I'd like to make the case for breathing The basic necccesity for oxygen I'd like to make the case for eating How calories are great for creating energy I'd like to make the case for procreation Why future generations are a wonderful strategy for continuing the human race But I am tired of making this case The basic necessity for acceptance and respect Why it's a good thing to acknowledge, and include all the people in your community How recognizing and investing in everyone is a wonderful strategy for creating a healthy system Making the case for diversity is like making the case for the world being round I'd like to tackle the next big issue, take this growth to the next level Evolve It's 2012 But since we're not there yet Let's start from the beginning Again Until we get this right

"I have my own theory about life about building an arts organization or a career as an individual artist. It's the presumption of failure theory. It's about embracing, from the very beginning, the strong odds against your success." This is the strategy of all people of color in the United States. We assume the odds are against us because they are. As a black woman I can speak with a small amount of authority on this. I like statistics because depending on your methodology they can say whatever you want them to say and depending on your interpretation they can mean whatever you want them to mean. But at least we are talking about it with passion. So here’s a lay artists perspective. My only economic training is growing up poor and hustling to get by. Producing theater on a shoestring and serving audiences that don’t get live performing arts on a regular basis. Some don’t know they need the arts because they have no access. But we got singing in church, we got pretending on the playground, we got dancing on pieces of cardboard on the streets, we got poets writing in notebook pages that will never see the light of day. We got an industry built on the backs of workers doing it for the love. Doing it for free. Doing too many jobs at once. When I had my own theater company I was not just the artistic director, I was the graphic designer, the marketing and communications department, the grant writer. These jobs are important and it’s easier when the person making the art has help. I have no answers. I’m just in it every day. The demand is there. The people want, need, demand art. Poetry, Music, dance, Theater all of it. Good Luck y’all. May the conversation continue.