Black Lives in Music (BLiM) is launching the Rest Salon, an online space for Black Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent professionals and music creatives, taking place on 26th March at 4.30pm. Sign-up is free. The Rest Salon aims to provide a space for peer support, reflection, and connection without the need for codeswitching or masking.
The initiative follows the publication of Unseen and Unheard, a report and podcast series released in June 2023 by BLiM and Attitude is Everything. The series examined the barriers faced by Black Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent professionals and creatives in the music industry. The Rest Salon is part of a wider effort to address these challenges and foster a supportive environment.
The sessions will be hosted by Eve Horne in partnership with BLiM and Attitude is Everything. Horne brings over 20 years of experience as a singer, songwriter and producer. As a mixed-race, gay, single parent from a council estate with Autism and ADHD, her diverse background informs her work as an advocate and leader in the music industry. She is the founder of We Are The Unheard CIC, an organisation dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices and promoting gender equality in music. A qualified sound engineer and Native Instruments Certified Specialist, she made history as the first person of colour to be shortlisted for the Music Producers Guild’s Breakthrough Producer of the Year award.
BLiM was founded in 2020 by Charisse Beaumont and Roger Wilson to promote a fairer, more inclusive music industry. The organisation provides advocacy, mentoring and partnerships to support Black and ethnically diverse musicians, working towards an industry where everyone can thrive.