Black Lives Matter

Jazz is music born of the African American experience.

Those who present, play and enjoy this music are duty-bound to recognize its origins.

When we see the acculturated oppression and violence against African Americans continually expressed throughout our society, we must choose to fight it.

The birth of jazz, and its evolution is rooted in black artists fighting against systemic oppression. Jazz musicians have always been on the front lines of change. The music’s elders endured humiliation with the belief that freedom was near. In the 37-year life of SFJAZZ we have been privileged to present such dedicated griots who fought for, and were exemplars of “Freedom Now.”

To George Floyd, to all who have died at the hands of police brutality and other forms of systemic racism, to black Americans whom we have failed over and over again to provide the protection every citizen deserves: We stand on the side of righteousness and justice. We must do better. Our country must do better.

— Randall Kline, SFJAZZ Founder and Executive Artistic Director & SFJAZZ
— Denise Young, SFJAZZ Board of Trustees Chair
— Greg Stern, SFJAZZ Chief Executive Officer

 

Racial Equity Action and Change
SFJAZZ has presented, produced, and provided music and educational programs centered around jazz for over 37 years. We acknowledge that as an organization, we have fallen short of our goal to be a leading figure in supporting Black, Indigenous, and people of color. As presenters of an art form rooted in the Black American experience, SFJAZZ has a unique responsibility and acknowledges that systemic racism and bias has impacted Black, Indigenous, and people of color throughout our region, the larger jazz ecosystem, and within our own organization.

SFJAZZ is committed to the difficult work to transform our culture and processes. As an early step, we have convened a Racial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee to engage stakeholders across the SFJAZZ community and identify historical and current manifestations of anti-Blackness and its relationship to other forms of oppression and white supremacy, and to identify paths to racial healing, while developing skills for effective cross-racial dialogue and trust-building. While we do not yet have all the answers as to how to reach these ambitious goals, we seek to center the voices of people of color in our work and decision-making to reimagine systems currently in place, and ensure accountability, while also providing space for healing and forgiveness.

SFJAZZ strives to honor the experiences of the artists that created and continue to move jazz and related music forward, which are entwined with the experiences of descendants of enslaved people. This difficult history is embedded in the souls of the artists and music we present, and we endeavor to address the lasting consequences of this history in systemic racism, gender representation, inequality, and access. SFJAZZ is committed to the voices, past, present, and future, that chronicle our painful history, the struggle for equality, and offer ways to enlighten and connect to a common humanity. This process of transformation requires a long-term commitment. As we continue to evolve, we will continually assess and acknowledge both our progress and our setbacks.