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Brianna Agyemang and Jamila Thomas

Photo: 2020 Billboard Women In Music/Getty Images for Billboard

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#TheShowMustBePaused Leaders Reflect On Movement theshowmustbepaused-leaders-brianna-agyemang-and-jamila-thomas-reflect-social-justice-movement-one-year-later-interview

#TheShowMustBePaused Leaders Brianna Agyemang And Jamila Thomas Reflect On The Movement’s Progression One Year Later

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To mark the one-year anniversary of #TheShowMustBePaused, its co-founders Brianna Agyemang and Jamila Thomas discuss the changes they’ve witnessed in the music industry and the work still left undone
Bianca Gracie
GRAMMYs
Jun 15, 2021 - 3:05 pm

America’s threads, historically grounded in racism, notoriously began to unravel at new levels during the height of the pandemic last year. The worldwide protests following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor caused a ripple effect seen in various sectors—especially the music industry. On June 2, 2020, Brianna Agyemang, senior artist campaign manager at Apple’s Platoon, and Jamila Thomas, Motown Records’ VP of artist marketing, combined their business acumen with a shared plight for equality to target change in the entertainment industry. The result was the founding of #TheShowMustBePaused.

The movement called for the major players in the music industry to prove their accountability after decades of profiting off Black people’s talents without disclosing equity. #TheShowMustBePaused occurred simultaneously with the Blackout Tuesday protest on social media, an initiative that called for the pause on activity on timelines suggesting instead that people take the time to reflect on racism and police brutality in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement; The action was visualized through the use of black images on Instagram. But the ladies urged that their message bringing awareness to the exploitation of Black creatives not get lost from the flood of performative black squares being posted by some as a sign of superficial allyship. While controversy emerged for the latter, Agyemang says their call reached screens across the world.

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“Jamila or I never really knew how far it would spread. We were thinking that it was going to be almost like a mini protest amongst our industry peers,” Agyemang tells GRAMMY.com about the #TheShowMustBePaused’s first anniversary. “But it became a global movement. It really [showed us] to never underestimate your voice.”

Since the movement’s launch, music companies have hired Diversity & Inclusion officers, and major labels have reportedly donated millions to social justice organizations. But the co-founders stress that this work is only just scratching the surface.

“Although we're in a competitive business, it's really important that we stay united in the fight and not lose focus,” Thomas explains. “I hope that we can continue to be compassionate to one another and reach out with intent to work as allies. There’s power in numbers and we could do more together than we could apart.”

GRAMMY.com spoke to Agyemang and Thomas over Zoom to break down some of the key changes they’ve witnessed within the music industry since the movement’s launch and how they’ve implemented self-care through it all.

As Black women in this music business, we're always trying to fight for our voices to be heard. I thought it was inspiring that this was not founded by white men, but people who understand the depths of the industry’s issues.

Jamila Thomas: It was important that Bri and I came from a perspective that we know firsthand. We were very careful and conscious of who we spoke on behalf of. I think people wanted us to have a conversation for all people of color at first. And we were very clear that this is a Black perspective. We are in alignment with our brothers and sisters of color, but we were only able to speak as Black women in [the music] business. This is what we're going through. Through us being honest and transparent, so many people from different backgrounds spoke up. That created a synergy [with] the community that we currently work with and continue to fight for. Representation of who we are is what matters the most.

I don't think that we see enough people that look like us and come from our backgrounds in the C-suite being able to make decisions from the top down. We felt like it should come from us directly. We didn't want to rely on a partner or someone who we thought may have more power to “manslate”it: “Let me take this and go into the boardroom for you and pitch it.” No, no, no. We don't need you.

I think people were caught off guard about how willing we were to collaborate. We genuinely, to this day, want to work alongside people to make a change—there’s power in numbers. It started with just the two of us, so by the time we had the summit, there were nearly 2,000+ people on the phone discussing how to fight and how we wanted to get through to the other side. So it's never just about us.

