What Does Beyonce Have to do With our Mission?
What's Beyonce got to do with our mission?
Finding the Parallel Between Our Work and Beyonce's Cowboy Carter Album
Written by | ACLT Communications & Marketing Manager, Kennesha Poe-Buycks
I’ve never really been a huge Beyonce fan. *pause*
However, last year, as many Bey-hivers leveraged life savings and mortgage payments for a glimpse of the Queen’s long, illustrious bundles and to watch her work the stage, my husband and I (along with a group of friends), looked for the cheapest seats we could find to attend the concert when we heard she was coming to Seattle last fall.
As you’d imagine, with those cheap(er) seats came far-flung views of the artist currently known as Queen-Bey, but we didn’t need to be close to experience the droves of folks who came from far and wide to share in the experience.
She kicked the night off with a ballad from one of her first independent albums and sitting there, in the nosebleeds, it hit me. From the hype of the concert as Bey toured the globe and the unifying moments that happened for many of us as we glared into social media following hashtag after hashtag and watching performance after performance – it hit me.
Each of us, no matter our specific journeys, were there to affirm, that we were just as committed as we always have been or to find out if the exorbitant ticket prices, outfit exchanges and expectations would culminate in that one serendipitous confirmation of it all being worth it. As her voice began to project throughout the arena, one thing became apparent – not only was it worth it, but – we were committed.
The location of our seats and their proximity to the stage became inconsequential as we melted under the trancing sound of her voice.
If you’ve kept even a casual eye on pop culture recently, chances are you’ve come across some of the lively discussions and in-depth critiques of Beyoncé’s latest album.
While we cannot yet boast millions of fans knocking down our doors, wearing our merch or showing up in droves just to hear us speak of the opportunities for them to tap into efforts to provide Seattle’s Black communities with equitable access to affordable housing, one thing’s for sure – our passion for our mission is just as, if not more unwavering. Our dedication might not come with the glitz and the glam of a Beyoncé concert, but the heart and the drive is all there.
Released on March 29, this album – Cowboy Carter, has garnered millions of streaming views earning the most-first day streams of a country album by a female artist on Amazon. Additionally, Beyonce is now officially the first Black woman to top the Billboard country chart with not only one, but two singles.
After giving Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album a good few listens, I must say, it’s been stuck on repeat in my head and not just the sounds or because it’s topping charts. As I continue to listen and take in every message , poetic summary and inuendo nodding back to ancestral through lines making lyrically harmonious bridges to current Black culture, ingenuity and expressions, I find undeniable connection between what Beyonce is laying down in her latest tracks and the work that we are doing for, by and with community.
Like those committed fans, here at ACLT, we too are committed.
While we cannot yet boast millions of fans knocking down our doors, wearing our merch or showing up in droves just to hear us speak of the opportunities for them to tap efforts to provide Seattle’s Black communities with equitable access to affordable housing, one thing’s for sure – our passion for our mission is unwavering. Our dedication might not come with the glitz and the glam of a Beyoncé concert, but the heart and the drive is all there.
As she mixes melodies with messages, celebrating Black culture with beautiful resilience and creative innovation, this album and her work unintentionally nod to what we also hope to channel. In our own way, we are laying down the tracks of legacy by building opportunities to ensure our community’s voice is heard loud and clear. With every affordable housing project we launch, every community event we organize, we release another ‘single’ into the world, hoping it hits the charts. Our ‘albums’ might not break streaming records, but they’re breaking barriers, opening doors, and creating real change.
When I think about that concert back in the fall and her general following, Beyoncé’s fans show up for her because they believe in what she stands for; they see themselves in her songs. Similarly, we want our community to see themselves in our work—not just as beneficiaries but as co-creators of their destiny. We continue to center our work around the understanding that in order to truly build a Seattle that includes our Black communities, we must focus on collaborating, listening, and building together. In doing so, we ensure that every project we undertake is a reflection of the community’s needs, visions and aspirations.
So, as I sit here, looping Cowboy Carter for the 50-11th time, I’m reminded that our work at ACLT and Beyoncé’s artistry share more than just a common thread of commitment. We are both about using our platforms to uplift, to inspire, to entertain and to spark change. Beyonce does it with her music; we do it with our mission.
There’s no doubt, Beyonce is making history, but we’re making our own history here in Seattle – working tirelessly to ensure that the Black community not only survives but thrives. It’s no small task, but if Beyoncé’s taught us anything, it’s that no stage is too big, no crowd too tough, and no goal too far out of reach.
When speaking of the inspiration for Cowboy Carter, Beyonce is quoted as saying that the album “was born out of the experience that I had a few years ago when I did not feel welcomed.”
We continue to make space and remove barriers to provide the necessary opportunities for our communities to not only live, but to thrive and feel more welcomed and included in a city and region that has made many a promise to support this goal.
If you believe in what we stand for, will you join us?
Consider joining our mission to bring affordable housing and economic fortitude to Seattle’s Black communities today by giving to our programs and projects that are helping to build the inclusive Seattle we want to see.
