From: Rockrap at aol.com Date: Sat, 28 Aug 1999 11:49:15 EDT
Music is the soundtrack of the March of the Americas....
Maybe you've heard about the March of the Americas and the growing number of musicians who are plugging into it. Maybe you haven't. Either way, here's the basic information you need to help music play its key role in lifting humanity (including, of course, music industry folks and musicians) up and out of poverty.
Who is involved musically? Thus far, Bonnie Raitt, Steve Earle, Mountain Brothers, Wayne Kramer, Jackson Browne, Orbit, Irene Ferrara, Bruce Hornsby, Ani DiFranco, Gospel International, Shawn Colvin, Strict Flow, Boxing Gandhis, John Trudell and Dar Williams.
Why is the March of the Americas happening? Because today there are three billion people living in poverty in the world, the majority of them children. That's up from two billion people in 1990.
What is the March of the Americas? On October 1, 1999 poor people's organizations from all across the U.S., Canada, and Latin America will gather in Washington, D.C. for a thirty day walk to the United Nations in New York. At the UN, there will be a tribunal that will charge the United States government with violating the economic human rights of tens of millions of people. Testimonies from thousands of poor people of all ages and races will be part of the indictment. This testimony will become part of this year's official United Nations report on poverty.
Who will be marching? Although this is a movement to end poverty led by the poor themselves, this is a movement that embraces people from all walks of life. There are teachers, musicians, photographers, lawyers, homeless, filmmakers, railroad workers, poets, secretaries, welfare moms, senior citizens and kids involved. The door is wide open for everyone else.
Who is involved musically? Thus far, Bonnie Raitt, Steve Earle, Mountain Brothers, Wayne Kramer, Jackson Browne, Orbit, Irene Ferrara, Bruce Hornsby, Ani DiFranco, Gospel International, Shawn Colvin, Strict Flow, Boxing Gandhis, John Trudell and Dar Williams. While it's expected that many other well-known artists will be involved, that's only one piece of the puzzle. The March will be an around-the-clock cultural festival, with musicians and poets performing during the day as the March makes its way through five states over thirty days, performing at rallies each night, and performing in bars and clubs in whatever city the March stops at each night. Artists known and unknown, signed and unsigned, will hook up with the March along the way--rappers, hard rock bands, gospel choirs, singer/songwriters--you name it. The entire March, including all performances, will be broadcast on the Internet to an international audience of millions. The March is also a part of NetAid, the October 9 webcast of three stadium concerts that is designed to call attention to extreme poverty in the world. NetAid expects 1 billion hits to its website.
What can you do? Three things: 1) Spread the word about the March 2) Talk to musicians you know and ask them to perform and/or pass out information about the March at their shows and/or send in a statement of support and/or send a song on tape that can be played during the March (to: Kensington Welfare Rights Union, attention: Tim Dowlin, PO Box 50678, Philadelphia PA 19132). 3) Come out and march for a day. A special Music Day is being organized for October 16 when the March passes through Philadelphia. Music people (artists, journalists, industry folks, fans) will make a point of marching on that day. But if that day doesn't work for you, just pick another one.
The ultimate goal of the March of the Americas is to end poverty