In Solidarity, In Humility

Helsinki in Solidarity with Black Lives Matter protest in Helsinki on Wednesday 3rd of June, 2020. Photo: Liisa Jokinen.

George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and Tony McDade are some of the names of Black people recently murdered in the United States by the police. While these atrocities have caught the public eye, they are only the tip of the iceberg. It is important to acknowledge that the roots of systemic racism run much deeper in society and can only be rooted out with determined, collective efforts.

For thirty years, the Finnish Cultural Institute in New York has created dialogue between North American and Finnish visual arts professionals, institutions, and audiences. Today, focusing on this mission is more important than ever. But to become a skilled and fair communicator, one has to learn when to speak and when to listen.

In the midst of nationwide protesting, we listen to Black voices and educate ourselves. There are existing and emerging resources available for allies, there are critical initiatives that can be supported directly by making monetary donations, and there are ongoing campaigns that each one of us can elevate through community and legislative advocacy. Below is a list of some of them.

But to listen and learn is not enough. Remaining silent on an institutional level reinforces the status quo. While movements against White supremacy and police brutality have gained momentum, it is of equal importance to challenge and disrupt the systemic racism within visual arts institutions. This should be an ongoing effort within each organization, not just a transient theme in our programming.

Cultural structures are often invisible but a closer look will reveal White privilege in all sectors of society, not least in the arts. Recent studies show that racial discrimination is rife in Finland. With that in mind, we need to be acutely aware of our privileged and insular position, and the structures that perpetrate racial injustice in the ecosystems of art and culture, as well as in society at large. Today, more than ever, the Finnish Cultural Institute in New York stands in solidarity with Black, Indigenous, and other people of color who continue to be oppressed in the United States, in Finland, and globally.

We all can do more – by supporting, educating, acting, and speaking up. Together, we must uphold our commitment to racial justice on an institutional level. Now is the time.

Educational and Action Resources:

75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice

Anti-Racist Reading List

Anti-Racism resources (in English)

Anti-Racism resources (in Finnish)

Anti-Racist Allyship Starter Pack

Black Art Futures Fund

The Case for Reparations by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Digital Resources for a Movement Against Police Violence

How to More Safely Protest in a Pandemic

How to use my White Privilege for the Benefit of Others? / Kuinka hyödynnän valkoista etuoikeuttani? (in Finnish)

Readings on Racism, White Supremacy, and Police Violence in America