As the leading non-profit devoted to providing a platform for women in the music industry, Women in Music, Inc. (WIM) remains dedicated to educate, support, empower and recognize women from the business and performance sides of the music; and its Atlanta chapter is no different.
A membership-based organization based in New York City, WIM welcomed its Atlanta chapter in 2017. The establishment of the organization in Atlanta was spearheaded by singer and songwriter Hadley Poole.
The Atlanta-native says that she simply wanted to “help shine a light on the talented women in Atlanta.”
“There are so many incredible women empowering the music scene here, such as Michele Caplinger, Tammy Hurt, Jan Smith, Joncier Rienecker and Kesha Lee,” Poole said.
As an exclusive members-only discussion featuring Shanti Das, founder and executive director of Silence the Shame, attendees will talk about the significance of mental health and the music industry.
Moreover, in a published report called “Inclusion in the Recording Studio?”, written by Professor Stacy L. Smith and
the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, only 12.3 percent of the 600 most popular songs of the last six years were written by women, and only 2 percent of producers across 300 songs were women.
These statistics confirm the fact that women are drastically outnumbered in the music industry by men, which is one of the reasons that WIM was founded back in 1985.
The organization says that its mission is to “advance the awareness, equality, diversity, heritage, opportunities, and cultural aspects of women in the musical arts through education, support, empowerment, and recognition.”
There are male members in WIM. In addition, more than 100 volunteers work daily to serve the mission of WIM. The organization also consists of more than 5,000 international members. Membership ranges from women who are students to seasoned industry veterans.
Some of the corporate members who support the WIM initiative include: Universal Music Group, Nielsen Holdings PLC, Fox Rothschild LLP, Broadcast Music, Inc., The Society of European Stage Authors and Composers (SESAC), Reservoir Records, CD Baby, Inc., Cosynd, Inc., and The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers.
With Poole as the residing chapter chair of WIM Atlanta, the organization has become one of 13 chapters in five countries providing resources through networking opportunities, seminars, panels, showcases, achievement awards, and youth initiatives in the city throughout the year.
Poole’s decision to bring WIM to Atlanta came after serving as a board member and co-chair of events for WIM New York from 2007 to 2011.
“I felt the power and sense of community from Women in Music New York. So when I came back to home city Atlanta, I thought, ‘man let’s see what we can do with Atlanta,” Poole said.
With a leadership team headed by Poole, the organization has succeeded in producing monthly newsletters and events that highlight its members and their activities.
WIM Atlanta’s events have become one of its staples, consisting of WIM Atlanta Presents Creators Night, WIM Atlanta presents Music Publishing 101, WIM Atlanta Members-Only Happy Hour, WIM Atlanta presents Creators Night, Celebrating Atlanta’s Leading Ladies in Music, and the WIM Atlanta Forum.
“We look forward to not only continuing to shine a light on these incredible women and others but also to start connecting the dots within the entertainment community as a whole,” Poole said.
Currently, the organization is getting ready for its Brunch With a Purpose event which will be held Saturday, March 23rd at The Gathering Spot. This will be WIM Atlanta’s first event for 2019.
However, the organization is also interested in developing one-on-one mentoring for women looking to break
into the music industry.
Poole says that her leadership team plans to foster the community from artists to executives, in hopes of creating opportunities to connect the local entertainment community as a whole.
“I think the sky is the limit. Atlanta is an iconic city and I think we have only scratched the surface in telling the story of what talent and incredible people are here,” Poole said.
“From the music scene to the film and TV scene, the music tech, and gaming scene, there is such an inspiring and powerful community here.”
To learn about additional upcoming events for WIM Atlanta, and how to sign up for monthly newsletters, follow the WIM Atlanta social media platforms, or visit www.womeninmusic.org/wim-atlanta.
