Chicago, IL—Adding art to the urgency of ensuring a robust voter turnout for what all consider to be 'the most important election of our lifetimes, more than 50 artists and activists from 50 states have created two nights of concerts that will benefit national voter turnout efforts.
On Saturday, Oct. 17 and Sunday, Oct. 18 at 8 p.m. Eastern, 7 p.m. Central and 5 p.m. Pacific time, a broad array of performers and activists will gather for two nights of concerts to help propel a massive voter turnout and to fund the efforts that will help ensure one.
To be broadcast on Twitch.Tv, Facebook, and YouTube, those lending their voices to this unprecedented effort to ensure "All Souls to the Polls" are as diverse as the states, cultures and traditions from which they come — underscoring their belief that it is the diversity of this nation that is its strength. While the list of performers continues to grow, currently it includes:
Arizona Linda Ronstadt, LA Orkesta; California Danny Glover, Los Lobos, Raq Filipina, Meklit Hedero, and Fantastic Negrito; Colorado Trace Bundy; Delaware Tahira; Florida Morikeba Kouyate, John Daversa Quintet with Sammy Figueroa Dafnis Prieto, Carlos De Rosa, and Gonzalo Rubalcaba; Hawaii George Kahumoku; Iowa Greg Brown with Bo Ramsey; Illinois Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, Bea Lumpkin, Funkadesi, Isaiah Collier and the Chosen Few; KansasStan Herd with Jessica Paige; Louisiana Dirk Powell; Maine Dennis Carter and Anneli Carter-Sundqvist Michigan: Regina Carter, and Congressman Dan Kildee; Minnesota Douglas Ewart; Missouri Making Movies; Nevada John Toles-Bey; New Jersey Jason Kao Hwang; New Mexico Rob Martinez, Ivon Ulibarri/Cafe Mocha; New York Amy Goodman, Arturo O'Farrill, Eleanor Reissa & Frank London and the Klezmer Brass All Stars; Ohio Jenna Fournier; Pennsylvania Aisha Fukashima; Puerto Rico Plena Libre; Rhode Island Allysen Callery; South Carolina Ranky Tanky; Texas Clemente Castillo, Beto O'Rourke; WashingtonPaoli Mejias; Wisconsin Paul Cebar; & Wyoming The Taylor Scott Band. HostsMedea Benjamin, Chelis Lopez, Gabe Romero and Shoshonna Stern
Updates for the evolving list of artists and speakers can be found at Updates for the evolving list of performers can be found 50to50concert.com or at our Facebook Pages: www.facebook.com/events/270304463975620/ www.facebook.com/5Oto50-Concert-103446188199540/ .
The concerts will be available for free at
Twitch.TV www.twitch.tv/5050gotv,
Facebook www.facebook.com/allsoulstothepolls and
YouTube www.youtube.com/hothouseglobal .
Those wishing to register for updated information can do so at Event Britehttps://fifty4fifty.eventbrite.com .
The concert is affiliated with The Progressive Leadership Initiative and produced by Marguerite Horberg, Bill Martinez, Alicia Zertuche, Raul Cuza and Melissa O'Brien, the same team produced the Concert for Cuba in July 2020 — a program that reached more than 15 million viewers around the globe. Additionally, a broad range of individuals and organizational volunteers are working to build an audience and to assure a robust vote. Communications and organizational outreach are the work of Marilyn Katz and the MK Communications team, including Brian Berg, Aishwarya Sukumaran and ReShuana Striggles.
"The 2020 election is the most important election in our nation's history since 1864 and people are facing unprecedented obstacles when they head to the polls," said Marguerite Horberg. "With the future of our democracy at stake and so many new restrictions on voting, it is essential we inspire more people to get out and vote and make sure voters have the information they need to make their voices heard."
Progressive Leadership Initiative is a civic engagement, affiliated 501c4 nonprofit organization that embraces culture and technology to engage and equip people with the tools, skills, and training to be effective volunteers, organizers, and civic leaders.
