Song-in-action Blog
Posts Tagged ‘homelessness’
Lalah & Law Firms raise money & awareness for local DMV causes
One of my favorite things is to use this blog to call attention to causes supported by musicians. Two great causes – the Lupus Foundation of America, DMV chapter and Gifts for the Homeless were supported by examples of Song-in-Action last Thursday.
Lalah for Lupus
In Prince George’s county, I was excited to be invited to listen to the sounds of Lala Hathaway at a Lupus concert/fundraiser sponsored by the Ashleigh Group. Before Lala’s set, Edie Aultmon and another lupus survivor gave testimonies about how their lives have been changed by the auto-immune disorder that affects more than 1.5 million people in the United States. Watch Edie below in Chasing Butterflies.
Kassandra Kearse, Development Manager for the Lupus Foundation – DMV was in the house as well. If you would like to host a concert for lupus, contact Kassandra.
Lawyers Band Together
Across the border, DMV’s law firms put down their subpoenas and picked up their instruments at the Black Cat for the 7th Annual Banding Together Battle of the Law Firm Bands to raise funds for Gifts for the Homeless. GFTH is a local non-profit supported by the DC metro legal community that provides clothing donations to the area’s homeless.
This year Sutherland Comfort (representing Sutherland Asbill & Brennan) was the winning band, a title brought home by raising the most funds for GFTH – $29,000.
Who is Sutherland Comfort?
- Financial Services Associate Naseem Nixon (lead singer)
- Litigation Associate Wilson G. Barmeyer (bass guitar)
- Tax Associate Daniel M. Buchner (guitar)
- Financial Services Partner W. Thomas Conner (guitar)
- Océ staff member Chris Lewis (drums).
- Recruiting Assistant Rachael K. Saltzman (back-up vocals)
- Paralegal Amanda Hubert (back-up vocals)
Overall Banding Together raised more than $130,000 for the organization, according to the Washington Post. Donate to Gifts for the Homeless online.
Love Lots,
Katina
P.S. If you know of any DMV musicians raising funds or awareness for local causes email me so that I can feature them in the Song-in-Action blog.
Music hitting my heart
“Music hittin’ your heart because I know you got soul” Public Enemy, Fight the Power
Lately I have been in an old school state of mind. My best friend from college convinced me to go see the Brand New Heavies last weekend at the Birchmere. I am so glad I went. It gave me the chance to fall in love all over again with the group’s ability to fill a room with sound and bring voice to everything from the ups and downs of love to the power of following your dreams.
I think my favorite song by Brand New Heavies is Brother Sister. The lyrics move me:
There’s no need to feel you’re on your own
Just let your intuition guide you through
Take one step toward what you believe
Don’t be afraid to make your move …
Don’t be scared go out there
Stand up
Be strong go out there
Hold on
To the real things that matter
‘Cause no one’s gonna hand’ em to you
On a silver platter
I left the concert thinking – “boy I need to listen to live music more often.” It inspires me. The right song can make you want to move mountains, save the world, and fight for causes that you believe in. That’s what this blog is really about – music serving as the inspiration or catalyst for individuals and communities to bring about social change.
When I think about social anthems that really were about shaking people up and pushing them towards action, I always come back to Public Enemy’s Fight the Power. Watch Here
The words are so . . . . well, powerful
Fight the Power
As the rhythm designed to bounce
What counts is that the rhymes
Designed to fill your mind
Now that you’ve realized the prides arrived
We got to pump the stuff to make us tough
From the heart
It’s a start, a work of art
To revolutionize make a change nothin’s strange
A couple of days ago, I received an email about tickets for an upcoming Public Enemy benefit concert to benefit a homeless shelter in DC. The group has been on my mind ever since (and in my ears, much love to DJ Dredd for putting PE in the mix at Bhangraween). For my readers that grew up during the height of Public Enemy, you remember how large the group’s presence was. Love them or hate them, the group had the energy and power to light things on fire with their music. I am really excited to see them in DC using their music to call attention to a problem that really needs the full force of America to solve it – youth homelessness.
So let me take a minute to plug the concert and the cause –
“Public Enemy’s Number One – While Public Enemy have made ground-breaking hip-hop since their start over 20 years ago, they’ve also done their fair share of raising awareness for political and social causes. In an effort to help fight youth homelessness, Public Enemy bring their bass-heavy, manic live show to D.C. this November. Those who saw them at this year’s Virgin Mobile FreeFest know that Chuck D, Flavor Flav and crew still dominate socially and sonically. Virgin Mobile Presents PUBLIC ENEMY To Benefit The Sasha Bruce House, a homeless youth shelter. @ G.W. Lisner Auditorium • Washington, D.C. November 18 7pm Doors”
So for $25 (plus all those fees) you can Purchase Tickets and be part of the PE family again while supporting a great cause. The Sasha Bruce Youthwork is a cornerstone of youth services to at risk children in DC. The Sasha Bruce House is the only open access shelter for youth in D.C. For more information on the Sasha Bruce House and other SB Youthwork programs see www.sashabruce.org.
Fight the Power People,
Katina
President Elect Obama w/ Sasha Bruce Youthwork Work Crew