Community as a concept is understood universally; in function its possibilities are inherently dynamic. However, community becomes a necessity when it supersedes formation through common interests and is developed by way of shared experiences. The purpose of this series is to highlight the way in which queer BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) identifying individuals have preserved their art spaces during a pandemic.

In the wake of a global pandemic, it is almost universally understood that there are innumerable factors from the past year that have made it difficult to indulge in our favorite art forms. These challenges also have highlighted inequities in the arts sector that can no longer be ignored. In the face of these inequities, artists have begun prioritizing their platform to combat these barriers and to help change the arts sector for the better. The Color of Music Collective, or COMC, is an example of a group of artists/arts patrons who are aware of these inequities and, in turn, seek to use their online platform to engage and dismantle inequitable systems in the music industry. 

When asked about the origins of the Color of Music Collective, Mia Van Allen, the founder of COMC, recalled her experience as an intern working in the music industry: “As a woman of color working in the (field) it was difficult to find representation.” This experience laid the groundwork for the birth of the collective. She reached out to Carla Hendershot, the current financial director of COMC, hoping to work with someone in dismantling the barriers for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ individuals in the music industry. Mia began to understand the absence of diversity in the music industry and saw how this in and of itself was a wake-up call for her. In looking back on how her intern experience changed her, Mia told me, “I didn’t know how lacking the diversity in the music industry was until I was around 21. The fact that I didn’t realize that until so late in my career changed things for me.”

COMC is a new organization that developed last year during the pandemic—thus their experience as a collective is unique in that their programs have always been virtual with the intent of remaining as accessible as possible. During the time when the collective was finding its footing and beginning to launch, the world was shaken by the murder of George Floyd. Mia acknowledged that she did not want to use her platform to overshadow the events at the time; however, she noticed people were in search of organizations that centered the voices of groups that historically have been marginalized. Thus, she saw a need for the work COMC was preparing to do. As a result, COMC ended up launching earlier than expected with their virtual panel in June 2020, “Navigating the Job Market in the Music Industry as a Person of Color (POC) and/or LGBTQ+ Individual.” As evidenced by the title of their first panel, COMC has a unique but necessary goal in working to uplift and center the voices of queer and/or BIPOC-identifying individuals within the music industry. Mia doesn’t think there’s a timestamp on the issues of equity and inclusion changing, but she acknowledges that once her generation starts to pick things up, they’ll be able to incite more conversations around these issues.

Mia also told me she’s noticed that younger people, especially those in high school or college, have never seen a BIPOC or queer-identifying music executive—something that shocked her. In being able to provide those entering the industry with the opportunity to, at the very least, see themselves reflected in a field they’re interested in, Mia said, “These are the kinds of messages that make my team feel like we’re doing the right thing.” She then mentioned a new opportunity COMC will be offering: a master class series aimed at giving people exposure to new departments in the music business. She noted that many colleges do not have a music business entertainment program, and that in her experience she had to go out of her way to attend these types of classes during her own college career. Thus, while these will be paid events—unlike the rest of their panels—there will be a discount for college students seeking to attend.

For COMC, their panels focus not only on what is timely but also on what is not being discussed enough, such as their recent session “Challenges AAPIs Face Working in the Music Industry.” In addition, Mia mentioned how their first master class—“Deaf Inclusion in the Music Industry”—is raising conversations about accessibility for music professionals with disabilities. She said, “Not every venue pays for professional sign language [interpretation]. There’s a huge problem with accessibility for [people with disabilities] in the music industry, especially for live events.” The class was a great educating experience for those who attended and an opportunity for disabled individuals to have representation. 

You can learn more about the Color of Music Collective and the fantastic work they’re doing on their website and watch recordings of their previous panels on YouTube.