Lindsay Ell To Receive CCMA’s Gary Slaight Music Humanitarian Award

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Lindsay Ell is the Canadian Country Music Association’s 2024 recipient of the Gary Slaight Music Humanitarian Award for her achievements with The Make You Movement fund, in addition to her advocacy work and support for sexual assault survivors and the LGBTQ2SIA+ community.

After bravely coming forward with news of her own sexual assault with the 2020 release of “Make You,” Ell launched The Make You Movement, a charitable fund dedicated to raising money for organizations providing support for disenfranchised youth, specifically focusing on survivors of sexual trauma and domestic abuse. With Ell galvanizing friends and fans from all over the world to contribute, the fund has received donations in excess of $33,000. The Community Fund of Middle Tennessee, which manages The Make You Movement, recently confirmed that her international giving ranks among the highest of their more than 1,600 donors.

Ell’s commitment to advocacy extends to her long-time support of the Nashville Sexual Assault Center, where she recently spoke on behalf of the organization’s Safe Tracks Bystander Intervention Training program, launched in 2023 and designed specifically for the music industry. She continues to use her platform to boost donation opportunities through her appearances, spending time in Calgary working with the Woods Homes Foundation, contributing to the Rainbow Railroad and The Glenn Gould Foundation and working with organizations like RAINN and Youth For Tomorrow to raise much needed funds. Ell has also worked with The CMA Foundation as an Artist Ambassador, ACM Lifting Lives, Notes for Notes and St. Jude’s Country Cares program.

“Lindsay’s courage in sharing her own story to help others is truly inspiring,” says Amy Jeninga, President, CCMA. “She consistently uses her platform to advocate for those in need, and her dedication to making a positive change in the world makes her incredibly deserving of this honour. We look forward to celebrating her and her amazing work in Edmonton this September.”

“I think one of the most important responsibilities of artists is to use their platforms for good, to do everything they can to change the world or at least make it better for those whose voices aren’t always heard,” says Ell. “I’m so proud of what we have accomplished through The Make You Movement and know that this is just the beginning. Thank you to both The Slaight Family and the CCMA for inspiring this community to dig deep and help where we can with the creation of this award. I promise to continue this work with both passion and dedication.”

“Lindsay Ell’s remarkable contributions to improving the lives of countless individuals both in Canada and around the world is commendable,” shares Slaight, President and CEO of The Slaight Family Foundation. “The Slaight Family Foundation has always prioritized giving back to those in need as a fundamental human responsibility, and we wholeheartedly support Lindsay’s dedication to this mission. Her outstanding work with The Make You Movement and other charitable organizations truly merits this Humanitarian Award, and I extend my heartfelt congratulations to her.”

The 2024 Slaight Music Humanitarian Award will be presented to Ell during a private industry event as part of Country Music Week 2024, taking place Sept. 11-14 in Edmonton, Alberta.

Lorie Hollabaugh
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