This June, the Recording Academy and its nationwide affiliates and Chapters are celebrating two important cultural months: LGBTQIA+ Pride Month & Black Music Month. As an organization, we are honoring and celebrating these two influential communities by hosting several inclusive events and diverse programming all month, including exclusive interviews and performances and uplifting playlists on GRAMMY.com, film screenings highlighting Black music legends, intimate conversations with rising queer and non-binary artists, weekly support groups, and much more.
Building a community that cares and channeling Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) fundamentals at its core, the Recording Academy welcomes all artists, creators and music industry professionals from all walks of life. Representing musicians, songwriters, producers, engineers, and industry professionals who are changing the music industry landscape today, we cultivate the well-being of the global music community via our inclusive initiatives and engaged Chapters and affiliates all year long.
This month, we are giving a special spotlight to the LGBTQIA+ and Black music communities, whose members and creators represent some of the most diverse and accomplished professionals working in music today.
Some of the featured events happening this month include: a special screening of the award-winning documentary film Heart & Soul: A Love Story at the GRAMMY Museum; free weekly support and addiction recovery support groups for the Black music and LGBTQIA+ music communities, presented by MusiCares; Latin GRAMMY Talks celebrating Latin music creators, presented by the Latin Recording Academy; and much more.
"With the start of both PRIDE and Black Music Month, we are honored to amplify the voices, stories, and artistry of Black and LGBTQIA+ artists through our curated offerings, providing a platform that reflects the rich tapestry of their contributions," Ryan Butler, Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for the Recording Academy, said. "Our month-long celebration is a testament to their enduring influence and an invitation for all music enthusiasts to join us in cherishing the brilliance and diversity that these communities have brought to our beloved art form."
Across the Recording Academy, we purposely participate in service to provide the international music community a bridge connecting the Recording Academy to the wider music industry. We strive to be as inclusive as the music and creators we represent. This June, we're celebrating music in all its beautiful diversity.
Below, see the full list of Recording Academy events and programming celebrating LGBTQIA+ Pride Month & Black Music Month 2023 this June:
Conversations: GRAMMYs Bridges The Gaps\
Presented By: The Recording Academy's Los Angeles Chapter\
Date: Throughout June 2023\
Time: Various\
Location: Watch online via the Recording Academy's Instagram and YouTube channels throughout the month\
Info: Presented by the Recording Academy's Los Angeles Chapter, this three-part conversation series addresses hot topics in genre, craft and industry among groups of music creators and professionals who share experiences through varying "generational" lenses. Recorded at Universal Music Group’s 21fifteen Studios in Santa Monica, California, before a live audience consisting of Los Angeles Chapter members, the series features diverse Recording Academy voices, including new members, GRAMMY winners and nominees, legacy creators, and music industry executives from the Chapter's Producers & Engineers Wing, Songwriters & Composers Wing, GRAMMY U, NEXT, Black Music Collective, and more.
Black Music Community Support Group \
Presented By: MusiCares \
Date: Weekly, Ongoing, Thursdays \
Time: 12 p.m. PT / 3 p.m. ET \
Location: Contact group facilitator to join: Adrienne@mylifeepiphany.com\
Info: MusiCares offers 11 free weekly support and addiction recovery support groups, including groups for the women's music community, Black music community, and LGBTQIA+ communities. These music community groups are open to anyone interested in participating. Support groups are a safe and secure place to sort through a variety of wellness issues or concerns. Each group is led by a licensed professional, and additional assistance is available if needed. \
RSVP/Event Page
LGBTQIA+ Music Community Support Group \
Presented By: MusiCares \
Date: Weekly, Ongoing, Wednesdays \
Time: 12 p.m. PT / 3 p.m. ET \
Location: Contact group facilitator to join: Adrienne@mylifeepiphany.com\
Info: MusiCares offers 11 free weekly support and addiction recovery support groups, including groups for the women's music community, Black music community, and LGBTQIA+ communities. These music community groups are open to anyone interested in participating. Support groups are a safe and secure place to sort through a variety of wellness issues or concerns. Each group is led by a licensed professional, and additional assistance is available if needed. \
RSVP/Event Page
Reel To Reel: Heart & Soul: A Love Story \
Presented By: GRAMMY Museum \
Date: June 8\
Time: 7 p.m. PT \
Location: GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles\
Info: The GRAMMY Museum is thrilled to host a special screening of the new film Heart & Soul: A Love Story in honor of Black Music Month. Directed by pioneering singer, producer, and film/television music supervisor Kenny Vance, Heart & Soul: A Love Story is an award-winning documentary film featuring the untold, heartwarming and wrenching oral histories from the unsung heroes of rhythm & blues that influenced the global trajectory of rock during the '50s and '60s. Following the screening, entertainment journalist Brande Victorian will moderate a post-screening conversation with Vance. \
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Latin GRAMMY Talks: PRIDE\
Presented By: Latin Recording Academy & TikTok\
Date: June 15: Nicole Zignago & Esteman \
June 20: Pablo Bispo & Gloria Groove\
Time: TBD\
Location: @LatinGRAMMYs TikTok page\
Info: This year, the Latin Recording Academy is celebrating and recognizing Black Music Month and PRIDE Month with Latin GRAMMY Talks, a new online series hosted on TikTok that creates a safe space for Latin music creators to freely express themselves about the topics that inspire and affect them. The PRIDE edition of Latin GRAMMY Talks will feature three conversations across June featuring LGBTQIA+ artists from Latin America, Brazil and the U.S.