It's important as we move forward, that we keep in mind that we always represent what we went through. If there's someone going through something similar, the door's always open to discuss it and we can figure out how we can work together. But also acknowledging that it's a human decency issue when it comes to social injustice. At the time we were coming into an election, and we had to wrap our heads around a bigger picture. It became bigger than Brianna and I, and that's why “The Show Must Be Paused” is not just about injustices and having equity in the music business, but its overall social responsibility.

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What have been some of the challenges that you’ve faced over the past year? 

Agyemang: We didn't intend for this to be what it was. But with that being said, we had to step up to the plate. If we were able to get all of these people to stop and listen, it was our responsibility to continue [with the movement]. Now we have not only people, but corporations listening. We have to make sure that we're using our voice as a vehicle for the people who don't have the ear of some of the corporations at the moment. Jamila and I still have our day-to-day responsibility to the corporations that we work for, to our families that we're members of, to relationships, to friendships, to everything. We also became freedom fighters in layman's terms, so it was another thing that was added to our plate.

I also think a lot of people experienced [the same thing during that time] last year. All of a sudden, employees who are part of marginalized groups in large corporations have people asking [them], “What should we do?” You're just like, “Let me do some research. I don't have the answers. But if you're going to take the time to ask, let me use this opportunity to help make things better.” Now we're just caught up in this whirlwind of new responsibilities. That was a big undertaking. It's not always easy, but I guess things in life that are worth it really aren't [easy].

The one thing that I liked about the movement is the transparency that came out of it. The music industry hides a lot beneath the curtain, and you asked companies to release audits that broke down their staff’s diversity.

Agyemang: We always like to pride ourselves on being members of the community. Yes, of course, we caused this pause. But the community is what really brought it up to the top of the conversation. So we were pushing for transparency in our list of demands that we put out three months following the pause. You don't know what you have to fix until you know what's really in front of you. I remember seeing Instagram pages popping up with [people acting like] vigilantes posting what the breakdown of C-suites and organizations were not only in music but across all industries. It took everyone holding hands and being like, “Okay it's not just going to stop at one day. This has to be an ongoing thing.” And if you're not going to call it out, then there are people in the community that will. Companies realized that they had to get in front of it.

So then they started to put out updates and bringing on people to help take a better look at what's going on and how to make it a more equitable place. But especially across different industries like beauty and in the film industry, I remember seeing a lot of those pages popping up in regards to what the percentage breakdown looked like. It's really the people that everyone has to answer to. It's not just Jamila and I.

Black women don't often have the luxury to implement self-care. There were so many other things that were happening from the protests to the election. How have you been taking care of yourselves?

Agyemang: That has been a priority of mine in the past year, even a month before “The Show Must Be Paused” happened. I started a new job [around] when the pandemic started and Black people were getting killed left and right, as always. We're literally locked in the house and people are dying. It was just a lot at once. I really do enjoy my face mask and working out, but it really does start with your mental space. 

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So taking the time to really focus on what you need, and that looks like something different for everyone. I do think that as Black people in general, we can all benefit from therapy. We go through or see traumas every single day just existing. So it’s acknowledging that some days will be better than others and that it doesn't happen overnight, but also working towards that.  What I've come to terms with in the past year was that I'm not going to get everything done and that's okay. That helps me a lot.

Thomas: Amen. To echo Bri's point, I was going to say that knowing that something will be left on a to-do list is okay. Not being a superhero and reminding myself to give myself grace is important. I've moved, I've started a new job. A lot has changed since the pandemic started and even since we paused the show. Part of the thing that I do is make time for family and friends. It's one thing to say, “Let’s do brunch” and then I'm not present at the table because I'm answering emails on the weekend and not giving myself a mental break. One thing I have picked up becoming closer with Bri throughout this process is she enjoys the outdoors. I'm always looking at her [Instagram] story from the house, like “Why am I not outside?”

Seeing one of my good friends enjoying life on a Saturday is a reminder to put the phone down, get dressed and go outside. Going out more, whether it's not taking a Uber and choosing to walk to the store is something to give myself that hour of grace. That's how I've been getting through it because things are slowly opening back up, but mentally we're still in the brute of it every day. We still have jobs and it's a demanding business but I'm no good to anyone if I'm not good to myself.

