On June 22, 2020, PineCone’s Board of Directors unanimously approved a resolution to establish the PineCone as an anti-rascist organization. The policy reads as follows:
PineCone, The Piedmont Council of Traditional Music is dedicated to presenting, promoting and preserving traditional music rooted in our community. Nearly every musical tradition we celebrate has African American roots. Black culture is in the fiddle tunes; it’s in improvisational bluegrass; it’s in Piedmont blues and gospel music and those roots matter.
PineCone events are designed to be welcoming to all. We celebrate diversity and strive to create environments of inclusion. However, at this stage of our nation’s history, it is important to state clearly that racism is not welcome and will not be tolerated at PineCone events.
PineCone is an anti-racist organization. We acknowledge that our country is wrought with institutional racism which at times is unintentionally supported by organizations like ours. With that in mind we pledge to purposefully identify, challenge and openly discuss issues of race and the impact it has on our organization, events and traditional music. This is a journey. We will certainly stumble and make mistakes along the way. When we stumble or fail to listen we promise to get back up, keep learning and do the hard work needed to help make the world a more equitable and loving place.
PineCone is committed to partnering with artists that value inclusion and equality. We will not knowingly hire, present or promote artists who advocate racist ideologies.
PineCone believes that roots music can help heal our community. It’s much more than entertainment. Roots music is a meeting place where we can sing, dance and expand our respective world views.