In the words of Dr. King, “There comes a time when silence is betrayal”. When you have a responsibility to raise your voice for change. That time has come.
There is no place in the world for hate and violence. In the face of bigotry and prejudice, we’re proud of the way our artists, composers and employees have spoken out. The music industry relies on the work, lives and culture of the Black community and we owe it to them to take time to reflect on how we can create more solid actions that build towards constructive change. This can’t just be words.
To that end, FirstCom Music closed for business on Tuesday, June 2nd as part of #BlackOutTuesday. It was not a day off. In order to better support our colleagues, artists, friends and the wider Black community, we took time to contemplate, connect and organize in our continued efforts to promote an equal and inclusive world through real action.
Our goal is always to support content creators in our broad and vibrant community. In line with the creation of the Task Force for Meaningful Change established by Universal Music Group, we are committed to act as a driving force for inclusion and social justice. We aim to increase participation and bring prominence to under-represented voices through our work.
Our UMG family are supporting a range of valuable, empowering, and informative organizations and causes as we fight against all racial injustice.
Below you will find learning resources and organizations you may consider donating to:
Black Lives Matter – Find them on Instagram
American Civil Liberties Union – Find them on Instagram
NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund – Find them on Instagram
Reclaim the Block – Find them on Instagram
Color of Change – Find them on Twitter
Black Visions Collective – Find them on Instagram
Finally, read Barack Obama’s article ‘How To Make This Moment The Turning Point For Real Change’ that looks at the connection between protest and voter participation that includes further resources and learning material.