Valeisha Butterfield Jones’s first month as the Recording Academy’s chief diversity and inclusion officer, George Floyd was murdered.
In the weeks that followed, music executives Jamila Thomas and Brianna Agyemang organized Blackout Tuesday, creating a list of demands for the music industry in regard to “growth opportunities for Black people.” When Jones saw the social media campaign, tagged #TheShowMustBePaused, she called Thomas and said, “Sis, we have your back.
Whatever you need, I got you.” Now, as the copresident of the Recording Academy, Jones continues to use her position to uplift others.
Here, she talks about the power of sisterhood in male-dominated spaces and the importance of using data to spearhead inclusion.
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