Thank you for making the “UnNaugural” Concert such a great success!
We have our work cut out for us over the next four years! As we have seen in these early days, this Administration is an enormous threat to the values and issues we all hold so dear. It was such a comfort then, to gather as thoughtful progressives, committed to speaking out to defend our nation and all of its residents. THANK YOU for supporting the music of our five performers and the vital work of our five national progressive advocacy organizations!
The Performers: weren’t they terrific??!
I heard rave reviews about all of our talented singer/songwriters: Sweet Honey In the Rock, Emma’s Revolution, Brother Sun, Josh White Jr., and Tret Fure. Please consider visiting their websites to sign up for email invitations to future concerts near you!
YOUR Election Results from your votes!
Each guest was given a gold coin to deposit as a ‘vote’ to support the work of one of our beneficiary organizations. We have now totaled the ‘ballots’ in the decorated fishbowl and wanted to share the results. As promised, there would be no Electoral College here– just direct democracy at work!
Further Support for Our Causes
As I announced, we collected over $60,000. After paying the artists, crew, venue, and other overhead costs, the proceeds will be donated according to your votes to the five causes we’re supporting.
ACLU 23.76% | Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence 11.54% | League of Conservation Voters 5.42% | National Gay & Lesbian Task Force 14.03% | Planned Parenthood 32.13% | All of the Above 23.76%
Remember that the “All of the Above” money will be apportioned to each of the 5 causes. Thanks to you, each will get thousands of dollars!
Featured performers:
Sweet Honey In the Rock
Sweet Honey In The Rock is an internationally renowned Grammy Award® nominated female a cappella vocal quartet and one of most relevant musical collectives in music today; both as a performance ensemble and as an ambassadorial African American organization founded on the triumvirate missions of empowerment, education and entertainment. Over the past four decades they have created positive, loving and socially conscious message music and taken an activist stance toward making this planet a better place for all in which to live.
Emma’s Revolution
Emma’s Revolution has been described as smart, funny, and informative– like Rachel Maddow and Jon Stewart with guitars. Emma’s Revolution is the duo of award-winning activist musicians, Pat Humphries & Sandy O. Called “inspiring, gutsy and rockin’,” Emma’s Revolution’s songs have been sung for the Dalai Lama, praised by Pete Seeger, and covered by Holly Near.
Brother Sun
National Touring Artists Greg Greenway, Joe Jencks, and Pat Wictor have made their mark as veteran touring singer-songwriters, but Brother Sun is no songwriter’s round. The trio’s harmonies, as much as their lyrics, tell what they are about: warm as a campfire, stirring as a gospel church, rousing as a call to arms.
Josh White Jr.
Josh White Jr. was born with both music and activism in his blood. His music crosses genres, and his words and experiences bring people together. Whether telling a story or singing a song, Josh will provide the comfort and inspiration we will need on Inaugural night.
Tret Fure
One of the most prolific artists in the contemporary singer-songwriter arena, Tret Fure has released 15 albums and CDs over the course of her 46-year career. In addition to being a gifted songwriter, Fure has engineered and produced countless recordings by a variety of artists, including her own work.
Organizations We’re Supporting:
All profits will be donated to the following effective national advocacy groups:
For almost 100 years, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. The ACLU today is the nation’s largest public interest law firm, with a 50-state network of staffed, autonomous affiliate offices.
The Brady Campaign seeks to cut gun deaths in half by 2025 using 3 campaigns: (1) “Finish the Job” so Brady background checks are applied to all gun sales; (2) “Stop ‘Bad Apple’ Gun Dealers” to hold manufacturers/sellers accountable in court; and (3) “Asking Saves Kids” to educate about risks of guns in the home.
The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) works to turn environmental values into national, state and local priorities. LCV, in collaboration with our state partners, advocates for sound environmental laws and policies; holds elected officials accountable for their votes and actions; and elects pro-environment candidates who will champion our priority issues.
The National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund builds political power, takes action and creates change to achieve freedom and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people and their families. Despite all the progress we’ve made to end discrimination, millions of LGBTQ people face barriers in every aspect of their lives: housing, employment, health care, retirement, and basic human rights.
Planned Parenthood (PPFA) delivers vital reproductive health care, sex education, and information to millions of women, men, and young people worldwide. PPFA is a trusted health care provider, an informed educator, a passionate advocate, and a global partner helping similar organizations around the world.
One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.