ABOVE: Music Forward Foundation participated in “Blackout Tuesday” to draw attention to racial inequality in the U.S. and show solidarity with the Black community. (Courtesy: L.A. Works)
House of Blues joined others in the music industry on June 2 in observing the online social demonstration “Blackout Tuesday,” according to an official press release.
“Blackout Tuesday” involved music industry organizations and employees suspending their normal business operations on June 2 as a gesture of social justice.
Music Forward Foundation, the company’s outreach program, took part in “Blackout Tuesday” to show solidarity with the black community and speak out against the recent wave of racial injustice in the United States.
“Today marks a week since the murder of George Floyd,” the foundation said. “But it is hundreds of years of institutional racism and systemic injustices that continue to infect our country, explicitly witnessed as the Black community is disproportionately dying from COVID-19. We unequivocally condemn the recent murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, the countless others and all racist actions towards Black people.”
“Blackout Tuesday” was birthed from #TheShowMustBePaused, an initiative created by Atlantic Records’ Senior Director of Marketing Jamila Thomas and Brianna Agyemang, senior artist campaign manager at Platoon. The initiative was designed by Thomas and Agyemang to highlight the “long-standing racism and inequality that exists from the boardroom to the boulevard.”
The disruption of work activity was meant to inspire introspection within the broader music industry.
“It is a day to take a beat for an honest, reflective and productive conversation about what actions we need to collectively take to support the Black community,” Thomas and Agyemang said.
“Blackout Tuesday” is also meant to draw attention to the monetization of black creativity and the responsibility of the music industry to support black communities as a result.
“The music industry is a multi-billion dollar industry,” Thomas and Agyemang said. “An industry that has profited predominantly from Black art. Our mission is to hold the industry at large, including major corporations and their partners who benefit from the efforts, struggles and successes of Black people accountable. To that end, it is the obligation of these entities to protect and empower the Black communities that have made them disproportionately wealthy in ways that are measurable and transparent.”
Black and LGBTQ+ artists spoke out online in support of the online demonstration. Black queer rapper Zé Taylor reminded others to use the #blackouttuesday to differentiate it from the content associated with #blacklivesmatter.
Goodmorning, please keep sharing information about what’s going on in our world right now… even if it’s a retweet. If you do post a black square, remember to use the correct hashtag #blackouttuesday 🖤
— ZÉ TAYLOR (@FATHERBONNET) June 2, 2020
Fellow black queer rapper Kodie Shane took to Instagram to share her support for Thomas and Agyemang’s initiative, while singer Rihanna’s cosmetics company Fenty Beauty suspended its business activity as well.
View this post on Instagramwe participating ….no work and no spending money other than with black companies tomorrow! Let’s go.
In solidarity with the Black community, our employees, our friends, our families, and our colleagues across industries, we are proud to take part in #BlackoutTuesday.
Fenty Beauty will NOT be conducting any business on Tuesday, June 2.
— Fenty Beauty (@fentybeauty) June 2, 2020
Music Forward was established by House of Blues in 1993 to bring diversity to the music industry by introducing arts education programs to youth in underrepresented communities.
The foundation has published a list of community resources on its official website to spread additional awareness on how people can get involved in the fight for racial equality.
“Through open dialogue and empathy, through anti-racist action and a drive towards equity, and through the enduring power of music, together, we will chart a new vision and reality for a more just America,” the foundation said.