So beautifully said by you both. We previously discussed the uptick in transparency, but are there other changes that you loved seeing since this movement has begun? 

Thomas: I will say the amount of DEI [Diversity, Equity and Inclusion] officers that have been hired, the number of roles that have been created, and different HR opportunities held by people of color and by women let us know they made that much progress in a year. I can't wait to see where we [will] be in another year and a year after that. I'll also say the amount of money that has been committed. We're very clear that it takes time to donate large amounts of money. You don't just throw it out the window and just give it to whoever's asking. You have to really make sure that each organization is legit and that you're serving grassroots organizations just as much as the big ones.

Just knowing that they the Big Three [Sony, UMG and Warner Music Group]immediately responded by dedicating almost a billion dollars in a six-month time span, that's incredible. That wasn't happening prior to. The fact that they got together with the Recording Academy to make a joint statement to be in alignment with “The Show Must Be Paused” is one of the things we're proud of, too, because no one's ever gotten together like that ever. Those are the things that may seem small to the public eye, but those in the business know that it took an enormous amount of work and dedication. So I had to really [commend] our partners to be willing to put the competitiveness aside to be on the right side of history. We're proud of the work that's being done by everyone on a daily basis in that space.

I remember thinking, “Whoa, they're actually feeling the pressure!” 

Thomas: I don't think people really understand, it was a big deal. And it wasn't about donating money to “The Show Must Be Paused”, it's donating money to the people in organizations that are on the ground trying to fight for police justice and paying legal fees of protesters. There's people really doing the work. If we were able—by using a big stage that we put our artists on every day—to draw a spotlight to social justice needs and how to create a more equitable business for Black people, then that's the stage that we built.

As we continue trying to make this industry more equal and more democratic, what else needs to be done?

Thomas: Oh, there's a whole list of demands. I would say people could revisit paragraphs three, four or five [on our call to action]. I think that we have time to make change. It's just about identifying the immediate goals as some things are more urgent than others. We genuinely put thought into that list and hope that companies are using it as a guide because that came from people that are in the business. Every company structure is different and it's not tailored in one specific way, but we hope that people at least use that as a starting point to do the right thing.

Dyana Williams On Why Black Music Month Is Not Just A Celebration, But A Call For Respect

Photo of Brianna Agyemang and Jamila Thomas

Brianna Agyemang (L) and Jamila Thomas (R) at the Billboard Women In Music 2020 event

Photo: 2020 Billboard Women In Music/Getty Images for Billboard

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#TheShowMustBePaused Creators Talk Next Steps theshowmustbepaused-creators-brianna-agyemang-jamila-thomas-talk-vision-next-steps

#TheShowMustBePaused Creators Brianna Agyemang & Jamila Thomas Talk Vision, Next Steps

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The two young music executives behind the movement that became "Blackout Tuesday," discuss their vision for a more just music industry in a recent interview
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Jun 11, 2020 - 2:43 pm

Last Tuesday, June 2, the music industry came to a sudden stop for #TheShowMustBePaused movement envisioned by Brianna Agyemang and Jamila Thomas. While the message may have been muddied by brands and others posting black boxes, the mission was effective—major labels and music orgs closed shop for the day and joined conversations on making real change.

Today, in an in-depth interview with Billboard, the two New York music executives share their vision for moving the industry forward and the important purpose behind the pause.

Want To Support Protesters And Black Lives Matter Groups? Here's How

"We're taking it one day at a time. No one thought [we] could black out the industry, but they couldn't keep Brianna and me from trying," Thomas, who's the senior director of marketing at Atlantic Records, said.

"We're the least expected, but we're here for a reason—and we're not going away," Agyemang added; she's the senior artist campaign manager at Platoon, Apple's artist-services division.

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"We had found out about George Floyd's killing, after those of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, at the hands of police. It was just a really heavy week for the Black community. And people still had to work. It didn't seem like anyone had a chance to really take in what was happening in the middle of the coronavirus, which was also attacking the Black community disproportionately. It was just a lot while trying to keep the show moving. So I called Jamila that Friday [May 29] and said we should take the day off, that it's not business as usual. Then we came up with the tagline #TheShowMustBePaused and some graphics," Agyemang explained, sharing the emotional week that pushed them to action.

