This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Leah Walsh: Hi everyone. I'm not putting out a full-length episode today. There's so much going on. We're in the middle of an incredible show of grief and anger, which I hope will lead to much needed change in this country. Black lives matter. I'm listening and I'm learning. This is a space to talk about the difficult things in an artist's life, the creative ways they thrive. I commit to bringing more black artists on the podcast in the future. In addition to that, black artists and activists, I offer this space to you to amplify your voice. Whatever small platform I have, you're welcome to it. If that is of any use to you now or in the future. This could either be by putting out something you would like to record or in a conversational setting, to speak, to reflect, to document, to rant, independent from the format of the podcast.

If that is of use to you at all, reach out to me at LeahWalsh at gmail.com and we'll make it happen. If you need something to listen to this week, take a break from other actions you're taking or the news, please go back to past episodes with black artists and leaders. Some that are at the top of my mind today are jazz musician Samora Pinderhughs, episode 49. Also, if you listen to the end of the hundredth episode, he performs an incredibly haunting song about Sandra Bland. Please check out his work, follow him on social media. Actor Chalia LaTour, episode 99, dancer and MOVE NYC founder Nigel Campbell, episode 47, and actress Liz Jenkins, episode 44, among others. I wanted to read a small snippet of an article that my husband brought to my attention by the playwright Lynn Nottage.

It was published three days ago. What would that have been? June 1st on the Evening Standard website. It's entitled Donald Trump Has Emboldened Extremist White Voices. Again, this is by Lynn Nottage. This is going to be the first paragraph of the article and then the final, the final two small paragraphs. The first paragraph reads. Last week, utterly exasperated, I tweeted, I have been connecting with my breath as a form of resistance. With every inhale and exhalation, I'm considering the emotional and physical tax that has been leveled against our community for indulging in something as basic and beautiful as breathing while black. African Americans are slowly suffocating under the tightening grip of systematic racism in America, and it is no surprise that the rage and sorrow and despair finally reached a breaking point over this past weekend.

Please go and read the entire article. I'm going to skip down to the end and read you her final two paragraphs. The murder of George Floyd has exposed a nerve that has been raw for generations. Unfortunately, the man in the White House is not interested in repairing the existing fractures in the culture, nor dismantling racism on an institutional level. His inaction has only served to widen the racial divide and embolden extremist white voices. It is no wonder that people out of fatigue and frustration have taken to the streets to demand change. Acknowledging the problem is not enough. We need the muscle of collective action. It is time on a global level to treat white supremacy and racism as what it is a form of terrorism. Thank you. I'll talk to you soon.