Favorite Parts Of Working In The Music And Entertainment Industry As A DEI Manager
Tamura, a DEI Manager at SoundCloud, appreciates the music industry's diverse and accepting environment, contrasting it with previous experiences in "white Corporate America" where Tamura felt they had to "wear a mask." The most rewarding aspect of their DEI work is "connecting with folks" and discovering shared experiences, fostering a sense of community that Tamura hadn't anticipated.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), Music Entertainment Industry, Networking, Community Building, Authenticity in the Workplace
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Tamura Davis
DEI Manager
SoundCloud Inc
Loyola Marymount University
N/A
Business Management & Admin
Arts, Entertainment & Media, Technology
Human Resources (HR)
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Greek Life Member, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Tamura's experience highlights the diverse and inclusive nature of the music industry, contrasting it with her previous corporate role. This offers valuable insight for students considering careers where they can be their authentic selves.
2. The interview emphasizes the strong sense of community and networking opportunities within the DEI field. This is a key takeaway for students interested in building connections and collaborating with like-minded individuals.
3. Tamura's enjoyment of connecting with people and finding common ground through shared experiences is a significant aspect of her work. This speaks to the interpersonal and collaborative nature of DEI roles, which could be appealing to students.
Transcript
What do you enjoy most about being in your industry?
In terms of the music and entertainment industry, I'd say it's filled with creative people and individuals from various lifestyles and walks of life. I came from a very different industry, a very white, corporate American company.
For a while, I was the only Black person in my office, or one of very few. Now, I'm in this industry where I see other Black people, more women, and just people from different backgrounds in general. I'm surrounded by all these different faces and learning that we have more in common than I might have thought.
What I enjoy about this industry is that I don't have to wear a mask. I can show up to work as my true self, without walking on eggshells or feeling like I have to act or say things a certain way. I really enjoy that.
Everyone is just a lot more chill. It's definitely a hustle, driven environment with a lot of creative, smart people. I haven't been in this music and entertainment industry for a long time, so I'm just loving it. I don't know if I'm in the "cupcake and stage" phase still, but I'm loving it so far.
Even in the DEI space, what I enjoy most is connecting with people. We have more commonalities, and it feels like we're sharing the same issues we're going through at our company. Making connections and networking with people is just a community. I didn't even know that was out there until I got into DEI.