As documentary storytellers, artists, activists, and journalists, we believe in the power of images, and also of words. We believe it is important to identify the acts of racist violence committed in Charlottesville last weekend by white supremacists not merely as examples of extremism, but as terrorism.
The International Documentary Association decries this brutal violence and takes a stand against domestic terrorism, and all forms of white extremism, bigotry, and racism. We express our support to the victims and families of this horrific attack, and our deepest gratitude to all those courageously supporting the fight against white supremacy and the continued struggle for racial equality.
We send our love and solidarity to all individuals targeted by the terrorist acts in Charlottesville, and to all Americans targeted by racist hatred and bigotry, especially those within Black, Jewish, Muslim, immigrant and queer communities. We encourage the documentary community and our colleagues in the journalistic community who are reporting on issues of white extremism and national security to pursue accuracy and balance when covering acts of white-perpetrated violence.
As a media organization, we vow to double our efforts to increase and expand opportunities for filmmakers and journalists of color, and to pursue meaningful strategies and concrete actions in support of greater racial equity.
The stories we tell, and the tellers who share them, must accurately reflect the society in which they exist. We salute the vital contributions being made by citizen journalists, in Ferguson, Baltimore, New York, Oakland, and so many other cities. We recognize the continued need to celebrate and defend their efforts to expose racism and inequality in our society. We also acknowledge the enormous efforts and sacrifices made by social justice advocates, activists, and journalists throughout our country's history in the fight for civil and human rights, and pledge to honor them by continuing to defend those rights.
Below is a list of organizations working to promote racial justice, either through journalism, film, law, or social action. We strongly encourage all community members, and members of the broader public, to support these organizations:
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Freedom of the Press Foundation