Country Music Association Quietly Changes Race Criteria For ‘Diversity & Inclusion’ Fellowship

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The Country Music Association (CMA) revised its “Diversity & Inclusion” fellowship website to clarify that it will not consider race as an eligibility factor after a federal complaint alleged the eligibility requirements violated students’ civil rights.

The fellowship was originally “designed to provide collegiate BIPOC students with an immersive experience in the Country Music industry,” according to an archived version of its website. The paragraph was later changed to clarify that the program is open to all eligible students regardless of race.

“CMA is proud to introduce its inaugural Diversity & Inclusion Fellowship, a program designed to provide collegiate students with an immersive experience in the Country Music industry,” the current website reads.

A line was added to the fellowship’s application to clarify that it “is open to all applicants and students from underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to apply.” University of Alabama, University of Tennessee Knoxville and Belmont University students who are of junior or senior status are eligible to apply regardless of race, and must be majoring in “public relations, advertising, journalism, business or a related field.

Mark Perry, Do No Harm senior fellow and University of Michigan emeritus professor, filed a complaint against the CMA fellowship Jan. 10 with the United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. He alleged that it violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits race-based discrimination.

In Response to My Title VI complaint and media attention @CountryMusic Scrubbed Its Website and Application to Remove the Word BIPOC, and Opened the Program to All Students, Including Whites https://t.co/p1Irz8EuQr https://t.co/30Gwd5HwPH @LegInsurrection @FoxNews @Tennessean

— Mark J. Perry (@Mark_J_Perry) February 13, 2023

“When universities like Alabama, Tennessee and Belmont accept Federal financial assistance, they are legally required to actively enforce all federal anti-discrimination laws including Title VI (prohibits race-based discrimination) and Title IX (prohibits sex-based discrimination),” Perry previously told the DCNF. “These universities must regularly certify to the Department of Education that they are not allowing any sex-based or race-based discrimination to take place on their campuses.”

Accepted applicants will partake in an “immersive experience in the Country Music industry” by working alongside the CMA’s communication team ahead of the CMA Fest scheduled for June 8-11, 2023, according to the application. After, fellows will “take part in a six-week assignment with a Country Music publicity partner” to gain hands-on experience and be matched with a mentor.

Perry, CMA, University of Alabama, University of Tennessee Knoxville and Belmont University did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.

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