In 2018, the global gender equity initiative Keychange announced a landmark pledge calling for 50% representation of women and gender minorities in the live industry, both on and offstage, by 2022 — and over 100 festivals around the world signed on. Cut to two years later, and the coronavirus pandemic brought the live industry to a screeching halt just as festival season was about to start. At around the same time, the United Kingdom-based Music Venue Trust had just completed its second Fightback:Grassroots Promoter program — which preps young women and gender minorities to become independent venue promoters — when all those venues temporarily closed their doors.