"As our friends began posting, it spread like wildfire. Then people started reaching out, asking, 'OK, where and when do we want to pause?' It just kind of centered ourselves as a community. We wanted to make sure that if people were willing to take that pause along with us that we—if they were asking what they could do on Tuesday—would help provide them with things to do. So we went into planning mode."

Alicia Keys, Shaggy, Brandi Carlile & More: Advocates Support #BlackOutTuesday

For their "day off," two women hosted a digital summit that brought together music professionals of all stripes to talk change, with almost 1,500 joining the productive conversations.

"We held three different discussions during that one day. We reached out to people directly, sending them invitations to join us for a community conversation. The turnout was overwhelming, with nearly 1,500 people joining overall, from top-level executives, artists and lawyers to interns. The idea was to talk to everyone about developing a realistic plan for moving forward," Thomas told Billboard.

"Urban artists occupy most of the music charts, and we celebrate the genres [R&B/hip-hop] at industry events and the GRAMMYs. But when that community takes a hit, it seems like it's every man for himself. You can post something if you want. Or you can donate. But there's never a united front. Progress is needed in the work space, and progress is needed in the streets.

There's no better time to do it than now, because the country is literally in a moment of transition. And music has to be at the forefront of that because of its influence. It starts with us working together. All those partners coming together on that call and blacking out on Tuesday was the first time that has ever happened. If we can just keep that same spirit going, then change will come," she added, explaining the topics they delved into during the summit.

"After the summit, there were so many announcements from labels and other companies. I felt inspired from this."

"The conversations were done in a safe space because we wanted to make sure people felt comfortable talking, being vulnerable and sharing their feelings or providing solutions and ideas," Agyemang said. "I wished we had had more time to talk that day. What I loved most is that it felt very positive. While we do have things that need to change, it didn’t feel like it was impossible based on those conversations. It definitely feels more like a whole music community now than I will say it felt in the past."

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And those boxes? It was never part of the plan. There was nothing they could do to stop people from posting them, so they focused on making sure the resources to take action were clear and accessible.

"Our graphic copy explained the reason for the music business blackout. And at the bottom was the hashtag #TheShowMustBePaused. That was always our hashtag. But it was like the game of telephone: Things get muddled in the communication," Agyemang explained. "The goal was not to mute ourselves. The goal was to take a break from your daily nine-to-five duties to refocus and recenter. And that meant that you could take a pause and just breathe. Or take a moment to think or use that time to focus on what you could do within your community to make a change and help make progress as well."

"People move so fast online. So we quickly took action to tell people about things they could do on Tuesday to help. We had to double down and tell our friends that we wanted them to communicate where people could donate, where they could march, pray or speak to a therapist. We had put together information for the summit we were holding that day. We wanted to let people know that now that we have you here, we want to talk to you all. That this wasn't a date to be silent," Thomas added.

This is just the beginning for the powerhouse pair and the collation of changemakers they've already formed—they are actively planning the second phase of action for #TheShowMustBePaused.

"We didn't put our names on the original graphic because it's not about us. It's about a movement for all of us. We're humbled by all the support but we're also not afraid. We're assuming this leadership role, honored that people trust us to lead them to the next steps, working together as a community," Thomas stated.

"We literally stopped major companies for a day to come up with plans on how to help the black community and move forward. It has been a success thus far, and it has only been a week. We're just going to continue to move in a positive direction," Agyemang noted. "When George Floyd died, it was like, 'Here's another thing after Ahmaud Arbery, after Breonna Taylor, after COVID-19.' [Tuesday] was a way for people to release and pause, because in the end we have to fix it and we have to heal as a society. And we can do this by changing the future."

Read the full interview here, and visit theshowmustbepaused.com for more info on the initiative and how you can take action.

