Noelle Scaggs | Advocate Now

"With everything that was really going on over the pandemic, and really looking at communities of color and the hardships that we face, I really kind of started to think about my career and what I could offer that I felt would have more impact than me just being angry," she tells Sonia Baghdady of Advocate Now.

Scaggs shares that throughout her career, she was "often the only woman of color in a space," as the music industry tends to favor white men. To rectify this, Diversify the Stage maintains an online directory that guides booking agents and touring managers find diverse candidates, both on- and offstage.

"I really wanted to look at the behind-the-scenes realm," Scaggs explains. "and how we can really look at the next generation of talent and start lifting them up in these sectors of the industry that do need support."

DTS also runs an apprenticeship program, which assist college students with breaking into the industry. Though Scaggs did not have the resources when she was beginning her career, she shares that the programs have still benefitted her by encouraging her own hiring practices, and giving her the confidence to continue pushing the needle.

"It's encouraged me to speak," she says, continuing, "I'm looking [at] more diverse places and more folks to contribute to the work that I'm doing. And creating DTS gave me the confidence and the ability to verbalize that."

Scaggs adds: "If there were people listening to me as an artist, a musician, maybe they would listen to my background and my experiences."

For more interviews like these, watch Advocate Now on The Advocate Channel.