In this together — the not so new normal
An open letter by shesaid.so founder, Andreea Magdalina
Dear leaders, colleagues & friends,
To say the last few weeks have been turbulent seems both an over- and an understatement, given how quiet the streets have become compared to the inner chaos many of us might be feeling at the moment.
If you happen to be amongst the lucky few who can take advantage of this downtime and simply adapt to a work-from-home lifestyle, remember — you are unimaginably lucky. Others, less fortunate, have lost or are about to lose jobs, businesses, and other opportunities to bring in much needed income. Some are less than a month away from not having the ability to pay bills, others need immediate help in the next few days or sooner. Frontline workers such as nurses, doctors, grocery store cashiers, delivery clerks, or shelf assistants, are currently risking their livelihood to keep the world in motion, the ill cared for and their much needed income. Entertainment workers, particularly those who are self-employed, are likely out of work and struggling.
This is a huge hit for the economy, and for the entertainment industry in particular, in ways that will echo their impact for months and, quite possibly, years to come. It’s hard to see any silver lining to this entire situation at all, especially looking at the daily growing number of cases, and the halt that’s imposed on all economies.
The present feels like a dystopian dream, and the future doesn’t signal any brighter days. And yet, something is rising from this exceptional time at the same time. Many individuals and businesses are coming together in response to the ever evolving challenges this pandemic has brought and continues to bring, because no one can weather it alone. The amount of solidarity, collaboration and sharing I’ve witnessed in the last two weeks alone is staggering and brings hope along with it.
We are proving ourselves that we are able to come together as the global society we truly are and respond to these unprecedented circumstances in a calm, strategic and efficient manner. If you don’t count the lack of toilet paper, pasta or rice in stores, that is. Humor aside, it’s undeniable that the private sector mobilized itself to offer support in numerous ways — from donations to relief funds set up to support frontline workers and those affected by the pandemic; free services, product and/or support; repurposed factories to produce and distribute free hand sanitizer to health authorities; and more.
Most local authorities are not equipped to deal with the current situation, which is only getting worse, and its economic effects on workers. Some governments, such as New Zealand, Denmark and Germany, reacted quickly and provided accessible solutions to their citizens. The fact that a majority of these governments have a higher number of women in power, is a fitting coincidence. No single individual, government or organisation can single-handedly fix this global crisis, however.
Communities of creatives around the world are forced to find new ways to express their artistic calling in virtual ways we were all kind of aware of but never in so much need like today. A slew of digital festivals, virtual panel discussions and 24h clubbing environments have popped up all over the Internet. A new peer-to-peer micro-economy is rising that relies on people sharing paypal and venmo details to receive support from their immediate communities. We may be physically distant but we’ve never been more connected.
To witness such levels of humanity and solidarity around the world, it’s quite emotional. And it begs the question — can we make it last? Issues such as one’s skin color or sexual preference seem so small now, compared to losing your life or causing someone else to lose theirs. Although, extremely important to highlight that the same people who are typically underrepresented in the industry, are also quite likely the people most at risk during the pandemic — at risk to be left out and not able to access the few relief options available to the music community. It’s now more crucial than ever to think and act intersectionally.
There is an undeniable feeling that we’re all in this together. Will we preserve this sense of unanimity and take it with us in everything we approach from here on? Will we develop business models and new social infrastructures, education systems and healthcare reforms that have the same shared values we do today because of COVID-19? Maybe, just maybe, the silver lining of it all is somewhere in this new future.
Times of crisis also create opportunities for real leadership to shine. The various aid provided by companies like Netflix, Spotify, Google and Facebook demonstrate they are aware of their fortunate position in the market given the new circumstances, and are willing to share some of the wealth they will be benefiting from as a result of many activities moving online — but this is not enough. The independent music community has to respond by assembling additional resources to support small businesses and freelancers with the adaptability they need to face challenges ahead. What capitalism is able to offer them/us is not enough so they/we will have to turn to each other.