'Black Gold' At 50: How Nina Simone Refracted The Black Experience Through Reinterpreted Songs

Photo of Brianna Agyemang and Jamila Thomas

Brianna Agyemang (L) and Jamila Thomas (R) at the Billboard Women In Music 2020 event

Photo: 2020 Billboard Women In Music/Getty Images for Billboard

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One Year After George Floyd: Music Leaders Discuss show-must-be-paused-george-floyd-murder-one-year-later-black-music-month-2021

One Year After #TheShowMustBePaused, Where Do We Stand? Black Music Industry Leaders Discuss

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To mark the one-year anniversary of George Floyd's murder and #TheShowMustBePaused, Billboard led a virtual panel—including the Recording Academy's Valeisha Butterfield Jones—to discuss how necessary change has and hasn't occurred a year down the road
Morgan Enos
GRAMMYs
Jun 2, 2021 - 4:00 pm

Back in June 2020, nine days after the music industry went silent, #TheShowMustBePaused co-founders Brianna Agyemang and Jamila Thomas outlined their hopes for the following year. "We're taking it one day at a time," Agyemang told Billboard. "No one thought [we] could black out the industry, but they couldn't keep Brianna and me from trying."

Now, 365 days later, the world looks like a different place. But outside of the actual conviction of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd—and the innumerable corporate statements and renamings of bands like Lady A and the Chicks—is the world fundamentally a different place?

In a virtual panel hosted by Billboard, Agyemang and Thomas stepped back into the fray to discuss the progress.

Other panelists included Black Music Action Coalition co-chair Willie "Prophet" Stiggers, Living Legends Foundation chairman David Linton, the Recording Academy's very own Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer Valeisha Butterfield Jones, and Billboard's Executive Director of R&B and Hip-Hop Gail Mitchell, who moderated the panel.

"We not only need a seat at the table," Butterfield Jones says in the panel. "We need to build a bigger table. There's enough room for all of us to eat, thrive and have power."

So, what does the world look like after a year following George Floyd's murder and the worldwide social justice aftermath? To ring in Black Music Month 2021, check out the fascinating hourlong conversation above via Billboard and keep fighting for racial equity in your community!

Here's What Went Down At The Black Music Collective's Inaugural 2021 GRAMMY Week Celebration

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Recording Academy Launches Black Music Collective recording-academy-establishes-black-music-collective

The Recording Academy Establishes Black Music Collective

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The newly launched collective comprises a group of prominent Black music creators and professionals who share the common goal of amplifying Black voices within the Recording Academy and the wider music community
Recording Academy
Sep 3, 2020 - 6:30 am

The Recording Academy has today (Sept. 3) announced the creation of its Black Music Collective (BMC), a group of prominent Black music creators and professionals who share the common goal of amplifying Black voices within the Academy and the wider music community.

As part of the Recording Academy's commitment to evolving hand-in-hand with its membership, BMC will serve as a space for members to speak openly about new and emerging opportunities in Black music across all genres and identify ways to drive more representation.

The launch of BMC follows the Recording Academy's recent partnership with Color Of Change, the nation's largest online racial justice organization, in July, which set forth to create a Black music advisory group. The BMC fulfills this promise and is bringing together creators and business leaders to create a pipeline of future industry trailblazers. Leaders will meet regularly and initiate programs that will encourage participation and accelerate Black membership in the Recording Academy.

Jeffrey Harleston, Jimmy Jam, Quincy Jones, Debra Lee, John Legend, and Sylvia Rhone will serve as honorary chairs of the BMC. A distinguished leadership committee will be confirmed in the coming weeks and will work in sync with the honorary chairs to propel the collective's mission. Recording Academy Trustee Riggs Morales and Washington, D.C., Chapter Executive Director Jeriel Johnson will lead the initiative internally. 

"The Black Music Collective is necessary to help drive the Recording Academy into a new era. Creating an open space for Black music creators can only benefit our membership as a whole," Harvey Mason jr., Chair and Interim President/CEO of the Recording Academy, said. "Through the past few months, I've been personally invested in propelling this collective along with Chapter leadership within the Academy. Together, we will elevate Black music creators within our organization and the industry at large." 

