Building an Inclusive World Together

June 26, 2024

Yamaha is dedicated to building a more inclusive society around the globe through the transformative power of music. A prime example of this is “She’s Got the Groove” (SGG), a project by Yamaha de México that empowers women in Latin America through the use of music.

The SGG project provides women with opportunities for self-expression, reassuring them that they can achieve anything they set their minds to. This experience instills confidence and enables them to embrace their potential. First launched in Mexico, this initiative has expanded its reach beyond borders, advocating for gender equality throughout Latin America.

Finding Her Voice in the Drums

Violence and discrimination against women persist in Latin America, alongside significant challenges in wage and employment disparities. Yamaha de México launched the SGG project in 2018 in response to this gender inequality issue.

Cintia Concia, one of Yamaha’s main partners in the SGG project, is a professional drummer from Argentina who now lives in Mexico. Cintia says she faced structural discrimination countless times throughout her career. She began playing the drums when she was 9 and took formal lessons from age 14. Because drums are stereotypically associated with men, her family pushed her toward more “feminine” instruments like piano or singing. Despite offering her a piano, they refused to buy her a drum set, leading her to work tirelessly for two years to purchase one herself.

In her teenage years, Cintia frequently ventured into the city to participate in jam sessions. Not only did fellow musicians look down on her because of her gender, but she also often found herself skipped over while waiting her turn to play.

“I considered alternative career paths, but music was always demanding more and more of my attention,” Cintia recalls. “Becoming a professional musician was the only path I could consider seriously.” Despite the sexism she faced, Cintia persevered in refining her skills and proved people wrong through her music. With time, her talent was recognized, and she began receiving invitations to join bands. Seeing her commitment, Cintia’s family also started to support her musical journey.

Having found her voice through the drum set, Cintia sought to extend the same empowerment to other women. In 2019 she established “Ella Sueña” (“She Dreams” in Spanish), an NGO dedicated to empowering women through music. Later, she collaborated with Yamaha to further expand the scope of her activities.

Drums Are Also for Women

Meanwhile, it was during an event that Yamaha de México noticed a significant gender gap in music.

As part of its marketing activities, the drum department frequently organizes interactive activities where people can experience playing. They set up two drums in a dealer store, with a professional drummer playing one and inviting passersby to play the other for an impromptu jam session. During one such event, the drum specialist at the time noticed that women were hesitant to join in, likely due to the stereotype associating drums with men. When Yamaha organized a women-only drumming event, many eagerly participated and discovered their interest in the instrument. This inspired the launch of “She’s Got the Groove,” a project aimed at empowering women and girls through music.

Yamaha first searched for female artists who sympathized with the project’s concept. Cintia, who had been working on her own projects through Ella Sueña for two years, immediately resonated with SGG and decided to join in. Yamaha supported Cintia with her initiatives, facilitating her visits to elementary schools to introduce girls to drumming.

Alberto Dorado, the drum specialist at Yamaha de México and leader of the projects since 2022, has been a constant collaborator with Cintia. During his time as a professional drummer, he observed numerous gender disparities in the industry. However, it was through his marriage that he became aware of the subtler yet more pervasive gender inequalities. “I came to realize that my wife faces far more obstacles in her daily life and professional endeavors compared to me,” he reflects.

Despite the hurdles presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the team persisted by expanding their outreach online. They organized events such as the “Drum Challenge,” an online music contest, and hosted virtual music events featuring female artists from eleven Latin American countries.

Cintia and Dorado are starting to see the fruits of their ongoing dedication to the SGG project. When Cintia organized her first live drumming event, only five females participated. However, in just a few years, she and the SGG team succeeded in hosting an event featuring 19 women of various ages and backgrounds. “My ultimate goal is to host an even larger event, featuring 40 famous professional drummers,” Cintia says. “I’m thrilled about the consistent progress we’re making through the SGG project and look forward to realizing even greater aspirations in the future.”

Showing Girls They Can Achieve Anything

In addition to organizing events, the SGG team dedicates time and effort into visiting elementary schools across Mexico, offering girls the opportunity to experience drumming. In one of her workshops, Cintia works with the students to create makeshift drum sets using everyday items like chairs, tables, and cans. In only 40 minutes, she teaches them how to play a well-known tune.

This activity not only introduces the girls to a strong female role model, but also assures them that they can accomplish anything. They learn that women are just as capable of playing music as men, boosting their confidence to tackle new challenges, whether in music or beyond.

“I believe drums have real power,” Cintia shares. “Usually, I’m reserved and modest, but once I’m behind the drums, I feel energy bubbling up inside me. I don’t know where it comes from, but it allows me to play loud and strong. My music shows people that women are powerful. It surprises them, but it also helps them respect us as women and be more willing to listen to our voices.”

Cintia’s journey of empowering girls is also her own path of self-discovery. “I love drumming, and it brings me so much joy to help others through it,” she says, tearing up with passion for her work. When she was younger, Cintia dreamed of becoming a star. However, what she finds most fulfilling now is using her skills and background to uplift the next generation of women. Cintia’s personal journey contributes significant momentum to the SGG project.

The team’s upcoming objective is to increase awareness of the SGG project. Dorado plans to accomplish this by partnering with more female artists like Cintia and expanding outreach to other regions across Latin America. The passion-driven “groove” that originated in Mexico is now extending its resonance beyond national borders through the efforts of Cintia and Dorado.

As we’ve seen, the “She’s Got the Groove” project empowers women through music, while the Oto-Machi Project fosters community development in Fukui, Japan. In the next article, we will delve into how these two projects, unfolding on opposite sides of the globe, contribute to building a more inclusive world. Stay tuned.

(Interviews: January 2024)

*Bios current at the time of the release of this article

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