Sony Music Group Celebrates Black Historical past Month ‘23
Feb 28, 2023
This Black Historical past Month, Sony Music Group proudly embraced the theme “Historical past within the Making: The Future Is Now.” All through February, we held inside occasions that acknowledged, superior and supported Black artists and creatives paving the best way for a extra inclusive future, whereas nonetheless reflecting and remembering our historical past.
Highlights From Our Black Historical past Month Celebrations
As a part of our month-long celebration of Black tradition and the Black group, we hosted a digital dialog with Greg Noire, award-winning stay music and portrait photographer and Sony Alpha digicam ambassador, moderated by Towalame Austin, Sony Music Group’s Government Vice President of Philanthropy & Social Affect. Noire mirrored on his journey as a Black photographer and shared his experiences capturing a few of immediately’s most notable artists, like Doja Catand Steve Lacy.
Throughout his dialog with Austin, Noire highlighted that he typically finds himself the one Black photographer within the photograph pits he operates in, which prompted him to emphasize the importance of inclusive hiring practices. “Should you look exterior of who you already know, you’ll see that expertise exists in different various [candidates],” Noire mentioned. Austin added, “All of us have a duty to verify we’re hiring various individuals, credentials and the individuals themselves.”
Moreover, in a panel dialogue held by HUE (Serving to Unite Everybody)—a Expertise Advisory Group (TAG) at Sony Music Group—and The Orchard, we listened as Niyi Osidipe, Sony Music’s Director of Artist Improvement & World Technique Africa; Tunde Ajaba-Ogundipe, Sony Music’s Senior Vice President and Normal Supervisor of African Music Technique; and Ashley Corridor, Affiliate Director of Worldwide Label Administration at The Orchard, described the impression of Afrobeats on the worldwide music scene.
Corridor defined that probably the most essential methods the music trade can champion African artists is by permitting them to take care of their authenticity. She added, “[The industry] should proceed to offer very important assets into the market to deliver their music to the forefront of what’s thought-about mainstream, well-liked music.”
A giant spherical of applause to all SMG workers who participated, contributed and attended our Black Historical past Month occasions and actions. Shoutout to our particular visitors Noire and Mackenzie Palmer, yoga teacher and sensual motion chief,for lendingtheir time and knowledge to counterpoint our celebrations. And, to our TAGs HUE U.S., HUE GSA and Wellful, thanks for spearheading the occasion programming and making this Black Historical past Month at Sony Music Group so particular.
Supporting the Black Neighborhood Past the Month of February
Whereas the month has come to an finish, we’re dedicated to persevering with our assist for the Black group—and all communities world wide—by means of our World Social Justice Fund (GSJF). With World Day of Social Justice additionally falling in February, we highlighted a number of of our GSJF companions elevating consciousness and driving motion to eradicate poverty, discrimination, inequity and unfairness in society, like Bridges for Music.
Bridges for Music is a South African-based nonprofit group that gives younger college students in under-served communities the instruments and abilities to excel in inventive industries. “Within the face of an ever-increasing lack of schooling in our communities about what equal rights and alternatives actually imply, making certain everybody has equal financial, political and social alternatives is changing into an growing problem,” mentioned Thulani Headman, Bridges For Music’s Co-Founder and Operations Supervisor. “By way of our program (and its music) we’ve got been capable of change minds, and we take into account that crucial instrument for social justice.”
Study extra about Bridges for Music and our different companions impacting social justice in several communities world wide right here.
