SOUNDS OF BLACKNESS
Who is Sounds Of Blackness Vienna?
“Sounds of blackness is a collective composed of Tonica Hunter, Ayo Aloba, Rajanish Das and Thiago Rosa. The collective was founded in 2015 and our mission is to celebrate cultural and ethnic diversity in Europe through visuals, sound & dance. We are inspired by the beauty and diversity of black music, art, culture and dance and would like to share this with Viennese, Austrian and European crowds.”
Could you tell us more about activism through celebrating cultural and ethnic diversity?
“We initially started by hosting parties and concerts. This on its own, might not be considered a form of activism. However, we feel that recreation, existence and self care is a form of activism, especially when you’re black, because those things are usually not granted to us. In our way we’re allowing spaces for BIPOC to be themselves, to exist, to let go, express and enjoy themselves; and that for us is a form of activism that may sometimes be overlooked.
Also by emphasizing Sounds of Blackness, in the name, gives a further political element. Vienna has numerous clubs that profit from the contribution of black culture, i.e. black music, however their restrictive door policies ironically prevents people of color access due to racial profiling. We have made sure that our partners understood to make sure to not fall into that status quo. We’ve also got a loyal following of qtbipoc.”
Are there any thoughts or messages you would like to spread related to the current public outcry?
“The graphic visual images of the murder of George Floyd by the police shocked the world and us as well. The public outcry is long overdue, and the massive outpouring of support in the form of demonstrations in the US, Europe and Vienna shows us that positive change is very necessary. Change does not necessarily happen linearly, but in bursts and plateaus. We feel that the world is ready to start implementing some structural changes. The primary message we’d like to send is that the collective awakening should go beyond the blackout and hashtag trends. The real work begins when the limelight is no longer on the issue and our attention span moves to another form of atrocity. We urge you to live and promote anti racism daily. No contribution is too small. It’s better to do little, rather than nothing at all.
Finally, we stand ready and available as a collective to support the artists and the community going forward. Please get in touch over the various networks.”
Soundsofblacknessvienna@gmail.com
Instagram: soundsofblacknessvienna
Facebook: sobvienna