Raising Voices Festival: A Celebration of Music, Art, and Protest

This weekend, Revolutionary Spaces will present the Raising Voices Festival, a two-day celebration of music, art, and protest in Boston. The festival commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party and celebrates the power of protest throughout history.

On September 23rd and 24th, the Washington Street campus—from the Old State House to Old South Meeting House and beyond—will be activated with experiences for all ages. The festival will feature a range of performances and attractions from local and national artists, performers, and community partners.

One of the highlights of the festival will be a performance by Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir at 11:30AM Saturday morning at the Old South Meeting House. Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir are a radical performance community from New York City who use music and humor to protest consumerism, militarism, and other forms of oppression.

In addition to Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir, the Raising Voices Festival will feature a diverse lineup of other artists and activists, including:

A Besere Velt Yiddish Chorus of Boston Workers Circle
Amanda Shea
Atlas Soul
Basel Zayed
Charles Coe
Crystal Valentine
The Folk Collective
Good Trouble Brass Band with Boston Area Brigade of Activist Musicians (BABAM)
Jaimé Yawa Dzandu
Jean Appolon Expressions
Middlesex County Volunteers Fifes & Drums
Mortal Beasts & Deities
Naomi Westwater
Rara Bel Poze
Thea Hopkins
Veronica Robles

The Raising Voices Festival is more than just a music festival. It is also a space for people to come together and learn about important social issues. In addition to music performances, the Raising Voices Festival will also feature a variety of other activities, including:

Dance performances
Theatrical happenings
Poetry readings
A beer garden and food vendors
Street art activations
New England Revolution Soccer activities
A Raising Voices Festival Artist Village
A Revolutionary Street Art Activation
Food and Drink from Raising Glasses

The Raising Voices Festival is a free event, and everyone is welcome. It is a great opportunity to experience some of the best music and art that Boston has to offer, and to learn more about important social issues.

Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir

Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir are a unique and inspiring force in the world of activism. They use their music and humor to challenge the status quo and to advocate for a more just and sustainable world.

Their performance at the Raising Voices Festival is sure to be a powerful and moving experience. It is a chance to hear their music live, to learn more about their work, and to join them in their fight for a better world.

The Raising Voices Festival is a unique and exciting event that offers something for everyone. Whether you are a music lover, an art enthusiast, or an activist, you will find something to enjoy at the festival.

The festival is also a great opportunity to learn about important social issues and to meet other people who are passionate about making a difference in the world.

Activate Radio Statement of Solidarity with the UAW and Writers Guild of America

Activate Radio stands in solidarity with the UAW and Writers Guild of America (WGA) in their fight for a fair and equitable contract. We believe that all workers deserve to be compensated fairly for their work, to have a say in the decisions that affect their lives, and to work in a safe and healthy environment.

We are deeply inspired by the courage and determination of the UAW and WGA members who are striking to achieve these goals. They are fighting for the future of their industries, and for the rights of all workers.

The UAW and WGA strikes remind us that even in the most prosperous industries, workers are often exploited and undervalued. The UAW members are fighting for fair wages, benefits, and working conditions, while the WGA members are fighting for fair compensation for their work and a greater say in the creative process.

We know that striking is not an easy decision, but it is sometimes the only way to achieve meaningful change. We stand with the UAW and WGA members on the picket line, and we will continue to support them until they achieve their victory.

We are particularly concerned about the impact of the strike on writers of color and other marginalized groups. These writers are often underpaid and underrepresented in the media industry. The WGA strike is an opportunity to address these inequities and create a more just and equitable industry for all writers.

We urge the studios to come to the table and negotiate a contract that is fair to all workers. The UAW and WGA members are essential to the success of their industries, and they deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.

Call to action

We encourage our listeners to show their support for the UAW and WGA members by:

Signing the UAW and WGA strike petitions
Donating to the UAW and WGA Strike Funds
Learning more about the strikes by visiting the UAW and WGA websites
Boycotting the products and services of companies that are not willing to negotiate fair contracts with their workers

Together, we can make a difference and help the UAW and WGA members achieve their goals.

The Anti-Fragile Playbook Joins Monday Nights on Activate Radio

The Anti-Fragile Playbook is moving from Sunday mornings to Monday nights! You can now catch Ruth Glendinning and Kent Dahlgren on the airwaves every Monday night at 8PM ET.

We know that mornings don’t work for everyone, so we’re excited to offer a new time slot for our listeners to enjoy the show. We hope that this change will make it easier for more people to tune in and learn about the world of grassroots organizing.

On Monday nights, The Anti-Fragile Playbook will continue to bring you the same informative and inspiring content that you’ve come to expect. We’ll be talking about everything from community development to conflict resolution, and we’ll be interviewing experienced organizers and experts from all over the world.

So mark your calendars and set your alarms, because The Anti-Fragile Playbook is moving to Monday nights! We can’t wait to see you there.

The Anti-Fragile Playbook is a show/podcast hosted by Ruth Glendinning and Kent Dahlgren, two experienced grassroots organizers. The show is about their everyday experiences in organizing communities and building self-governing systems.

The show is inspired by the concept of anti-fragility, which is the ability of a system to thrive and become stronger in the face of stress and adversity. Glendinning and Dahlgren believe that this concept is essential for building resilient communities that can withstand the challenges of the 21st century.

Each episode of the show features a different topic related to grassroots organizing, such as building relationships, community development, and conflict resolution. Glendinning and Dahlgren share their own experiences and insights, as well as interviews with other organizers and experts.

One of the key takeaways from the show is that grassroots organizing is not about quick fixes or easy solutions. It is about building long-term relationships and working together to create sustainable change. Glendinning and Dahlgren emphasize the importance of listening to community members and building systems that are responsive to their needs.

The show is also a resource for people who are interested in learning more about grassroots organizing and getting involved in their own communities. Glendinning and Dahlgren provide practical advice and tips on how to start an organizing project, build a team, and achieve your goals.

Overall, The Anti-Fragile Playbook is an informative and inspiring show for anyone who is interested in building a better future for their community.

A bit about the show’s focus on the neighborhood franchise model:

The neighborhood franchise model is a unique approach to community development that is featured on The Anti-Fragile Playbook. This model is based on the idea that communities can go into business with themselves to create a citizens assembly that is entirely self-supporting and regenerative.

The first step in creating a neighborhood franchise is to identify the needs and assets of the community. Once these have been identified, the community can develop a plan to create businesses that will address those needs and generate revenue. The revenue generated by these businesses can then be used to fund community programs and services.

The neighborhood franchise model is designed to empower communities and give them control over their own destinies. It is a way for communities to build wealth, create jobs, and improve the quality of life for all residents.

Glendinning and Dahlgren believe that the neighborhood franchise model is a powerful tool for building anti-fragile communities. They argue that this model can help communities to weather the storms of economic instability, climate change, and other challenges.

If you are interested in learning more about the neighborhood franchise model, be sure to check out The Anti-Fragile Playbook.