Today, we are here to share a tool to help you follow through on the commitments many of you have made.

At the Black Screen Office, we are here with a mirror, a flashlight — and yes, even a fire alarm. Because the work of breaking down barriers is not finished.
And if we face the truth, shine a light in the dark, and sound the alarm when urgency demands it — change is possible.

Back in 2021, I was pitching ideas to a funder, and every single one was met with “yes.”
At first, I was thrilled. Who doesn’t want to hear yes? There was urgency in the air. A sense that we needed to act.

But it struck me: those yeses weren’t grounded. They came from reaction, not intention.
So I asked: “What are you basing these decisions on? Don’t you need something to anchor them? What will make this stick?”
That’s when I realized: policies are what stick. They are what last. And yet — across all of our cultural industries, not a single policy on anti-Black racism existed. Not one.

That’s why we built this Framework, because policy has to come first.
Because change is not a moment — it’s a commitment.

Change is not a statement — it’s a structure.

Change is not fragile — it is permanent.

Change is what we build together.

This is personal for me. I’ve seen Black talent walk away, not for lack of creativity, but because the ground beneath them wasn’t solid.

This Framework is about laying the foundation so Black creativity isn’t just welcomed for a moment, but rooted for generations.
And it’s bigger than any one of us. When our policies reflect the richness of Black voices and stories, then our screens, our stages, our music, and our literature will too.
This is the foundation.

What comes next is what you build on it.
And with that, I want to turn to my colleague, Natassia Morris, BSO’s Business Manager. She knows firsthand what it looks like when intentions fall short, and she’s here to talk about how this Framework can help organizations turn commitment into lasting change.

Because in the end, real change is BUILT, not promised.

Natassia: Thank you, Joan.

As a Black artist and cultural worker, I have witnessed firsthand the gap between vision and structural reality. In my own career, I’ve lived this contradiction.

It’s a running joke within Black artists’ circles about how busy, celebrated and paid they are during Black History Month, also known as “Black Employment Month”, only to be ignored for the rest of the year.

I’ve seen cultural organizations make public declarations to dismantle systemic barriers and open leadership opportunities, only to turn around and make decisions that directly undermine those promises.

In those moments, the disconnect was more than disappointing—it was harmful. It told Black staff, artists, and communities that our presence is welcome in statements, but not in structures.

This Framework exists to close the gap between intention and impact. Thank you to our partners who made it possible: Cultural Pluralism in the Arts Movement Ontario and Advance Music Foundation.

It offers organizations more than aspirational words—it provides the clear policy backbone: with principles, accountability measures, and tools to build structures that drive real change.
Now is the moment to act.

I invite you to connect with the Black Screen Office — or with me directly — to begin putting this Framework into practice in your organization. Together, we can ensure that anti-Black racism is not just named, but actively dismantled.

The time for statements is over. Our lives, our work, and our futures demand real structure, accountability, and lasting change.

Thank you.