Hey GURL –

It is with heavy hearts we have witnessed the senseless murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and Ahmaud Arbery. Their loss is an injustice that words fail to describe in full. Sadly, their deaths are not singular events. They point to deeper fissures within our society and what it means to live in present-day America. We have an obligation to take action and GMD stands in solidarity with the Black community in the fight against systemic racism.

This week we have paused our previous plans to instead highlight Jessica's Wilson, MS. RD. (@jeessicawilson.msrd) and Alishia McCullough's (@blackandemobodied) #AmplifyMelanatedVoices challenge. GMD is reposting or sharing content from BIWOC artists only. These are artists we admire, support, and follow. We have discovered them during our tours, from the GMD audience or as part of our Artist profiles.

GMD has taken time to reflect on what we can do further to help. Here are some ways we hope to create short and long-term commitments to amplify Black voices within our community now and moving into the future:

5 Ways To Take Action Now: Direct links to take action against systemic racism, which is being updated every day this week (view instagram post or direct links).
From June 1st through June 30th $5 from each Artist profile submission will be donated to Black Lives Matter. Periodically, a portion of proceeds from artist profile submissions is donated to our selection of art foundations or social movements that align with our mission. As part of a long-term commitment to amplify black voices, we have included Black Lives Matter into our roster (view roster).
In addition, we have included an option for gurl artists to identify as WOC and/or LGBTQ+ in their profile submission to give marginalized voices more opportunities, exposure and visibility. As we expand profiles to Curators, we plan to include the same options.
Finally, in the arts, GMD will keep encouraging museums and galleries to take accountability for equal representation of gurl artists, which includes marginalized Black, WOC and LGBTQ+ voices. GMD is open to collaborate with museums, galleries, and organizations who are willing to do this work together.

Our commitment to this fight is for a lifetime. We will keep updating our commitments to reflect the needs of Black, WOC, and LGBTQ+ gurl artist in our community. We believe in the power of community. As a community, we must stand up for each other, support one another, and use our collective power to enact change. We welcome your ideas, suggestions, and feedback. They help us learn and grow, amplifying our mission for gender equality in the arts

Yours in struggle,

Diane Lindquist

Black Lives Matter: A Note From Our Founder