Craft Sessions: Follow The Song Powered By Women In The Mix \
Presented By: The Recording Academy's Los Angeles Chapter\
Date: June 17\
Time: 9 a.m. PT – 7 p.m. PT\
Location: The Village, 1616 Butler Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90025\
Info: In this unique session, presented by the Recording Academy's Los Angeles Chapter in partnership with the Producers & Engineers Wing, you'll observe GRAMMY-winning and -nominated hit makers produce, engineer, mix, and master the same original song. Then, join us for a discussion of their results in a concluding panel. This event will focus on women/non-binary creators from the audio community with all female producers and mixing and mastering engineers. The event will feature Lynne Earls, Ali Stone, Catharine Wood, Jett Galindo, Darrell Brown, Ebonie Smith, and Patricia Polgar.\
RSVP/Event Page: This event is open to the Los Angeles Chapter Producers & Engineers Wing membership only.
Leimert Park Juneteenth Festival\
In Partnership With: The Recording Academy's Los Angeles Chapter, among others\
Date: June 19\
Time: Begins at 10 a.m. PT\
Location: Leimert Park in Los Angeles, California\
Info: The Recording Academy's Los Angeles Chapter joins the preeminent Juneteenth celebration in Los Angeles, taking place in the heart of Leimert Park, a historic Black culture, arts, music, and community hub. Recording Academy staff from the Awards and Los Angeles Chapter teams, elected leadership, and Black and LGBTQIA+ music creators and professionals within the GRAMMY family will contribute to the celebration via community talks, meet & greets, appearances, and much more. Produced by partners Still Rising, The World Stage, and more, the Leimert Park Juneteenth Festival is located in the historic Leimert Park Village, which features 300 Black-owned businesses, three main stages, two DJs stages, one spoken word stage, and more. This curated experience will feature great food, drinks, music, art, and culture, networking opportunities, and the best energy. Participating Recording Academy representatives include Los Angeles Chapter Executive Director Qiana Conley Akinro; Len Brown, Senior Project Manager, Awards at the Recording Academy; MAJOR., Los Angeles Chapter Board Secretary; and Daniel “D Smoke” Farris, three-time GRAMMY-nominated rapper and Los Angeles Chapter Governor, whom the festival will be honoring alongside SIR and other members of the Farris family.\
RSVP/Event Page: This festival is free and open to the public. Learn more.
KEYSHIA COLE: THIS IS MY STORY \
Presented By: GRAMMY Museum \
Date: June 21\
Time: 7 p.m. PT\
Location: GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles\
Info: Ahead of the official premiere on Lifetime, the GRAMMY Museum is thrilled to host a special screening of the new film KEYSHIA COLE: THIS IS MY STORY, followed by a post-screening conversation with Keyshia Cole, who executive-produced and stars in the film. Vibe's Mya Abraham will moderate the conversation.\
RSVP/Event Page
Los Angeles Chapter Member Mix \
Presented By: The Recording Academy's Los Angeles Chapter\
Date: June 22\
Time: 4 p.m. PT\
Location: Los Angeles\
Info: LGBTQIA+ and Black music performance and featured elements will be built into the programming of the Los Angeles Chapter's Annual Member Mix.\
RSVP/Event Page: This event is open to Los Angeles Chapter membership only.
Latin GRAMMY Talks: Black Music Month\
Presented By: Latin Recording Academy & TikTok\
Date: June 26: Leslie Grace & Rico Love \
June 30: Tostao & Danay Suárez\
Time: TBD\
Location: @LatinGRAMMYs TikTok page\
Info: This year, the Latin Recording Academy is celebrating and recognizing Black Music Month and PRIDE Month with Latin GRAMMY Talks, a new online series hosted on TikTok that creates a safe space for Latin music creators to freely express themselves about the topics that inspire and affect them. The Black Music Month edition of Latin GRAMMY Talks will feature three conversations across June featuring Black and Afro-Latinx artists from Latin America and the U.S.
A Credit Conversation: Black And Brown Communities: Embracing Financial Empowerment\
Presented By: MusiCares\
Date: June 26\
Time: 1 p.m. ET\
Location: Online via Zoom\
Info: Join Robert Taylor Jr., MSW, Client Manager at MusiCares, and Brandee Wilder, founder of the Black Credit Conversation and a music industry professional, for a candid conversation about credit scores, tools to better manage credit for music industry workers, and resources to help destigmatize the credit conversation.\
RSVP/Event Page: Zoom link and information forthcoming
Spotlight: G Flip\
Presented By: GRAMMY Museum \
Date: June 26\
Time: 7:30 p.m. PT \
Location: GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles\
Info: Rising superstar G Flip celebrates PRIDE Month with the GRAMMY Museum, featuring an intimate conversation about their new music and an exclusive performance.\
RSVP/Event Page
Recording Academy New York Chapter Black Music Month Member Mix Presented By: The Recording Academy's New York Chapter, in partnership with SummerStage\
Date: June 28\
Time: 7-10 p.m. ET\
Location: SummerStage in Central Park, Rumsey Playfield, New York, New York 10021 \
Info: The Recording Academy's New York Chapter, in partnership with SummerStage, will host a New York member night at SummerStage on June 28 to celebrate Black Music Month. The event will provide members who identify with the Black community a chance to meaningfully connect with each other, and Black music, during an Academy-recognized tentpole month. The event will feature performances from genre-bending artists Michael Franti & Spearhead and two-time GRAMMY-nominated R&B/funk/soul group Tank and The Bangas.\
RSVP/Event Page: This event is open to the public. Tickets are available for purchase. More information here.
