FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NOW-NYC calls for accountability

New York–NOW-NYC and its allies (listed below) organized a protest earlier this week at Sony’s US headquarters in Manhattan to pressure the global corporation and its subsidiary RCA Records to sever ties with R. Kelly. The group presented RCA with a “Record Label of Shame Award,” for shamelessly ignoring years of public outcry and advocacy.

“R. Kelly is the music industry’s Harvey Weinstein. There’s no turning back. The reckoning has begun, and the music industry and it’s players–from producers, artists and company execs–are all now on notice,” said Sonia Ossorio, President of the National Organization for Women – New York City. “The abuse of Black women and girls must be taken seriously and not devalued and ignored,” Ossorio said. “R. Kelly is out, but the executives who protected and enabled him haven’t been held accountable.”

NOW-NYC worked with advocates from Black Women’s Blueprint, Care2, Color of Change, CREDO, Girls for Gender Equity,  #MuteRKelly, and UltraViolet to raise awareness and prevent R. Kelly from using his influence and status to target, abuse, control, and assault Black girls with impunity. Ossorio said, “This must continue to reverberate so that all Black women and girls who have stepped forward to say #MeToo are heard.”

For press inquiries contact: 212.627.9895