MISSION & GOALS
- The Black History Month 2020 mission to honor the life and memory of Botham Jean and examine the issues that contributed to his death at the hands of ex-police officer Amber Guyger
- Using performing arts as a catalyst for positive social change by fostering conversations nationwide that:
- Heal racial divides through empathy
- Examine issues within the American criminal justice system
- Promote healthy relationships between all but especially African-American civilians and police officers
HOW DOES AN ORGANIZATION OR INSTITUTION PARTICIPATE?
During Black History Month 2020, host a staged reading and community discussion of For Bo: A Play Inspired by the Murder of Botham Jean by Police Officer Amber Guyger.
- Click here for script acquisition inquiries.
- Never hosted a staged reading of a play before? No worries! Since a staged reading is not a full-blown stage production with costumes, sets, and memorized lines, it is manageable and can be as casual or as dazzling as you like.
- For community discussions, organizations and institutions are encouraged to:
- Feature a cross-cultural and interdisciplinary panel of professionals and community leaders who can provide insight and informed perspectives on these social issues
- Take active measures to ensure their community discussions: allow community members to share emotions and thoughts in a constructive way; encourage all points of view to be heard; move conversations in the direction of viable solutions for positive social change
- NOTE: The objective of this initiative is to facilitate peaceful, safe discourse between community members and community leaders.
INITIATIVE ORIGINS
The #ForBo Initiative was conceived by Ayvaunn Penn, Black And Making It founder and the award-winning playwright and director behind For Bo. She was moved to write this play while following the nationally televised trial in which Dallas, Texas, ex-Police Officer Amber Guyger was convicted of the murder of Botham Jean. As an African-American woman disturbed by the number of unarmed African-Americans suffering police brutality and/or dying at the hands of police, she purposed to use her play, For Bo, to spark community conversations nationwide that will achieve the goals detailed above.
PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS & ORGANIZATIONS
- Texas Christian University
- University of South Carolina Aiken
- KD Conservatory College of Film & Dramatic Arts
#ForBo Initiative
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Photo of Botham Jean courtesy of WFAA-TV
