Recording Academy Unveils Diverse New Member Class of 2020
Including Victoria Monét, Kiana Ledé, John Legend and more.
Just days after announcing its partnership with Color of Change, the Recording Academy has unveiled its member class of 2020. The 2,300 invitees include established music professionals from different backgrounds, genres and disciplines.
The Academy provided specific statistics of the list’s demographics: 48 percent female, 21 percent African American/African descent, eight percent Hispanic, and three percent Asian American and Pacific Islander. According to the company, its current membership is “26 percent female and 25 percent from traditionally underrepresented communities.” Harvey Mason Jr., Chair and Interim President/CEO of the Recording Academy, said in a statement:
“We are proud of the strides we’ve made toward ensuring our membership is diverse and inclusive, which is reflected within this new pool of invitees. While this progress signifies a meaningful impact, there’s still more work to be done. We’ll continue to fight to achieve inclusive representation across gender, race, age, national origin, sexual orientation, and beyond within our community. Furthermore, we’re excited to see how the contributions of the incoming new member class will help inspire meaningful change within the music industry.”
In celebration of this initiative, Grammy.com‘s Editor-in-Chief Justin Dwayne Joseph hosted a virtual discussion on June 24 titled, “Your Academy: Welcoming the 2020 New Member Class.” The Zoom call featured members Victoria Monét, Kiana Ledé, John Legend and more, who all talk about the Academy’s new invitees and the future of the music industry.
Watch the full conversation above and head on over the Recording Academy’s website for more information.
