Carmen Morgan and Futaba Shioda Announced as Recipients of 2020 Paul Robeson Award

Carmen Morgan and Futaba Shioda have been named the 2020 recipients of the Paul Robeson Award by the Actors' Equity Association and Actors' Equity Foundation. These two individuals exemplify the principles to which Robeson dedicated his life.

"This spring, the Paul Robeson Committee of Actors' Equity Association, sought to update our mission statement to more accurately reflect and reaffirm our commitment to the principles that guided Paul Robeson and are the basis of this award. With this refresh, the committee also seized the opportunity to widen its lens and make history by honoring two candidates," said Allyson Tucker, chair of the Paul Robeson Award Committee, Actors' Equity Association.

a??This award comes with an honorarium which is funded by the Actors' Equity Foundation.

"Among the record-breaking number of incredible applications the committee read, the work of Carmen Morgan and Futaba Shioba resonated deeply with the committee. By embracing progressive and innovative approaches to reach people that push the boundaries of traditional definitions of humanitarian efforts, Carmen and Futaba each ensure that the spaces we will inhabit going forward will be more inclusive, purposeful, and compassionate. The Paul Robeson committee thanks Carmen Morgan and Futaba Shioba for sharing their heart's work with us, and congratulates them on being the 2020 recipients of the Paul Robeson Award," Tucker said.

Carmen Morgana??is a national activist leading conversations at the forefront of the field on equity, diversity, and inclusion issues. She is the founder and director ofa??artEquity, a national organization that provides tools, resources, and training to support the intersections of art and activism. She has provided leadership development, organizational planning and coaching for staff, executives, and boards for over 100 non-profit organizations. She is on faculty of Yale School of Drama where she addresses issues of identity, equity, and inclusion in the arts.

Futaba Shioda investsa??his energy and care towards ensuring better qualities of life and arts accessibility for marginalized communities, namely advocating for gender expansive folks, people of color, youth, and lower-income and poor communities. With an emphasis on non-exploitative, transformative art beyond representation, Futaba has acted in new works with the Kennedy Center, Barrington Stage Company, WP Theater, Soho Rep, Ogunquit Playhouse, and New Dramatists among others, and recently made his screen debut in the seriesa??Sideways Smile. He has worked at thea??Gender & Family Projecta??anda??Gender Conference NYCa??and has consulted on a variety of publications, including The New York Times, Penguin Randoma??House, and developments of new musicals, in addition to creating his own resources. As an artist and a student of activism, Futaba strives for us all to be free of capitalist cycles of oppression.a??

The award was first presented to Robeson himself in 1971. Subsequenta??recipients include:a??Maya Angelou; Harry Belafonte; Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee; James Earl Jones; Athola??Fugard; Lena Horne; Joseph Papp; Sidney Poitier; Pete Seeger.a??

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