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Backline Partners With Black Mental Health Alliance
– Backline + BMHA
Backline – the nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting music industry professionals and families with mental health and wellness resources – is partnering with the Black Mental Health Alliance – which has been working to provide mental health resources, programs and services for Black people since 1984 – to combine their educational tools and resources.
Both organizations will work together to develop educational curriculums, workshops, PSAs, livestream content, social media campaigns, and website services.
As a part of the partnership, the two organizations are conducting a survey to distribute throughout the music industry to better offer support, resources, referrals, workshops and trainings.
This partnership is part of Backline’s stated commitment to trying to support Black, Indigenous and People Of Color (BIPOC) in the Industry. Some of the trainings conducted by backline will cover systemic racism and racial microagressions in the music industry, and barriers that prevent access to care in BIPOC communities.
Nadia Prescher, President of Madison House, also works closely with Backline, telling Pollstar in 2020: “This global crisis has hit the entertainment industry hard, especially those who were already living paycheck to paycheck,” says Prescher. “A few organizations that are doing key work in this area are Backline, MusiCares To Write Love On Her Arms and there are many more. Find them and support them, because we need them, especially now.”
Sara Bollwinkel of Paradigm Talent Agency also recently told Pollstar Backline has been an incredible resource for her during the pandemic.
“Backline.care – a nonprofit organization that connects industry professionals and their families with mental health and wellness resources,” Bollwinkel told Pollstar when asked what helped her get through the pandemic. “This is a resource that I use, that my family uses, and that I have recommended to many artists and industry professionals. I cannot say enough good things about Backline!”