On Monday, May 5, SummerStage in NYC announced the cancellation of Pride with Kehlani, a concert scheduled for June 26, 2025 in Central Park. This abrupt move is a capitulation to the pressure imposed by NYC Mayor Eric Adams who is using the false pretext of “safety” as a way to cancel a concert by a major artist. The real cause of the cancelation is retaliation against Kehlani for their courageous public opposition to the genocide being committed against the people of Gaza.

People all over the United States consider Kehlani a hero for their defense of human rights. People around the world join them in shock and outrage at the killing of tens of thousands of people in Gaza and the refusal to allow food, water, or any humanitarian aid to offset the growing starvation being suffered by the civilian population. The scale and severity of this genocide make it all the more obscene that artists are being censored for speaking out. 

This cancellation is part of a troubling pattern throughout the country to silence artists, academics, students, attorneys, and others who have dared to speak out and demand an end to the war and siege of Gaza. We salute Kehlani for their public position—it is a moral imperative to speak out against genocide. 

We, the undersigned artists, cultural workers, and academics denounce this move by SummerStage and all festivals and institutions who attempt to silence the voices that bravely demand an end to this brutal genocide. We reaffirm our commitment to using our stages and platforms to call for a free Palestine.