Blog Post Case Study:
Alicia Keys announces launch and partnership with NFL on Billion-dollar Fund.
By: Keresha Donaldson, September 13, 2020
As 2020 unfolds, our nation is met with the reality of a global pandemic and social unrest following the recent George Floyd murder re-sparking protest for CHANGE in social justice and police reform. Hearing the loud calls for change we are seeing American celebrities stand up and use their platforms to assist. One of those Americans to respond with action to that call is, Alicia Keys’, with her announcement of launching a $1 Billion-dollar endowment fund to support black-owned businesses and communities. Mrs. Keys emphasized her reason to perform at the NFL 2020 season kickoff event. The songstress elaborates in an interview and open letter with Billboard her passion behind the fund and partnering with National Football League on it. In the open letter, Mrs. Keys eloquently uses her voice to dispel any uninformed critique of her decisions to work with the NFL on this particular fund.
*Photo By Milan Zrnic / Billboard.com
“We are already seeing the blatant injustices that are going on around us,” Keys writes in an open letter to Billboard. “As an artist, I’m always thinking about how I can use my platform to further racial equity. This fund is one of the answers and our goal is to empower Black America through investing in Black businesses, Black investors, institutions, entrepreneurs, schools, and banks in a way to create sustainable solutions.”
Alicia Keys is among the various artists including (Jay-Z and Gabrielle Union) “Black Artist” partnering with major organizations and brands during the current global social climate to “press for change”. Since a movement or change cannot happen in this modern time unless the nation and even global collective have a stake in the change, it becomes imperative for today’s pluralistic society to get actively involved in such a project. This includes tweeting about it, creating memes, providing press coverages, and laying out a general buzz amongst the masses for a message to be heard. By implementing such a significant strategy, calls to action may be well established.
When thinking of the best way to invoke change or make an announcement I like to ponder on the philosophy, “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound“?Some may answer no and others yes. Why leave it up to interpretation when one can ensure that the sound is heard and PRESS for a change! Alicia’s interview with Billboard and sharing an open letter ensured that the world (at least Billboard’s readers) will not only hear about her fund; however, individuals will have a deeper understanding of her conceptual framework in regarding launching the fund! After months of social unrest, protest, and a few local law enforcement policy changes, Alicia answered the need to take action with her NFL partnership. As Complex explains “The NFL’s involvement comes as the league continues to try and right its wrongs in wake of Colin Kaepernick’s national anthem protest. When considering a partnership, it is vital to consider the correlation between an individual and an entity as both party’s values and namesake are open for public opinion and the community at large. This partnership is critically beneficial to both the NFL and Alicia Keys since these movements have persuaded society to actively participate in this transformation of her vision.
On September 10th, the NFL launched its 2020 season with a bold and righteous campaign and theme of, “It Takes ALL Of US”, declaring the NFL as the microcosm of America. In understanding and recognizing the weight, impact, and influence the NFL has in America, Mrs. Keys made the complex decision to not only partner with the NFL on her fund but to utilize the breadth and depth of the national football league’s viewership audience with a performance of her hit song “Love Looks Better” and others. A good deal of her fan base may initially want to have raised eyebrows at this partnership giving the NFL’s initial reaction to Colin Kaepernick’s 2016 kneeling protest and him being sub sequentially blacklisted from the league when trying to bring about change in his own right. However, irrefutably with her most powerful tool, her words, she explains “My initial reaction was to decline because of some of the NFL’s past decisions. Yet I realized I HAVE to use my platform, we all need to use our platforms, every chance we get to press for racial equity,”. Additionally, Jay-Z’s Roc Nation — which manages Keys – also made 2019 partnership announcement on its social justice initiatives through the League’s Inspire Change nonprofit, among other initiatives. It makes sense that Mrs. Keys would build upon the relationship and connection to change that Roc Nation strategically created with the NFL. Unfortunately for Jay-Z, at the time of his announcement the urgency for action was not as prevalent which resulted in skepticism. Even despite what Sean “Jay-Z” Carter said in a press release regarding the above-mentioned partnership recognizing “global reach, the National Football League has the platform and opportunity to inspire change across the country,”. He was met with typical differing public opinions and criticism of his motives and effectiveness in bringing about social justice through NFL partnership. In hindsight, Roc Nation’s partnership would become the perfect ally – hoop for Alicia.
A little more than a year later, Alicia’s partnership with the NFL seems to be the obvious symbiotic approach in moving change forward. Building off what Jay-Z was criticized for doing; partnering with a global brand to magnify individual platforms to promote respective change initiatives. One may ask the critical question of what makes this partnership different from the other collaborative efforts, like the Roc Nation partnership. According to evidence-based practice, Jay-Z has already built a healthy connection with the NFL and the community at large. Therefore, it is crucial to agree that Keys’ idea to orchestrate a similar global platform may result in real changes. From the information given this fund can cause or create a global impact if used effectively. I think that Alicia’s return to the NFL stage and subsequent work of her $1 Billion-dollar endowment fund to help support the Black community on multiple levels is not only strategically appealing; it is a clever way to express and obtain success in her purpose. Especially, when a person considers all the contexts surrounding the current state of the union.
America is extremely divided on racial issues that in my personal opinion is unacceptable. Nevertheless, an action plan must be executed for Mrs. Keys’ burning desire to come to fruition. And that is exactly what Alicia is aiming to do with her fund. Her task commitment in this mission is to simply do just that – unite America! Whether people like to admit it or not change does not happen unless individuals make noise either via protest, boycotts, fundraising, social media campaigns, et cetera. and integrating a mass production of noise using “microcosm of America” – the NFL’s platform to share a message and call to action is brilliant!
Just Keresha 