"As Black music continues to drive culture, it is essential we grow and maintain representation within the Academy and the music industry," Valeisha Butterfield Jones, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer of the Recording Academy, said. "We're thrilled to help develop the leaders of tomorrow with impactful educational and experiential programs that we will announce in coming weeks."

In March 2018, the Recording Academy established a third-party task force to examine issues of diversity and inclusion within the Academy and the broader music community. The Academy has since taken action on the Task Force's initial assessment and recommendations and has made additional strides to facilitate a culture of belonging while recognizing the need to focus on underrepresented communities. Recent initiatives include the hiring of a Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, a $1 million donation to Color Of Change, alignment with #TheShowMustBePaused movement created by Jamila Thomas (Atlantic Records) and Brianna Agyemang (Platoon), and the development of an industry Inclusion Rider and Toolkit to be released later this year.

Stay up to date on the Recording Academy's progress, future announcements and recent initiatives on diversity and inclusion.

Recording Academy Invites & Celebrates Its 2020 New Member Class

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The Recording Academy Reveals Leadership Council For Newly Launched Black Music Collective

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The distinguished leadership committee will work with honorary chairs to elevate Black music creators and professionals
Recording Academy
Oct 22, 2020 - 6:30 am

The Recording Academy's newly launched Black Music Collective (BMC), a group of prominent Black music creators and professionals who share the common goal of amplifying Black voices within the Academy and the wider music community, has announced a distinguished leadership council. The leadership committee is dedicated to progressing the Recording Academy's mission to achieve equitable representation across its membership and the music industry.

The collective will serve as a space for members to speak openly about new and emerging opportunities in Black music alongside an inspiring group of groundbreaking Black music creators and business leaders. Leadership has already begun creating and identifying programming that will encourage the acceleration of Black membership within the Academy.

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Members of the leadership council will join Honorary Chairs Jeffrey Harleston, Jimmy Jam, Quincy Jones, Debra Lee, John Legend and Sylvia Rhone to work hand in hand to elevate the mission of the collective. Recording Academy Trustee Riggs Morales serves as the BMC Chair and Washington, D.C., Chapter Executive Director Jeriel Johnson is the Executive Sponsor. 

The Black Music Collective's Distinguished Leadership Committee includes the following accomplished music professionals:

  • Yolanda Adams, Artist
  • Brianna Agyemang, Executive
  • Derek "MixedByAli" Ali, Engineer
  • Tunde Balogun, Executive 
  • Tuma Basa, Executive 
  • Aloe Blacc, Artist
  • Boi-1da, Producer
  • Catherine Brewton, Executive 
  • Terri Lyne Carrington, Musician 
  • D-Nice, Artist
  • Phylicia Fant, Executive
  • H.E.R., Artist
  • Om'Mas Keith, Producer
  • Rico Love, Songwriter
  • Heather Lowery, Executive 
  • Riggs Morales, Executive and BMC Chair 
  • Steve Pamon, Executive 
  • Tayla Parx, Songwriter
  • Ryan Press, Executive 
  • Rashid Shabazz, Executive
  • Jamila Thomas, Executive
  • Dion "No-I.D." Wilson, Producer

"Our time is now and I'm so excited to add my voice in whatever way I can to honor those who came before me, those who worked building the foundation in this important work in music," H.E.R. said. "Initiatives like this help give a voice to young and emerging artists who dream of an even bigger future. We're all in this together."

"This is a new era of change for the Recording Academy and we are honored to have these leading artists, executives, producers and engineers who are all at the top of their fields join us for such an important moment in our world, our nation and our industry," Harvey Mason jr., chair and interim president/CEO of the Recording Academy, said. "Black music is part of the fabric of our industry and it is so reassuring to stand with these leaders to create momentum, bring change and amplify Black voices."

"We're energized by our partnership with such an esteemed group of Black music leaders who share our mission to foster and accelerate Black representation, equity and inclusion throughout the music industry," Valeisha Butterfield Jones, chief diversity & inclusion officer of the Recording Academy, said. "We've doubled down on our partnership with these leaders and are committed to the work ahead."

Stay up to date on the BMC's progress here. 

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Watch The Recording Academy's Inspiring "Change Music" Summit In Full

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