Local concert to raise money for ACLU

A group of Jamaica Plain friends and neighbors are organizing a concert this May at Spontaneous Celebrations in order to raise money for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

The group, called Boston for All, has recently organized a similar event called Run for All, which was a fundraising run around Jamaica Pond on during the weekend of President Donald Trump’s inauguration. The event attracted 300 people to participate and raised $6,000 for the ACLU through donations and the sale of shirts.

The idea for the original event started when JP resident Jeremy Fischer, an organizer of the event, was trying to process his emotions about the recent Presidential election. His initial instinct for activism was to create a “Run Against Trump” shirt, and his wife convinced him that it is better to be for something, than against. Fischer and his wife contacted various friends and put together an executive committee “who feel that it is incumbent on all of us to do what we can to help our nation be what we believe it should be.”

According to Fischer, Run for All was so successful that the group decided to hold more events that raise money to protect civil liberties.

“We chose to raise money for the ACLU because we felt strongly that the most productive thing we could do was to provide resources for those who were able to fight the legal challenges to civil liberties in our nation,” Fischer said. “We knew that we weren’t actually going to stop Donald Trump from being president no matter what we did, so we wanted to do all we could to aid in the legal fight against the measures that the Trump administration is pursuing against civil liberties in our country. This is why the donations and fundraisers are so important. We should all use our voices in any way possible, and that includes voting with your wallet and supporting the good people who are working to stop the rollback of rights in our nation.”

Rock for All includes two concerts: a family-oriented show at 4:30 p.m., and an adult-catered show at 7:30 p.m.. Musical guests include Vanessa Trien and the Jumping Monkeys, The Mystical Misfits, and Devin Ferreira and his band. Tickets to each show are $10.

The event has considerable community support behind it. The bands are all playing for free, and Spontaneous Celebrations has donated their space for the event. City Feed and Supply, Purple Cactus, JP House of Pizza, and Monumental Cupcake have all donated food in order to feed each child a free dinner. Brazo Fuerte Artisinal Beer will donate kegs of beer, so that all money from beer sales will go directly to the ACLU. Vee Vee is also working with the event by spreading awareness and helping raise money. Many local businesses have donated items for a silent auction, including books, gift certificates, dinner deals, and Red Sox tickets.

The group Boston for All hopes to be around for a long time and aims to host two or three events every year. Fischer said that right now they are focused on raising money for the ACLU, but since there are many other organizations that they feel need support, they are open to others’ ideas and cooperation to organize events in the future.

Information and tickets can be found at www.bostonforall.net. There is a capacity for 150 people at Spontaneous Celebrations, so showgoers are encouraged to buy their tickets ahead of time in case the event sells out.

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