3 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Lessons Learned from the 2023 Grammy Awards
Photo credit: www.grammy.com
By Lindsay Bissett
“Growing up, I always liked so many different sounds from so many different genres - the different aspects they could bring” -Lil Nas X
What are the Grammy awards?
The Grammy Awards are presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the music industry worldwide. It was originally called the Gramophone Awards, as the trophy depicts a gilded gramophone.” - Wikipedia
Prestige, entertainment, recognition, fashion. This is what comes to mind when I think of the Grammy Awards. Outside of the glamour there are other things the Grammy’s are infamous for, like inequity and controversy, and perhaps slowly...unity.
So, what can we learn from a bunch of celebrities gathered in a room full of champagne, silver, and sequins? How does this relate to the lives of everyday folks? Turns out it’s all connected. And, as Leda HR partner Kristin Bower explored in her recent post about Nepo Babies, pop culture is an indicator of what is happening in our world and communities.
Lesson 1: We still have a long way to go.
Today, more than 81% of Billboard’s Top 10 best-selling albums are made by non-white or mixed-race groups of artists. However, from 2012 to 2020, musicians of color received only 26.7% of Grammy nominations. Tatum Herrin writes about it in her article for The Coat of Arms.
Now I’m not good at math but those numbers are pretty easy to understand. People are being left out. Talented people. Every kid in kindergarten learns that isn’t ok. It’s after that time in our lives where we seem to become less clear on what inclusion means. Let’s lean into what feels right, what is right, and that’s inclusion.
Lesson 2: “The first __ to win this award” demonstrates historic exclusion.
The stats above are current, they are glaring, and they leave more than enough room for improvement. Remember when celebrating “the first!”, it demonstrates how many groups have been excluded from these accolades, and for how long.
It’s not all Bad News Bears. The dial is (slowly) moving in the right direction. Yay for progress! For example, Beyonce holds the record for most Grammy’s won, and Viola Davis achieved an EGOT at this year’s Grammy awards.
The 2023 Grammy’s were also historic for the LGBTQ+ community, for the first ever performance at the Grammy’s by a transgender woman, Kim Petras, who also won a Grammy award with her collaborator Sam Smith. While it has been reported that she was the first trans woman to win a Grammy, that honour happened back in 1970 when Wendy Carlos was awarded a Grammy for her work in electronic music.
But all those years in between? It’s been a long time! As we finally see more underrepresented, incredible artists recognized, let us not lose momentum. Let’s lean into our privilege for the greater good.
Lesson 3: Music has power.
People are seeing the inequities in all award shows (see The Hashtag That Changed the Oscars), and are calling it out.
As I have said in many blogs now, the best time for positive change (social or environmental) is likely 100+ years ago, the second-best time is right now. People are demanding that recognition and opportunity be shared widely, not just with a select elite group who often are heterosexual, cisgender, able bodied, and have white skin.
There’s no denying the power in music. Music can unite people under a shared interest or passion. From cult like followings (I’m talking to you Swifties), to people breaking out in dances across communities and now the internet, from the Boot Scootin Boogie to the Harlem Shake, music has the power to bring us together.
The power to unite us for positive change and collective joy.
Lastly, I don’t write this for a Grammy award winning artist to read. I write this for everyday folks. Remember, our communities, our schools, and our workplaces face these same equity, diversity, and inclusion challenges. The Grammy’s serve as a reminder to keep working, keep advocating, keep collaborating. Keep including.
About Lindsay Bissett:
By day Lindsay is a Wellness and Disability Management Consultant, with a flair for social media and mental health advocacy. By night she is a mother of two, green smoothie aficionado, podcast listener, and active glamper.
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