Lyndsay Cruz, who has served as govt director of the Academy of Nation Music’s Lifting Lives philanthropic arm since 2019, has stepped down.
The shift comes because the group seeks a director primarily based in Nashville. The Academy moved its headquarters from Los Angeles to Nashville in December 2022. Cruz, who’s in search of different alternatives, lives in Los Angeles along with her household the place the Academy had been primarily based.
“I’m so happy with the work that my crew and I completed throughout my time at ACM Lifting Lives. With a concentrate on health-related initiatives, we have been capable of assist the nation music business by the COVID-19 pandemic and the persevering with psychological well being disaster, all whereas working to take away the stigma round psychological well being struggles,” stated Cruz, who was on Billboard’s Nation Energy Gamers listing in 2022 and 2023 and on Billboard’s Ladies in Music listing in 2023.
Throughout Cruz’s tenure, Lifting Lives raised greater than $6 million. Greater than $4 million was disbursed from Lifting Lives’ COVID-19 fund to over 2,000 folks in 42 states. Lifting Lives’ psychological well being fund, which was created as COVID-19 waned, has handed out $400,000 in grants to people and organizations that prioritize psychological well being help for these working within the nation music business.
“It was solely with the assistance of the passionate folks within the business who’re keen to provide again that we have been capable of increase and distribute over $6 million throughout my time main ACM Lifting Lives. We had artists like Lainey Wilson, Morgan Wallen, Jelly Roll, Luke Bryan, and so many others step as much as assist after they knew others wanted it,” Cruz stated. “Among the moments that stick out in my head over the previous few years embrace our Covid fund, psychological well being focus, music remedy packages and principally, the business and artists stepping as much as help Lifting Lives with their time and assets. Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson singing ‘Save Me’ on the ACM Awards in 2023 impressed by ACM Lifting Lives psychological well being associated work was one of many high highlights of my time with the group.”
Cruz says she hopes to proceed to work in philanthropy as she believes deeply within the mission of such organizations as Lifting Lives — as each govt director and somebody who wanted assist.
“As I go away my publish, I wish to reiterate how necessary the help for organizations like that is, and for people going by struggles,” Cruz says. “The psychological well being disaster is so prevalent, particularly within the leisure and music industries, and I’m proof of that. I’ve had latest struggles with psychological well being, having to step away from my function for a second to maintain myself and provides permission to really feel. It’s been life-changing to get a deal with alone life and concentrate on what’s actually necessary, and I’ll proceed to do this transferring ahead, and assist others with their struggles.”
The Academy has not but begun its seek for her substitute.
