The Beatport Group announces awardees of second annual Diversity + Parity Fund – Dancing Astronaut

The Beatport Group has announced the recipients of its second annual Diversity + Parity Fund, designed to support organizations that focus on underrepresented groups and promote diversity within the music industry. Grant awards totaling $150,000 will be distributed to this year’s awardees, Change The Beat, Last Night A DJ Saved My Life, ONE OFF TRAKS, Other Village People, Saffron, and We Are Moving The Needle.

“The electronic music community is filled with vibrant groups of creative people who want to
make our industry and world better,” said Sofia Ilyas, Chief Community Officer of The Beatport
Group. “The recipients of our second annual Diversity + Parity Fund exemplify the spirit of
positive change, and it is our hope that their endeavors will resonate in powerful ways across
our industry.”

The organizations selected as recipients of the Diversity + Parity Fund grants represent a broad range of initiatives, including festivals, conferences, writing camps, and queer film screenings. Over the next year, The Beatport Group will support each recipient with strategy, community outreach, editorial and social media support, and more, as it did for its past recipients, Future Female Sounds, Lady Of The House, and #FORTHEMUSIC.

Learn more about this year’s change makers championed by the 2023 Diversity + Parity Fund:

Change the Beat – Canada
Founded by Sydney Blu, Change the Beat (23by23) has been at the forefront of transforming
the music landscape since its inception in December 2021. With 500 members joining their
vibrant community and over 50 brand new female, trans, and non-binary artists recognized and
rewarded for their contributions, Change the Beat (23by23) is a testament to the power of
inclusivity and mentorship.

The year 2023/24 marks the commencement of Change the Beat (23by23’s) next stage—to
disseminate their message globally through a series of club events and showcases while also
adding an education/mentorship chapter. They will also continue their monthly remix contests
partnering with top independent dance labels and signing new artists on a monthly basis.
“Change the Beat” events will take center stage in nightclubs and festival stages, and feature
top-tier headliners and accomplished alumni, all with the goal of spotlighting the music cultivated
through their program.

Last Night A DJ Saved My Life – United Kingdom
The Last Night A DJ Saved My Life foundation, founded by Jonny Lee, stands as one of the
electronic music industry’s leading charities. Combining music and goodwill, the foundation
empowers children and young people worldwide through fundraising initiatives that support
grassroots projects, offering youth the chance to build a brighter future. In partnership with
Getaway Girls, an organization dedicated to building confidence, skills, and aspirations in young
women.
The grant will allow the foundation’s Get Equipped project to focus on training 24 girls in DJing
and eight in dance music production. The project spans eight weeks, enhancing skills in a pre-existing media room in Leeds, UK DJing training equips girls to deliver a one-hour set in their chosen genre.

ONE OFF TRAKS – Australia
ONE OFF TRAKS is a cutting-edge writing camp collaboration and platform by One Day
Entertainment, Offbeat Collective, and Elefant Traks. Founded by Jannah Beth, Carolina De La
Piedra, Nazlican Eren & Minori Udea, ONE OFF TRAKS platforms women, trans, and non-binary
creatives and brings them together to create world-class songs.
This grant will ensure the continuation and growth of the writing camp in 2024. ONE OFF
TRAKS will bring together selected artists for a week-long camp as well as secure showcase
opportunities for the artists and release a mixtape from the camp. The camp includes keynote
sessions by industry leaders in A&R, sync, publishing, PR, booking, and more.

Other Village People – South Africa
Other Village People (OVP) creates transformative experiences for the LGBTQIAP2S+
communities, providing a space for liberation, self-expression, and authenticity. Founded in
2015 in Durban, South Africa by Andiswa Dlamini and Kefiloe Siwisa, OVP emerged in
response to the lack of LGBTQIAP2S+ social spaces. Under OVP’s umbrella, three queer-
centered platforms—SSS (Same Sex Saturday), Grounded, and Queertopia—have thrived.
The fund powers OVP’s newest endeavor Queertopia: a three-day festival celebrating South African
contemporary queer nightlife culture and movements. The festival platforms queer artists and
includes a multidisciplinary program led by local queer creatives and organizations.

Saffron – United Kingdom

Founded by Laura Lewis-Paul, Saffron’s mission is to advance equality in music tech by carving
out safer, inclusive spaces for those underrepresented in the sector. Saffron’s transformative
initiative represents a significant stride toward catalyzing inclusivity and dynamism within the
music tech and electronic music industries.
Saffron will empower 20 Black creatives in the UK through community building, peer-to-peer
knowledge sharing, and learning opportunities. The 20 participants of the project will be
selected through an open call, welcoming applications from all Black women, trans, and
nonbinary individuals aspiring to advance their careers in the music industry. With Saffron’s
unique expertise as a music tech community, they will particularly emphasize support for
emerging music producers, DJs, and sound engineers.

We Are Moving The Needle – United States
US-based We Are Moving The Needle (WAMTN), founded in 2021 by GRAMMY-winning and
eight-time nominated mastering engineer Emily Lazar, is radically reshaping the future of the recording industry through a lens of gender equity and inclusivity.
Presented by We Are Moving The Needle, the In CTRL symposium is poised to break down
barriers and convene excellence. The gathering brings together leading artists, engineers,
producers, songwriters, and entrepreneurs to shape the future of the industry. In CTRL seeks to
empower industry leaders to enact change, with sessions focusing on equity and artificial intelligence, the future of labor in the industry, uplifting equity and inclusion through job placement and networking, and a celebration of diversity and equity in the music industry. The symposium will tour through Los Angeles, New York, and Nashville, bringing its message of change to key music hubs.

Tags: Change The Beat, Diversity + Parity Fund, Last Night A DJ Saved My Life, ONE OFF TRAKS, Other Village People, Saffron, The Beatport Group, We Are Moving The Needle

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