On December 15, Black Music Action Coalition will host “This is How I Show Up,” the first in a series of conversations around race and identity in the music industry, and their effects on mental health. The event will be hosted in partnership with Black Mental Health Alliance and Backline, the music industry’s mental health and wellness resource.
The event will highlight the many ways in which music industry professionals show up in the world, and for themselves. Black professionals and other persons of color within the music industry need to know that their mental health and well-being truly matter. Thus, this forum will offer participants with a special culturally responsive, life-affirming and healing-centered experience that will serve as the launching pad for a series of ongoing healing activities and solution focused convenings through 2022.
More than just conversation, the event will point to culturally competent mental health resources and opportunities for deeper healing, as well as actions that can be taken to move the needle.
This is How I Show Up is a free event, meant to foster further action across the music industry to protect the mental health of industry professionals. This will be the first of a series of events hosted by these partners in the next year.
ABOUT THE BLACK MUSIC ACTION COALITION
Tuesday June 2, 2020, the music industry went silent for one day to join the fight for equality as part of #BlackOutTuesday...the day the show paused!. This movement spread beyond the business and inspired tens of millions worldwide to follow suit. Galvanized by this historic moment, close to 200 preeminent artist managers, attorneys, business managers, agents and other industry executives signed up to join forces, instituting and introducing the first-ever BLACK MUSIC ACTION COALITION.
Together, these individuals form one common voice, representing the interests of artists, producers, songwriters, and executives.
This illustrious cadre of industry heavyweights notably represents artists who comprise a majority of the industry’s revenue.
This advocacy organization endeavors to uphold and actualize the mission of Black Lives Matter in the music industry and reach racial justice not just across labels, publishers, agencies, distributors, and DSP’s but throughout society at large. BMAC works together with leaders from various business leaders to hold their companies accountable and implement a system of checks and balances to ensure change takes root. The group fosters and shepherds various educational, mental health, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, policing, social justice, and political causes that directly impact Black communities. In 2021, the BMAC released the first annual Music Industry Action report card that measured and assessed the music industry’s progress toward achieving racial justice and equity. To commemorate the report card, BMAC also held the inaugural Music In Action Awards Gala to honor musicians, activists and industry professionals who have used their platforms to enact change within the music industry and broader society.. The Weeknd, H.E.R., Ethiopia Habtemariam Ben Crump and more were honored for their contributions to change.
Real change begins now with BMAC. BLACK MUSIC MATTERS. BLACK LIVES MATTER.
ABOUT THE BLACK MENTAL HEALTH ALLIANCE
The Black Mental Health Alliance (BMHA) is a 501(c) (3) non-profit advocacy and membership organization, comprised of culturally competent professionals and community centered licensed behavioral health clinicians. The primary mission of the BMHA is to provide a trusted forum to lead and promote a holistic, culturally relevant approach to the development and maintenance of whole health, mental health programs and services for Black people and other vulnerable communities.
ABOUT BACKLINE
Backline is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that connects music industry professionals and their families with mental health and wellness resources—streamlining access to a network of trusted organizations and care providers that truly understand this line of work.
Life in this industry can be incredibly isolating and difficult; Backline provides a safe, private, and immediate place to go for help. Available for free to artists, managers, agents, crew, producers, labels, and their families, Backline programs offer case management, support groups, and wellness programs to meet the needs of this unique community.
