As the past week of protests over George Floyd’s death reminded us, this is a time of very needed reckoning where each of us must come to terms with the inequality that underpins our society. Systemic and institutionalized racism exist in America and must be ended by conscious, collective action demanding change. We can begin with persistent self-examination, while pursuing continuing self-education, and relationship building that affirms dignity. We must take daily, concrete, measurable steps to make a difference. We cannot tolerate silence, signaling indifference, as a response to the systemic racism present in our nation.
ASMP believes that a new and challenging American conversation must take place on the national, local and personal levels if we are to address racism and the systems that perpetuate its effects. As a professional community we have a powerful collective voice. As visual artists, we have the means to shine light where there is darkness.
ASMP’s stance on anti-racism, that any racism of any kind among our members or colleagues in our industry will not be tolerated.
View our ASMP Member Code of Conduct
Links to useful resources in relation to racism and photography, drawing on the links curated by those who are expert in these areas, and those who are directly affected. ASMP shouldn’t be an expert on this but we can offer our platform for people who are experts to share their voices, such as our partner organizations listed below.
Cross-posted from PetaPixel. [By Phil Mistry] “At the beginning of 2020, Cornell Watson’s full-time job was in human resources. At the end of the year, he was shooting for the New York Times and Washington Post and creating fine-art projects for which he has received a $20,000 grant award.” “‘The last two years have felt like I was on a photography crash course,’ says Watson. ‘I’ve attended two in-person photography conferences with the Family Narrative. The…
Cross-posted from The New York Times. [By Jessica Testa] “Until about two weeks ago, Dario Calmese didn’t know he was the first Black photographer to shoot the cover of Vanity Fair. But he had a suspicion, so he asked the editors, who went digging. “There was an image that had long lingered in Mr. Calmese’s personal reference folder: ‘The Scourged Back,’ an 1863 portrait of an enslaved man whose back is ravaged by whipping scars….
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Systemic and institutionalized racism exist in America and must be ended by conscious, collective action demanding change. Though ASMP has a history of commitment to supporting voices for racial justice in the United States, as exemplified by the 1960’s-era Equal Rights Committee, a fair critique makes plain our need to do much more today to address the underlying causes and effects of systemic racism. – ASMP, June 9, 2020 Today, as…