rampd.org

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO RAMPD:
RECORDING ARTISTS AND MUSIC PROFESSIONALS WITH DISABILITIES

WHAT IS RAMPD? RAMPD (Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities) is a fast-growing coalition dedicated to making disability inclusion and access a reality in the mainstream music industry. It was founded in May of 2021 by award-winning recording artist and advocate Lachi after a public talk between the Recording Academy and several disabled artists revealed that there is a serious lack of visibility, access, and representation for professional disabled artists.

Co-founder and internationally acclaimed touring artist and speaker Gaelynn Lea — along with a team of esteemed founding members — put out a call through RAMPD for artists, music professionals, and allies to sign up for pre-launch. RAMPD received hundreds of responses; proof the time is now to amplify disabled music professionals. Demonstrating what accessibility and inclusion looks like in the real world, RAMPD meets with leaders from top music firms, labels, publishers, and nonprofits, forging visionary partnerships that will forever advance the industry.

IS DISABILITY A FORM OF DIVERSITY? RAMPD believes disability is a completely natural form of human diversity that touches almost everyone. 1 in 4 Americans will experience disability at some point in their lifetime. RAMPD is working to shift how artists with disabilities are perceived in the music industry — moving away from inspirational tokenism towards competent and competitive professionals who deserve respect and recognition in their chosen field.

WHAT IS DISABILITY CULTURE? RAMPD is committed to elevating Disability Culture, which is “a celebration of people who identify as disabled, while acknowledging the vast diversity of the disability experience and each person’s inherent and equal worth. It is unapologetic, creative, innovative, adaptable, imaginative, and rooted in problem-solving. It is based on the premise that disability needs to be seen, respected, included and celebrated. It includes our worldviews, our perspectives, our contributions, our art, our words, and our music. Disability Culture, at least in part, is a vibrant and thriving counter-response to the exclusion, marginalization, and oppression historically and currently experienced by many disabled individuals.”

AM I A GOOD FIT FOR RAMPD? Any interested music professional, recording artist, or ally is encouraged to sign up here to join our mailing list and receive free Community Membership. If you are a disabled person working in the music industry, make sure to check “yes” to the mailing list and you’ll receive a notification for Professional Membership when the application process opens!

Music organizations and firms seeking to better amplify Disability Culture, accessibility, and representation within your work, please reach out about potential partnerships here: contact@rampd.org. Join the RAMPD Revolution and together we can make the music industry more welcoming, diverse, and accessible for professionals with disabilities.