote our mission statement in the spirit of hope, thrilled to be part of a
great wave of change. As of today, our words have taken on a new urgency.
They reaffirm our commitment to fight patriarchy, a destructive force steeped
in the falsehoods of male supremacy. We pledge to fight with love. We are
more committed than ever to unleashing the full power of our imagination. We
are dedicated to birthing a joyful new world where all beings are safe and
happy. We hope that you will join us.
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