What Music Has to Say About Roe
Music has always reacted to social matters; the overturning of Roe v Wade has proven to be no different. In June, musicians at the Glastonbury Music Festival used their performances to call out the Supreme Court’s decision, while artists like Pink, MILCK, and Latto condemned it in their songs. While mainstream music has received ongoing attention for how it’s addressed the overturning, local music within New York City has created a response of its own. It’s being seen through shows and fundraisers, one of the latest being Brooklyn’s We Do Not Go Quietly event.
We Do Not Go Quietly was hosted on October 3rd by Baby’s All Right, a venue staged within Williamsburg’s lively music scene. Julia Cumming, the bassist and singer of the Brooklyn-based band, Sunflower Bean, had the initial idea to launch a concert after her own experience with an abortion. She worked with talent agent Jocelyn Simone alongside the Women That Rock and Anger Can Be Power organizations to produce the show. According to the event details, We Do Not Go Quietly sought to raise money for the preservation of New York City abortion services, while producing a supportive, empowering community and creative environment. Tickets to the show cost 15 dollars, with proceeds benefiting the New York Abortion Access Fund (NYAAF), “an all-volunteer organization that provides direct financial assistance for abortions.”
Cumming spoke of the event, saying, “Raising money is so important because money is a direct way to help the cause,” She continued, “but music and art have activism outside of money too. There is an untapped opportunity for artists to figure out what they can do.” Cumming also revealed that the event was announced just ten days before its debut. “I’m grateful for the energy of the volunteers who went above and beyond to make it special. I’m really inspired,” she said.
Local men and women, volunteers, and performers’ friends and family members filed into the venue where neon stage lights and a disco ball overhead brightened the dim room. Opposite of the stage sat a bar, where attendees went upon entering. The crowd incrementally increased as the performances went on, with at least 50 people watching the final act.
One attendee, who introduced herself only as Jackie, is a local New Yorker who heard about We Do Not Go Quietly online. Speaking on the event, she said “Musicians have the power to reach a wide audience. Young people are learning to stand up for their rights and are motivated to do more.”
The concert featured four New York-based acts. At 7 P.M., Indie pop singer Olivia Reid appeared in front of the stage's wall of blue and white flashing lights as the first performer. Accompanied by an electric guitar and saxophone, Reid performed songs filled with soft vocals and powerful lyrics, giving a glimpse of her inner thoughts to the audience. Before her last song, she expressed support for reproductive rights and NYAAF.
26-year-old Marcela Avelina appeared as the second act in the line-up. A singer and actress, Avelina explored vulnerability and emotion through her R&B, rock-infused performance. She spoke of her involvement in the show, saying, “It’s part of an artist’s job to express what they believe in. Abortions will happen anyway, and I would rather help people live through them safely than die harshly.” When discussing her thoughts on music’s place in reproductive rights, Avelina shared, “Music is a rare time where people listen rather than just talk over. People can start a conversation over music.”
Next to hit the stage was the punk-inspired band, 95 Bulls. Consisting of five friends, the group “accidentally” formed in 2020 when their respective bands were separated from the Covid-19 pandemic. The act brought an electrifying energy to the room with a dynamic performance from songs off their new album, Go Home.
Sunflower Bean took the stage as the final act of the night. The band performed various songs from their alternative rock catalog, including “Otherside”, which Cumming wrote to reflect the experience of having an abortion. Leading up to the show, the band used the alias, The Champagne Taste, to keep their appearance a surprise.
Before their performance, Cumming invited NYAAF’s Board of Director member, Maddy, up to speak. She explained the organization’s mission saying, “We fund 100% of folks needs 100% of the time and in a world that is full of ‘nos’ to people seeking the reproductive healthcare, including abortion, that they need, we’re here to say yes to people.” She continued, “It’s been our (NYAAF’s) busiest year on record. I re-ran the numbers right before tonight and thus far this year, our volunteers, which by the way we’re a volunteer collective, we’re led by a body of five right now, women of color led, we have pledged $952,000 directly to abortion access in New York State, and $400k of that has been since the overturn of Roe to around 900 people.”
While NYAAF serves as New York’s only abortion access fund, it offers free abortions to people traveling from out of state too. As of August 2022, 1 in 5 of NYAAF’s callers over the past year came from outside of New York, according to an Instagram post from the organization.
After the concert, attendees made their way to the venue’s dining area, where NYAAF provided more information about their organization and ways to become involved. Amongst the neighboring tables, visual artists displayed their artwork, largely centering around reproductive health. One of these artists was Sienna Berritto, who showcased her abstract paintings and pins that read “Proprietor of my Pregnancy.”
“I tie art into womanhood,” Berritto explained. “Art speaks to others.” She further developed this idea through her artist statement, where she wrote, “Even from a young age, I have had a penchant for images that demonstrated the exploitation of women—wondering why men can and could comment on women's experiences from a position in which they cannot empathize with the experience of womanhood.”
Words: Eliane Baijal
