Born of the collective frustration of a lifetime of conversations on the inequitable treatment of Black people in a music industry built on the blood, sweat and tears of Black music practitioners, professionals and creatives, Breaking Down Racial Barriers (BDRB) was initiated as a community roundtable series on anti-Black racism in the Canadian music industry.

Precipitated and catalyzed by the combination of the racial reckoning created by the Black Lives Matter movement, the police killing of George Floyd and the viral impact of #BlackOutTuesday, BDRB set out to conduct meaningful conversations leading to actionable, measurable solutions to anti-Black racism in the Canadian music industry.

CIMA (The Canadian Independent Music Association) commissioned the report - “Breaking Down Racial Barriers: Anti-Black Racism in the Canadian Music Industry (Volume 1)” -to summarize the findings of the Breaking Down Racial Barriers Roundtable Series (2020).

It provides a snapshot of anti-Black racism in the Canadian music industry, the spaces in which it proliferates and persists, and it's systemic, systematic and institutional causes. Finally, it provides recommendations to be implemented by individuals, corporations, and organizations seeking to combat inequity.

The report provides a synopsis and executive summary of recommendations based on the 10-part BDRB roundtable discussions. and tenets of the BDRB Declaration (June 2021)

Report Date: July 2021

Public Release Date: Feb 28th 2022

Authored by: Ian Andre Espinet. [BDRB]