At Myseum of Toronto we have been watching the events of recent weeks unfold in a state of both frustration and solidarity. We recognize that as a museum we can not claim neutrality. It is the role of museums to be participatory and active; working in partnership with and for diverse communities, and standing up for those communities about past and present injustice. Myseum rejects anti-Black racism and supports calls for justice for the Black lives taken by systemic violence.
We take our responsibility to educate ourselves and others seriously. We will support those who want to learn and do better and we will continue to lend our platform to amplify the voices of those that have been victims to injustice. We need to listen to their stories, learn from their struggles, and work together to up-root the deep-seated inequities that continue to exist in our society. As an organization committed to telling untold stories, we see hope in the overwhelming response to these events; that their stories will not be forgotten and will bring to light the bigger ongoing conversations that are needed.
We will continue our efforts to make space for Black stories, ensure diverse voices are included in Toronto’s historical and contemporary narratives, and keep these stories free and accessible to everyone. Our commitment to this is more important now than ever, but we recognize it can’t end this week, this month, or this year—this a marathon. We are grateful to those who have joined us in this work, and invite others to do the same.
-Myseum of Toronto