Industry Leaders to Explore Impact of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Exclusive Event Series on Music Industry
The music industry is undergoing a significant transformation, with a renewed focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) following the murder of George Floyd in 2020. This transformation is set to be showcased in the LA Sounds Now series, a weekly event held live in Lani Hall theater on Monday evenings this fall.
The series, co-moderated by Eileen Strempel, the Inaugural Dean of the Herb Alpert School of Music, and Arturo O'Farrill, Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, will explore inspiring and impactful examples of change that weave together music, activism, and social justice.
The first event in the series kicks off on September 27, with a special edition of LA Sounds Now as part of the Still Waiting Speaker Series, hosted by the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. The talks, which take place from 6PM - 6:50PM Pacific time, are free and open to the public, both in person and via livestream.
The series features a notable group of professionals, including IDK, Tom Corson, Elissa Ayadi, Julian K. Petty, Harvey Mason Jr., Jeanette Perez, Carianne Marshall, Brandon Sharp, Dr. Maurice A. Stinnett, and others. These industry leaders will delve into the history, issues, and ongoing struggles related to EDI in the music industry.
Progress in the music industry since 2020 has included innovative collaborations and visionary dialogues, such as the 2025 Tianjin Juilliard Orchestral Symposium and Leadership Forum. This event brought together 30 organizations worldwide to explore urgent issues in music education and cultural leadership, setting new standards for inclusion and a paradigm shift in the industry.
In addition, there have been ongoing support and funding commitments to organizations focused on EDI work, as seen by initiatives like the New Commonwealth Fund's campaign to sustain and expand critical resources for diversity and inclusion programs following financial cutbacks.
The LA Sounds Now series situates these developments within a broader cultural context of anti-racist education and activism, seeing them as part of an overdue shift to visually and structurally represent historically marginalized individuals and communities within music and arts.
Visit the event series website for the schedule of events and to stay updated on the latest developments in the LA Sounds Now series. Whether you're a music enthusiast, an industry professional, or an advocate for social justice, this series promises to be an enlightening and thought-provoking exploration of the music industry's ongoing commitment to addressing racial and social inequities.
[1] https://www.juilliard.edu/news/2025-tianjin-juilliard-orchestral-symposium-and-leadership-forum [2] https://www.juilliard.edu/news/2025-26-season-programming-emphasizes-global-collaborations-technological-innovation-and-diverse-artist-showcases [3] https://www.newcommonwealthfund.org/news/2021/10/new-commonwealth-fund-announces-1-5-million-in-grants-to-support-diversity-and-inclusion-in-the-arts [4] https://www.grammy.com/news/harvey-mason-jr-named-president-ceo-of-the-recording-academy [5] https://www.kobaltmusic.com/news/jeanette-perez-named-chief-experience-officer-at-kobalt-music-group
- The LA Sounds Now series, with its focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion in the music industry, aligns with recent financial support commitments to organizations working towards these goals, such as the New Commonwealth Fund's campaign.
- The ongoing transformation in the music industry, including a renewed focus on EDI, is also evidenced in international collaborations like the 2025 Tianjin Juilliard Orchestral Symposium and Leadership Forum, which brought together organizations globally to discuss urgent issues in music education and cultural leadership.
