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Black Women in Opera, LLC (B.W.I.O.) seeks to highlight the past and present achievements of Black opera singers. I founded the business to be what I needed as a young opera singer. I quit singing after finishing my degree in music because I felt out… Black Women in Opera, LLC (B.W.I.O.) seeks to highlight the past and present achievements of Black opera singers. I founded the business to be what I needed as a young opera singer. I quit singing after finishing my degree in music because I felt out of place in the opera world. Because history neglects the contributions of Black opera performers, directors, administrators, and patrons, Black singers can feel like outsiders. B.W.I.O. fills in the gap by sharing the history of Black opera. We even go a step further by sharing the present history makers in opera. B.W.I.O. uses social media and online community to encourage and support young Black opera singers.
In the midst of a pandemic, B.W.I.O. hosted the inaugural BWIO Fest, which brought together over 100 opera singers and opera lovers. This virtual conference allowed seasoned opera singers to share their wealth of knowledge with new and emerging artists. We had panel discussions on career planning, education in opera, and business owners of opera. Our highlight was having the world's top opera singer Angel Joy Blue serve as our keynote speaker.
In 2021, we hosted an educational recital to highlight the history of Black opera in Washington, DC and showcased DC's brightest stars. Hosting recitals and virtual conferences allows me to put money into the pockets of Black singers especially during this difficult time. On our instagram account, we share videos of singers, create original content for specific communities within Black opera, and engage with opera lovers. Our newest project Legacy of Royalty tells the story of Black women in opera's history while sharing inspiration for younger singers. In addition to creating content and offering resources to opera singers, we sell merchandise that promotes a sense of pride among Black opera singers.
Our business is all about creating a strong community and stronger Black opera singers. The opera industry cannot thrive in its present state of exclusive homophobic, racist, transphobic, ableist, and other xenophobic behaviors that limit the vastness of what opera can be. Black Women in Opera, LLC (B.W.I.O.) disturbs that narrative by sharing a fuller history of opera and encouraging a new generation of Black opera singers.