VISION

TO ACHIEVE EQUITY IN THE MUSIC + CREATIVE INDUSTRIES.

MISSION

TO ENGAGE IN GROUNDBREAKING EQUITY RESEARCH & DATA INNOVATION, PROGRAMMING AND TRAINING WHICH WILL RESULT IN ACTIONABLE, MEASURABLE OUTCOMES AND TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON FUTURE GENERATIONS OF MUSIC + CREATIVE INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS, GLOBALLY.

MANDATE

BREAKING DOWN RACIAL BARRIERS (BDRB) IS A TORONTO-BASED 3B - BLACK-LED, BLACK-FOCUSED, AND BLACK-SERVING NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO ADDRESSING ANTI-BLACK AND SYSTEMIC RACISM IN THE CANADIAN MUSIC AND ASSOCIATED CREATIVE INDUSTRIES.

ESTABLISHED IN 2020, BDRB WAS BORN OF THE PREVAILING RACIAL UNREST OF THE PERIOD, AND IS WIDELY RECOGNIZED AS A MAJOR CATALYST IN THE NATIONAL CONVERSATION ON ANTI-BLACK, SYSTEMIC, AND INSTITUTIONAL RACISM IN THE CANADIAN MUSIC AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES.

BDRB’S MISSION IS TO ADVANCE EQUITY VIA RESEARCH AND DATA INNOVATION, PROGRAMMING, TRAINING, AND EQUITY CONSULTING IN THE MUSIC AND CREATIVE INDUSTRY, NATIONALLY. BDRB WORKS TO CREATE MUCH NEEDED PIPELINE AND INFRASTRUCTURE WHICH SUPPORTS MEMBERS OF BLACK AND SYSTEMICALLY EXCLUDED GROUPS, ENSURING THEIR INCLUSION AND SUCCESS WITHIN THE CANADIAN MUSIC AND CREATIVE SECTORS.

BDRB'S VALUE STATEMENT REFLECTS ITS COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION BASED ON OUR KEY TENETS OF EQUITY, INNOVATION, COLLABORATION, INTEGRITY, EMPOWERMENT (EICIE).

BY ADDRESSING ANTI-BLACK RACISM AND SYSTEMIC AND INSTITUTIONAL RACISM, BDRB SEEKS TO ENSURE THAT SYSTEMICALLY EXCLUDED GROUPS HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES TO SUCCEED. THE ORGANIZATION CONDUCTS EQUITY RESEARCH AND PROGRAMMING THROUGH A UNIQUELY BLACK LENS, WITH THE INTENTION OF DRIVING TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE, WHILE UPHOLDING THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF INTEGRITY AND TRANSPARENCY IN ALL INTERACTIONS. BDRB CHAMPIONS COLLABORATION AND INCLUSIVITY, WORKING CLOSELY WITH INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS AND THE BLACK PROFESSIONAL AND ARTIST COMMUNITY TO CREATE SUSTAINABLE IMPACTS. DEDICATED TO EMPOWERMENT, BDRB EQUIPS THESE INDIVIDUALS WITH THE NECESSARY TOOLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND OPPORTUNITIES TO LEAD IN A BARRIER-FREE SECTOR.