Davis Cherry Blossom Festival Statement on ongoing police violence against Black Americans:
The Davis Cherry Blossom Festival stands with the protests against police violence in America. We are outraged at the murder of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis police and the continued murder of Black people in America - Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Eric Garner, and countless other lives that have been taken unjustly. Policing in America has been steeped in white supremacy since its inception, and police departments and local governments across the nation needs to reckon with the systemic racism that is embedded, from top down, in policies and actions.
This past week, many of us have seen the senseless violence that police are capable of. Peaceful protests were swarmed by police in riot gear, with police actions escalating these protests to violent conflict. This police brutality did not come as a surprise to Black Americans, for whom this is a lived reality and the predictable result of a white supremacy. We stand in solidarity with the protests' undeniable statement: Black Lives Matter.
DCBF was founded with the belief that our strength comes from a diverse community. This festival is about inclusivity, togetherness as a community, and celebrating the beauty that is diversity. As a charity event, we strive to use this festival to highlight and raise money for the work of community non-profits. We would like to use our platform to support the Black Lives Matter movement. Below are some ways you can contribute to ending police brutality and structural racism. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list; you can use this resource as a stepping stone and continue to learn from the Black leaders of this movement.
This past week, many of us have seen the senseless violence that police are capable of. Peaceful protests were swarmed by police in riot gear, with police actions escalating these protests to violent conflict. This police brutality did not come as a surprise to Black Americans, for whom this is a lived reality and the predictable result of a white supremacy. We stand in solidarity with the protests' undeniable statement: Black Lives Matter.
DCBF was founded with the belief that our strength comes from a diverse community. This festival is about inclusivity, togetherness as a community, and celebrating the beauty that is diversity. As a charity event, we strive to use this festival to highlight and raise money for the work of community non-profits. We would like to use our platform to support the Black Lives Matter movement. Below are some ways you can contribute to ending police brutality and structural racism. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list; you can use this resource as a stepping stone and continue to learn from the Black leaders of this movement.
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PROTEST: "[…] a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the negro poor has worsened over the last twelve or fifteen years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., 1968 If you feel healthy and able to, find out where your local Black Lives Matter protest is taking place. Make sure to do this safely, especially in this pandemic. Here is a quick guide of things to consider before you go: https://www.amnestyusa.org/pdfs/SafeyDuringProtest_F.pdf Once you're there, make sure you are listening and following the lead of the Black organizers. LEARN: Understanding the history of systemic racism, policing, and prisons is important for abolishing these systems and finding a different way forward. You may ask: What is justice? Why do we so easily accept crime and punishment - and not rehabilitation? How did these institutions begin and how have they continued to grow and militarize to what we see today - and what can we do about it? What we’re reading:
13th, directed by Ava DuVernay is available for free on YouTube. On its release, DuVernay said: “The final act of our picture is all about Black Lives Matter, not as some kind of dutiful, ‘Oh it’s the present moment, we should do something.’ Every line, every frame of this film leads you to that place. Leads you to the now, leads you to the movement. The whole film is a virtual tour through racism. We’re giving you 150 years of oppression in 100 minutes. The film was 150 years in the making.” https://youtu.be/krfcq5pF8u8 
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INDIVIDUAL ACTION: If you're not able to go to a protest, donating is a great option. Many folks are getting arrested at protests, and there are bail funds that help get them out of jail: https://bailfunds.github.io/ It's also important to invest in your community! There are many community groups working to build strong and safe communities (food banks, homeless shelters, mutual aid networks). Along with donating, you can use your purchasing power to support Black-owned businesses. (We love Queen Sheba in Sacramento!) List of Black-owned restaurants in Sacramento: https://www.sacbee.com/food-drink/article243174766.html If you are not in a place where you can donate, there are other ways you can help support these organizations! This YouTube video is a compilation of music/video/art from Black artists, and “100% of the advertisement revenue this video makes through AdSense will be donated to the associations that offer protester bail funds, help pay for family funerals, and advocacy listed in the beginning of the video:” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCgLa25fDHM There are plenty of similar videos where you can do this. Make sure you turn off your browser ad blocker, don’t skip ads, and don’t mute the video. If you’re planning on watching the same video on repeat, you have to watch 3-5 different videos in between otherwise your views will be marked as spam. In many cases for Black Americans, calling the police is not a safe option. One step in imagining a world with immensely reduced police presence is to think about situations where you might feel compelled to call the police and consider how you can act in a more community conscious way. We thought this list was a good place to start: https://itsgoingdown.