Sheryl Crow, Common, country-pop artist Cam and television journalist Giselle Fernandez were among those named Wednesday to the Recording Academy’s 16-member task force charged with examining issues of inclusion and diversity within the organization and the broader industry.
Since her appointment as task force chair, Tina Tchen, former first lady Michelle Obama’s chief of staff, has met with members of the music community to assemble a group of men and women focused on ensuring a more inclusive and equitable industry, according to the academy.
All members will volunteer their time and expertise, and none are employed by the Recording Academy or hold any position on its board. The task force also includes the following artists, executives and managers:
— Stephanie Alexa, vice president of finance and licensing administration, ATO Records;
— Michele Anthony, executive vice president and executive management board member, Universal Music Group;
— Andra Day, Grammy Award-nominated artist;
— Jimmy Jam, Grammy-winning artist;
— Beth Laird, CEO and co-owner, Creative Nation;
— Debra Lee, chairman and CEO, BET Networks;
— Rebeca Leon, co-founder and CEO, Lionfish Entertainment;
— Elizabeth Matthews, CEO, ASCAP;
— Dr. Stacy L. Smith, founder and director, USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative;
— Ty Stiklorius, founder and CEO, Friends At Work;
— Julie Swidler, executive vice president of business affairs and general counsel, Sony Music; and
— Dean Wilson, CEO, SEVEN20.
The task force is set to meet shortly to begin its work with a review of Recording Academy operations and policies across the areas of corporate governance, hiring and promotion, membership, awards, and the Grammy Awards telecast. As chair, Tchen will develop an operational road map for the task force and update the academy on the group’s progress on an ongoing basis throughout the year.
“I’m honored to lead such an esteemed group of visionaries who possess the experience and passion needed to drive real change in building a more inclusive and equitable music community,” Tchen said in a prepared statement. “This is an important first step made possible by the Recording Academy’s leadership, which recognizes the benefit of examining these issues with fresh eyes.”
As one of its first orders of business, the task force has established a feedback tool to collect public input and suggestions for the group’s review and consideration. Anyone interested in providing suggestions for the task force can do so by visiting www.grammy.com/taskforcefeedback.
“The Recording Academy prides itself on being a thoughtful organization, and is committed to being responsive to those we represent in the creative community,” said Neil Portnow, its president/CEO said in a statement. “Wednesday, there’s an opportunity for us to effect historic change in attitudes and practices within our industry. We embrace that opportunity in full. With a leader like Tina at the helm and a group of such high caliber, this task force is primed to have a meaningful impact on building a music community that is inclusive, welcoming, and open to all.”