Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT) has been a vital voice in the fight for racial justice, consistently positioning itself as a champion of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. Through its performances and public advocacy, DBDT has committed to supporting the fight against systemic racism and police brutality. However, the presence of a board member affiliated with L3Harris Technologies—a company with a troubling history of supplying surveillance technology used against Black activists and supporting military operations that target marginalized communities around the world, specifically in Palestine—raises serious concerns about the integrity of DBDT’s commitment to these values.

Why This Matters:

Contradiction to BLM Values: L3Harris Technologies has been directly involved in the development and supply of surveillance tools, such as Stingrays and Dirtboxes, which have been used to monitor and target protesters advocating for justice following the deaths of Black individuals such as Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland, Mike Brown, and Eric Garner. The Intercept has reported that L3Harris’s technology was deployed during BLM protests, raising ethical concerns about the alignment of DBDT’s leadership with the values it publicly supports.

Surveillance and Oppression of Black Communities: Reports from various sources have documented the controversial use of L3Harris’s technology in policing activities that disproportionately impact Black communities. For example, CBS News revealed that the Chicago Police Department used Stingray technology to eavesdrop on protesters during demonstrations against police brutality. Additionally, Gapers Block highlighted evidence that the Chicago Police Department used this technology to unlawfully monitor activists. The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) reported that the NYPD used Stingrays over 1,000 times between 2008 and 2015, as detailed in their report. These actions are in direct opposition to the values of justice and equity that DBDT claims to uphold.

Involvement in International Human Rights Violations: L3Harris Technologies is also implicated in supplying military equipment and electronic warfare technology to the Israeli government, which has been used in operations resulting in the deaths of thousands of Palestinian civilians. Protests against L3Harris have highlighted its role in the ongoing conflict in Palestine, where its technology has been used to target and kill civilians in Gaza, as documented by sources such as AFSC Investigate. The company’s involvement in these operations is widely regarded as contributing to what many consider genocidal activities, further complicating DBDT’s ethical standing.

Our Demand:

We, the undersigned, demand the immediate resignation or removal of the L3Harris Technologies-affiliated board member from the Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s Board of Directors. This board member’s affiliation with a company that has contributed to the surveillance and oppression of Black people and activists, as well as supporting military actions that harm marginalized communities worldwide, is in direct contradiction to the values of Black Lives Matter and the mission of DBDT. To continue to have this individual on the board is to ignore the very principles that DBDT claims to uphold.

Sign this petition to stand in solidarity with Black and oppressed communities worldwide and demand that Dallas Black Dance Theatre remain true to its commitment to justice, equity, by REMOVING representative of L3 Harris Technologies off of their board.