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/zineinside.pdf VOTE: Police are funded by local governments. Learn more about what your local leaders are doing to reduce police violence/funding, and if they're doing nothing - demand action through email, calling, and voting! We know this is easier said than done. It takes constant vigilance and it’s on each of us to do our research and to use our vote responsibly. Remember: Police brutality of Black Americans is a systemic issue, meaning it has existed before the current president and will continue after he's gone, until we do something about it at a local level. Campaign Zero seeks to end police violence through demanding policy change. Their new initiative, 8 Can’t Wait lays out eight common sense policies that could reduce police violence, such as banning chokeholds/strangleholds, require de-escalation, etc. https://www.joincampaignzero.org/ https://8cantwait.org/ According to Samuel Sinyangwe, one of Campaign Zero’s founders, “These policies are a first step. They raise the standards of the police dept and make it possible to hold officers accountable if they violate those standards. Next step is strengthening accountability structures (police union contracts, community oversight) to enforce the policies. Importantly, this work is not in conflict with the goal of shrinking the role of the police and their budget. It’s cost neutral and as long as police continue to exist, even with a reduced budget, they ought to have clear standards that limit their power to kill and save lives.” |
Keep listening, keep learning! Here is a continuously updated compilation of petitions, ways to donate, resources, and more: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/#. Use social media productively to follow leaders who inspire you, and organizers who are doing the hard work of bringing about change. Talk to your friends and family about issues you care about. It’s on each of us to keep the revolution going!
Let's all strive to be leaders who are invested in our communities, the well-being of our neighbors, and the fight for justice. Do this with rage, love, empathy, and hope.
-Allison, Ashley, Candace, Gregory, Holly
#BlackLivesMatter
Let's all strive to be leaders who are invested in our communities, the well-being of our neighbors, and the fight for justice. Do this with rage, love, empathy, and hope.
-Allison, Ashley, Candace, Gregory, Holly
#BlackLivesMatter
The Davis Cherry Blossom Festival has been postponed!
Following recommendation from the Yolo County Health Officer, the Davis Cherry Blossom Festival has been postponed due to health concerns about COVID-19. Rescheduling will begin after the advisory has lifted, possibly in October 2020 as “Tsukimi,” a mid-autumn moon viewing festival, though only if it is safe to do so by then.
In the spirit of the festival, which focuses on social and environmental justice, we want to do our best to cooperate with public health efforts to protect vulnerable populations.
We still wanted to highlight all of the artists that we had planned on coming to the 2020 Davis Cherry Blossom Festival, so we put together the 2020 Davis Cherry Blossom Festival website! There you'll find tons of local artist to explore, more information about Tsuru for Solidarity and crane folding, and how you can still get Hanami Haze, the limited edition cherry blossom beer, from Sudwerk Brewery.
We are still trying to raise awareness and money for the annual charity, Tsuru for Solidarity, working to end inhumane treatment of immigrants, including current detention and family separation policies. While we can practice social avoidance to reduce risk of infection, detained populations are in severe health risk.
We hope you stay healthy, and we hope we can still party with you when it’s safe and the advisory is lifted.
In the spirit of the festival, which focuses on social and environmental justice, we want to do our best to cooperate with public health efforts to protect vulnerable populations.
We still wanted to highlight all of the artists that we had planned on coming to the 2020 Davis Cherry Blossom Festival, so we put together the 2020 Davis Cherry Blossom Festival website! There you'll find tons of local artist to explore, more information about Tsuru for Solidarity and crane folding, and how you can still get Hanami Haze, the limited edition cherry blossom beer, from Sudwerk Brewery.
We are still trying to raise awareness and money for the annual charity, Tsuru for Solidarity, working to end inhumane treatment of immigrants, including current detention and family separation policies. While we can practice social avoidance to reduce risk of infection, detained populations are in severe health risk.
We hope you stay healthy, and we hope we can still party with you when it’s safe and the advisory is lifted.
Portals: click a photo to explore more about the Davis Cherry Blossom Festival.
ARTISTSFeaturing local artists and musicians from the greater Sacramento and Bay Areas. Check out this year's lineup! |
ACTIVITIESFun for the whole family! Try out mochitsuki, minyo, and our community taiko lessons, as well as the game and craft booths. |
COMMUNITYCome hang out and enjoy the coming of spring with the Davis community and help support efforts in the global community. |
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Help support our festival!
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All donated funds go directly towards the festival's general operations. Any amount you can give goes a long way to help us bring all the fun music, activities, and programming to the festival every year!
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Bakuhatsu Taiko Dan
University of California, Davis |
Sudwerk Brewery
2001 2nd Street, Davis, CA 95616 |
