Photograph by Caitlin Abrams
Lou and Sarah Bellamy
Lou and Sarah Bellamy of Penumbra Theater
It's no question that the police killing of George Floyd left the Twin Cities traumatized, angered, and dedicated to instilling change. In the wake of Floyd's death, we reached out to community leaders to figure out how the Twin Cities can rebuild from here. The artistic director of Penumbra Theatre, Sarah Bellamy, recently penned an essay for The Paris Review titled "Performing Whiteness." Here's what she had to say.
“I am the mother of two small boys—one is four and the other is five months old. When my first child was brand new, protestors marched by our house calling for justice after Philando Castile was murdered. I remember nursing him and listening to the calls for justice and weeping. Now as I rock my second baby boy, we're calling for justice again. I don't want my sons to grow up this way. I don't want our community to be injured anymore. I will dedicate everything I have to ensuring a safe and abundant future for Black folks in Minnesota and across the country.”
“I am so proud of Minnesotans for showing up to peacefully protest this terrible violation of humanity. I have been so proud of my fellow artist organizers who are working tirelessly to get badly needed supplies—food, medications, basic needs—to communities that were targeted by those trying to foment chaos. I have been proud of the strong language from our local leadership in Minneapolis and St. Paul. While it is painful to see our cities burn, windows can be replaced, buildings can be rebuilt. A life taken cannot be restored.”
“Penumbra is launching a Center for Racial Healing that will resource vulnerable communities and support deep learning for those who want to be allies and support change. We must be more honest about our past so that we can build a strong future. But the present moment is going to ache for a while.”
“We've been dishonest about our past. We've been unwilling to acknowledge the deep inequities in Minnesota. Black folks know this but in sector after sector, Minnesota lags at the bottom of the nation for Black residents—policing, jobs, housing, education, health equity, it goes on and on. We must address these disparities.”
“When two babies are born in Minnesota, one white and one Black, and the predictions as to the safety, stability, resources, and happiness of their lives are not miles apart as they are now, we'll know that we're making progress.”
“For white folks who may be in various places of engagement and awareness about systemic racism, please don’t allow the shock of witnessing murder make it exceptional. While George Floyd’s precious life was singular, his murder was not. You may be awakening to a sense of the grief and anger that Black people have known for generations. Your outrage is not enough. We need you to put those sentiments to work. Be brave enough to tell the truth about what happened here. Tell it again and again and again. Tell it to whomever will listen. Tell it to those who won’t listen. Keep telling it and don’t deviate from the vital heart of it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
