MAYOR
WALSH ANNOUNCES BOSTON RESILIENCY FUND IS SUPPORTING BOSTON LYRIC OPERA
PARTNERSHIP TO PRODUCE CLEAR-FRONT FACE MASKS FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF
HEARING COMMUNITY
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BOSTON
- Friday, August 28, 2020 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced that
through a grant provided by the Boston Resiliency Fund, Boston Lyric Opera
(BLO) will work with its local costume shop partner, CostumeWorks, to
initially produce over 1,800 lip-reading-friendly clear-front face masks to
support Boston's Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities, and others who rely on
facial expression to communicate. BLO will manage distribution of the face
masks in partnership with the Mayor's Commission for Persons with
Disabilities. The masks produced will be donated, or sold at a discounted
rate.
"We
know that wearing face masks is one of the most effective ways to stop the
spread of COVID-19," said Mayor Walsh. "It is critical that our
residents are able to access face masks, and I am pleased that through the
Boston Resiliency Fund we are able to support Boston Lyric Opera's unique
partnership to create needed face masks for our Deaf and Hard of Hearing
residents as well as others who rely on lip-reading and facial expressions to
communicate."
"Accessibility
is about more than just ramps. This is another example of Mayor Walsh's
commitment to ensuring access and inclusion of all persons with disabilities
throughout the city's reopening after COVID-19," said Boston Disability
Commissioner Kristen McCosh. "I would like to thank the BLO for their
hard work and dedication in producing these clear masks. Our city thrives
because of successful public-private partnerships like this."
"Who
could predict that a pandemic would bring to us an opportunity like this --
to serve a new community," said Bradley Vernatter, Boston Lyric Opera's
Chief Operating Officer. "Along with the production staff at BLO,
the artists at CostumeWorks took great care in designing and delivering a
simple, elegant product to help potentially thousands of Boston's Deaf and
hard-of-hearing citizens. At the same time, it puts hard-hit artists
back to work, which is a goal we prioritize even if we can't perform live for
the time being. We are delighted and thankful to the Boston Resiliency Fund
for making this effort possible."
"The
pandemic has changed the way all of us communicate but for people who are
Deaf or DeafBlind like myself, the pandemic has caused us to do a double
adaption - adapting to the way we adapted to communicate with hearing people
which was to lip-read or read facial expressions" said Kerry Thompson,
Executive Director of Silent Rhythms Boston. "The clear mask has been
instrumental for me trying to reintegrate into our society's new
normal."
Since
launching in March to help Boston residents most affected by COVID-19, the
Boston Resiliency Fund has distributed over $25.7 million to 340 nonprofit
and local organizations and there is $7.6 million in funds remaining.
Fifty-four percent (54%) of grantee organizations are led by a person of
color. Fifty-seven percent (57%) are led by women, and 27 percent are
immigrant-serving organizations. A map and a list of every organization that
has received funding from the Boston Resiliency Fund can be found here.
Since
its founding in 1976, Boston Lyric Opera has led the way locally and
regionally in celebrating the art of the voice, through innovative
programming and community engagement initiatives that redefine the
opera-going experience. BLO is the largest and longest-lived opera company in
New England. In its 44 years, the company has staged world premieres, U.S.
premieres, co-productions and co-commissions of note with artists and
organizations from across the country and around the world. Under the
leadership of Stanford Calderwood General & Artistic Director Esther
Nelson, who recently celebrated a decade with the company, BLO has each year
served more than 25,000 people and employed 350 artists and other
professionals. It also has strengthened connections to leading local cultural
institutions, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Boston
Public Library. Engaging the strengths of nimbleness and creativity it has
gained in the last five years -- as an itinerant company that creates unique
opera experiences in both traditional and found spaces -- during the
coronavirus pandemic, BLO has pivoted smoothly to the digital realm with its
online platform, and continues to innovate in the industry.
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