At shesaid.so, we’re constantly keeping an eye on what our community tells us, and what it needs. We are especially doing that now, although this practice has always been at the center of our entire organisation. We promptly cancelled all upcoming events and started working on alternative, virtual solutions. We’re regularly sharing resources with our community, and create opportunities for them to come together and support each other. Online is our original home, after all. Whilst it’s impossible to replace IRL connection with another human, we are easily adapting by remaining the same connected community, stronger and tighter than ever. Our Italian chapter is a perfect example — within days, they were able to reschedule their week-long series of Women’s History Month events into virtual webinars attended by thousands of local members from all over Italy. On that note, thank you to all the global chapter directors who are able to make this happen so quickly despite the odds.
Last week, we soft launched a new initiative — ALLIES — where companies can join shesaid.so as corporate members and unlock membership for their female and non-binary staff, while supporting our mission and building a positive work culture. 10% of those profits will go towards a new Community Fund that will be distributed to members in our community who have been severely affected by the pandemic. Additional donations will be added to the Community Fund via private donors, both individuals and organizations. More fortunate members of our community will also be able to donate money or resources and get matched directly with a member in need via an online application process.
Quarantine is by no means a good scenario. Those who live in domestic abuse or don’t have a roof over their heads to begin with, I very much hope support is available to them. If not, and you are reading this, please reach out. The outpour of information and generosity I see online gives me hope that there is help. For those of us who are lucky and healthy at home with a whole lot of extra time on our hands all of a sudden — it has perhaps provided a chance to slow down and help others in need.
A majority of us are suffering financially — some of us will survive it, and some will be impacted severely. Regardless, we are all forced to sit still for a second and pivot our plans. And, in doing so, you quickly learn that it’s impossible not to think of the other in this exercise. Remember those individuals or organisations that cannot fight this alone? Here, too, industry stakeholders are forced to come together on a united front to collectively fight the greater enemy — event cancellations, rescheduled tours, en-masse layoffs, lost businesses and so on. The community is suffering and out of struggle come innovation, collaboration and creativity.
Let’s imagine the pandemic is over for a second. What if we could bring these same values in our decisions, actions and votes moving forward? Is this idea of togetherness really that new? If you think about it, our fight for equality and inclusion, the fight for a sustainable planet, for the right to education — these are all global issues that concern all of us. It’s unfortunate that what it took was a world pandemic for us to be reminded of how reliant we are on each other. The efficient machine we have built still depends on healthy frontline workers to farm your produce, complete deliveries, and save lives. And if they’re not there, the machine stops working and the cookie crumbles. In the same way in which, if we don’t have the media, the roadies, the interns, the production assistants, the small venues, the local promoters, the consultants, the publicists and all the other “invisible workers” who make up the music industry — if they’re not there, the music machine stops working as well.
This is why I see platforms like shesaid.so play such a crucial role in the machine that is the music industry. As both a local and a global network, we are there to listen, to support, to share and to represent you — the community — as best as we can. We are each other’s safety net. It is our duty to represent women and other minorities in the music ecosystem and ensure that their voices are heard and their experiences are represented. Please tell us how we can help you — we are here to provide support and a real sense of community. You can do so on this link.
If you’re one of the lucky ones, you may feel tempted to slip into the comfort of your own space or hide under your sheets until this is all gone and we go back to our usual fight for equal opportunity. I know I do. And every time I find myself sinking into those darker thoughts, I get reminded by small and big acts of humanity — whether that’s my friend baking me a loaf of bread last weekend, or companies repurposing their factories to make masks. One of the main ingredients that makes this all possible is the key understanding that this is a collective experience, directly or indirectly, and that by helping your neighbor you are ultimately helping yourself.
We are indeed in this together and, whilst it’s not a novel idea, I very much hope it’s one that sticks.
Do your best to help both your immediate and your global communities, if you’re in a position to. Whether you need help or you can offer help, as much as you can — it’s now more important than ever for us to show our strength as a community; to form a loud collective voice that must be heard now more than ever; to show up for each other. Be kind to yourself, too — listen to your body, take breaks when necessary and get back into it with refreshed focus when you are ready. Strengthen your mind and body however you can and equip yourself with the grit we all need to weather out these difficult times. Together, we are capable of turning this unprecedented challenge into an opportunity we will emerge stronger from.
Love, /AM
