Letter from Ebony Arunga, Executive Director | 12 November, 2024

I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for your ongoing support of LANGSTON. While this isn’t an ask, I’m excited to share some significant news with you.

It’s with deep honor and appreciation that I announce my appointment as Executive Director of LANGSTON on a permanent basis. I am truly grateful to our community for the overwhelming encouragement and to the LANGSTON board for entrusting me with this responsibility.

Together, we have already begun to envision bold possibilities for LANGSTON’s future, and I’m thrilled to share a glimpse of what lies ahead.

But first, on a personal note, this role carries immense significance for me. I grew up within LANGSTON’s walls. As a proud product of Seattle’s Central District Black community, LANGSTON has been a cultural cornerstone in our lives for more than 50 years. It’s where I first discovered the power of the performing arts—how they build empathy, transform communities, and connect us to our identities and futures.

I never imagined, back when I walked into my first Teen Summer Musical rehearsal at 11, that I’d one day be leading the organization behind the historic Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute. For the past year, serving as Interim Executive Director, I’ve loved every moment, especially when someone discovers LANGSTON for the first time and leaves with a sense of belonging. I treasure hearing them say, “I feel at home here.”

This work is both challenging and rewarding, pushing me to grow as we build a sustainable foundation for LANGSTON’s future. I’m fully committed to leading with integrity, guided by the values of our community. My vision is to ensure the next generation experiences the same sense of opportunity and belonging that I did, making LANGSTON a place where all feel welcomed, safe, and empowered to thrive.

Over the past year, I’ve focused on laying the groundwork for LANGSTON’s future, and I’m proud to share the progress we’ve made:

• Financial Health: LANGSTON is on strong financial footing, with healthy reserves and consistent revenue growth.
• Expanding Programming: Our programming is not only growing but evolving to better serve our diverse Black artists and audiences.
• New Initiatives: We’re continuing the legacy of the Seattle Artist Relief Fund, which, in collaboration with Ijeoma Oluo and Gabriel Teodros, provided over $1.1 million in support to individual artists during the pandemic. This fall, we launched Create and Thrive, a Black artist support initiative in partnership with Central District Forum For Arts & Ideas. Through this program, we’re offering microgrants, mentorship, and workshops to Black creatives in our region.
• Youth-Centered Focus: We’ve established a dynamic Youth Advisory Council, empowering young leaders to actively shape LANGSTON’s youth programming. This council will not only advise us on initiatives that resonate with their peers but also tackle key issues affecting young people in our community. Through advocacy, awareness, and civic engagement, they will champion the voices and concerns of the next generation.
• Community Impact: We are engaging more community members than ever and are building towards a thriving, self-determined future.

Looking ahead, new opportunities are unfolding. One possibility is that LANGSTON will take greater control of our facility from the City, transforming it into an arts and culture palace that celebrates Black brilliance.

Soon, I’ll be sharing more details on how we can shape this future together. But for now, I just want to express my excitement and commitment to ensuring a vibrant, thriving LANGSTON that uplifts our community’s brilliance for generations to come.

I invite you to join us in this journey.

In solidarity,

Ebony Arunga
Executive Director, LANGSTON