.SonyMusic CEO Rob Stringer has detailed global plans for BlackoutTuesday: town halls and conversations with Spike Lee, Kane Brown and the attorney for George Floyd, Ahmad Arbery and Breonna Taylor, among others.
As promised, I am following up with a few updates regarding our plans for Blackout Tuesday globally tomorrow and immediate actions we are taking as a company to reckon with and respond to the impact of recent events on our people and communities.
I am sending you this email now because it is already Tuesday in some of our countries. First, I want to recognize the tremendous hurt and grief so many are feeling in this moment, and the disproportionate burden being carried by our Black community. While the news has been focused on the U.S., racial injustice is not just an American issue—from Paris to Rio to Johannesburg, we have seen the horrifying toll racist acts have taken on communities of color, and our values demand that we not only speak out, but act. As a global company, we have a chance to make an impact around the world, and we are engaging all of our teams in these efforts. And, this is, of course, Black Music Month so while we have talks and screenings that have already been scheduled, we will do much more to acknowledge the larger context in which all of us are living. As it relates to Blackout Tuesday, Sony Music’s observance must be meaningful. We are dedicating the day to education, reflection, and action in support of, and solidarity with, the Black community. I know all of your teams have been busy planning a range of activities—from town halls to breakout sessions to conversations with artists, organizers, and movement leaders. Confirmed guests include Filmmaker Spike Lee; Ben Crump, the attorney representing the families of George Floyd, Ahmad Arbery, and Breonna Taylor; Kane Brown; Henry Hicks, head of the new National Museum of African American Music in Nashville; Kirk Franklin; Activist Brittany Packnett Cunningham and more. And, perhaps most importantly conversations amongst ourselves as to how we can be better together. Representatives from our employee resource group, HUE, will join some of your activities and will be available to speak with employees throughout the day as well. HUE’s mission is to promote the diversity of people of color, while also bringing awareness to our large influence to popular culture – specifically in the media industry. Of course, Tuesday is just one day. As a company with a long legacy of shaping culture and uplifting communities, we are committed to be a part of long-term change, and our efforts—both internally and externally—remain ongoing. I am grateful to everyone who has sent thoughtful suggestions for ways Sony Music can continue to positively affect these issues and will share more updates as I have them. After all of your suggestions about how we can engage in these important topics, many people pointed to support we can give to specific organizations. I am pleased that starting today, we will extend throughout the month of June our Giving Tuesday initiative that we began earlier this year to match your donations to organizations working for social justice around the world. We encourage you to donate when you receive the email in the next few hours. In partnership with outside experts, we are expanding our mental health support and have arranged for immediate resources to be made available to everyone for grief counseling. And, soon you’ll get more details about a group meditation session we have put together for tomorrow. I encourage you to utilize these resources, and also to check in directly with your colleagues and teammates who may be feeling especially vulnerable at this time. In addition to these important activities, we encourage you and your teams to observe a moment of silence at 9am your local time in memory of all those who have lost their lives to racial violence and injustice. As a company that values tolerance and inclusivity, it is also worth pointing out that in many parts of the world, June is also Pride month. We will be participating in a schedule of events that are extremely important to our employees, artists and communities and you’ll see those come through over the next few days. While for some of us, the last several weeks have been a wake-up call, for so many others, as my friend and colleague Jon Platt pointed out in his op-ed, racial injustice has always been a daily reality. All of us need to recognize our role and do our part—with our words and our actions—to create the better world in which we all want to live, regardless of how uncomfortable the dialog might be. Thank you to all who have participated during an already challenging time to help us with these efforts. As always, my virtual door and inbox are open to you to share your thoughts, feedback, and ideas with me.
Please follow us on Google to support us United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Music’s Highest Ranking Black Executive Speaks Out: ‘A Change Must Come,’ Says Sony/ATV’s Jon PlattJon Platt, chairman and CEO of Sony/ATV, the world’s biggest music publishing company, is one of the most powerful and influential publishers of the past 25 years, having worked with Jay-Z, Beyonce…
Read more »
Music Industry Plans 'Black Out Tuesday' Following George Floyd's DeathColumbia Records, Warner Music, Universal and many more have pledged to suspend all business on Tuesday for TheShowMustBePaused music industry blackout:
Read more »
Music Industry Calling for 'Blackout Tuesday' in Response to George Floyd DeathUnder the hashtag TheShowMustBePaused, music companies and artists are calling for an industry blackout in response to George Floyd's death. The proposed blackout is set for Tuesday, June 2
Read more »
Sony/ATV CEO Jon Platt On Racial Injustice: 'A Change Must Come'As protests continue across the country, Sony/ATV Music Publishing chairman/CEO John Platt has shared an open letter reflecting on his own experience as the only black CEO of a major music company, and calling on the music industry to help &34;lead society out of crisis.&34;
Read more »
Sony Delays PlayStation 5 Event to Make Way for Black Lives Matter MovementSony has canceled its PlayStation 5 digital conference to keep the spotlight on the Black Lives Matter movement and its protests around the country.
Read more »