We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Chris George. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Chris below.

Chris, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you tell us about a time that your work has been misunderstood? Why do you think it happened and did any interesting insights emerge from the experience?

There have been many misunderstandings and/or misconceptions about Brown Ballerinas for Change and its mission. It’s important to clarify that our organization is rooted in promoting diversity, inclusivity, and positive change within the world of ballet and beyond. From the moment that the image of co-founders, Kennedy George and Ava Holloway in pointe shoes with fists held in the air in front of the Robert E. Lee monument went virtual there sparked significant backlash and negative commentary. Both girls, who were only 14 years old at the time were called Black supremacists that were promoting hate, condoning lawlessness, and teaching youth to hate law enforcement officers. People complained as if they defaced the monument, said that they “bastardized the art of ballet,” and some think that all we did as an organization was perform. Luckily, we received an overwhelming outpouring of support, both nationally and internationally. They were offered numerous platforms to speak, present, and perform, using these opportunities to educate others on the importance of empowering youth to use their gifts to drive change. That image became a powerful symbol of strength, hope, and representation—not only in the world of dance, but in society as a whole.

Chris, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Our history:
Brown Ballerinas for Change (BBFC) became the face and voice of youth activists involved in the Black Lives Matter movement. BBFC was originally formed in June of 2020 by founders, Ava Holloway (14), Kennedy George (14), Shania Gordon (15), and Sophia Chambliss (17) after co-founders, Ava Holloway and Kennedy George went viral through a photo at the Lee Monument in Richmond, VA. The young dancers wanted to create positive change in the midst of Richmond’s riots, racial divide, the COVID-19 pandemic, and growing opposition to police authorities following the civil unrest after the death of George Floyd. It was then, BBFC founders wanted to contribute to the movement through art becoming arts activists. With an outpour of support locally and nationwide, BBFC has been able to create programming and scholarship opportunities for dancers in Richmond, Virginia Metropolitan. Through scholarships, tuition-free workshops and classes, and by building a network of Ambassadors, we bring ballet to underrepresented populations around RVA. Through community performances, we raise awareness about social justice issues and diversity in ballet. And through community organizations collaborations, we work to advance effective public policy. BBFC’s believes that the role we play in the community is unique because, as a youth and dancer-led organization, we are working to inspire and empower youth to utilize their gifts, amplify their voices, and to become agents of change in their communities, as well as creating meaningful impact on access, opportunity, exposure, and training for youth in marginalized communities.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

In my view, society can best support artists, creatives, and a thriving creative ecosystem by creating an environment where diversity, access, mentorship, fair compensation, and artistic freedom are central priorities. This can be done by:
1. Creating safe and accessible spaces for people of all socioeconomic backgrounds such as community-based programs that engage young artists.
2. Investing in diversity, equity, and inclusion by providing more opportunities for underrepresented artists and youth, particularly people of color in the arts where diverse voices and perspectives can be amplified.
3. Sustaining arts funding in education as well as in the community.
4. Foster collaborations between artists, cultural institutions, and community organizations to create a more interconnected, supportive, and creative ecosystem.
5. Recognize and respect art as it has been and always will be essential to society’s culture, history, representation, and storytelling.

This support would help foster a flourishing, inclusive, and creative ecosystem that nurtures and sustains the next generation of artists.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Since the two youngest founders of BBFC are now 18 and in their freshman year of college, I reached out to Kennedy (my daughter) to ask her this question directly. Her response was:

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist, specifically a dancer is the ability to express and share my emotions and perspective through movement to move and inspire people and hopefully inspire change. There is a profound sense of freedom and power in creativity that can be empowering, not just for me as an artist but for others. The beautiful thing about art is that no matter how delicate and gentle or powerful and gritty your form of expression is, you will evoke emotions and I want people to embrace those feelings. Whether art is presented as a form of entertainment or advocacy, it is essential and makes the world a more beautiful place.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.brownballerinasforchange.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brownballerinas4change
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brownballerinasforchange

Image Credits

Image of Kennedy and Ava in front of the Lee Monument: Julia Rendleman
Image of 4 BBFC founders in front of Say Their Name Mural: Julia Rendleman
Colorful mural of with 3 dancers in image painted by Austin “Auz” Miles