BLACK LIVES MATTER. #THESHOWMUSTBEPAUSED
The Canadian Independent Music Association will not silently uphold the racist ideologies and systems which oppress and endanger black lives.
On Tuesday, June 2nd, #TheShowMustBePaused to stand in solidarity with our families, friends, artists, leaders, colleagues, and all of the communities who endure racial injustice every day. As conduits of culture, it is our responsibility to use what influence we have to urgently implore accountability, transparency, and change.
We will not operate as normal tomorrow: normal is not good enough. In honour of “Black Out Tuesday,” we will hit pause on business as usual. We will use our platforms to encourage our peers to amplify the voices of those on the front lines, sharing information about actionable allyship, and community-led charities you can consider supporting if you have the means to do so.
Say it again: BLACK LIVES MATTER.
If you are able to donate to organizations working with communities on the front lines, there are many options. We deeply encourage you to dive into anti-racism resources – here is an excellent starting point.
We will observe Black Out Tuesday by continuing to listen to the voices of black communities, by learning what true allyship means, and by exploring how we can leverage the privilege of our platform to move the needle on true change in the music community in Canada and beyond.