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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACTS: Katherine Rife, The Latina Center, krife@thelatinacenter.org, (202) 340-8989
                     Trina Jackson-Lincoln, City of Richmond, trina_jackson@ci.richmond.ca.us, (510) 620-6581

DATE: September 12, 2023

Richmond Artists, Advocates, & Civic Leaders Organize Benefit Concert to End Domestic Violence

(RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA) Eliminating violence against women takes center stage as Councilmember Soheila Bana and the City of Richmond join forces with The Latina Center, artists, community leaders including survivors, and community partners to host a bilingual Benefit Concert. This event is dedicated to raising public awareness about and bringing an end to domestic violence against women and girls as well as all forms of gender-based violence. The ¡Ya Basta! y Sin Miedo / Enough is Enough! Benefit Concert will be held outdoors at Richmond Civic Center Plaza on Saturday, September 30th, from 2 to 5PM. It is FREE and open to the public. See attached flier. More information at www.thelatinacenter.org.

A Song
Miriam Wong, Executive Director of The Latina Center in Richmond, reached out to Richmond-based artist Gabriela Shiroma one year ago with an idea. She was moved by a song, called “Cancion Sin Miedo” (“Song Without Fear” in English) originally written and performed by composer and singer Vivir Quintana in 2020 as a tribute to mothers in Mexico who lost their daughters to femicide. The song is an anthem for millions of people, has been adapted around the world, and calls for the end of all gender violence. Miriam Wong’s dream was to create a Bay Area version of this song, so she and Shiroma brought together Latina artists and community leaders - including survivors and their families and friends – to make this dream a reality. The artists and advocates together created, practiced, and recorded a Bay Area version of this song that demands the end of domestic violence and all gender violence. With this, a song and a local movement were born. They will perform their song publicly for the first time on September 30th. See their video which is an abbreviated version of the song (Link to video in Spanish, Link to video with English subtitles.

The rates of domestic violence and gender violence – in Richmond and around the world – remain alarming. According to the United Nations, 1 in 3 women globally have experienced physical or sexual violence mostly by an intimate partner. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, violence against women and girls has intensified globally. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has called it a “shadow pandemic.”

“For over two decades, The Latina Center has supported the recovery and empowerment of women and youth who experience domestic violence,” says Miriam Wong, Executive Director and Founder of The Latina Center. “With great concern, we recognize violence as a social epidemic that affects us all in one way or another. I firmly believe that we must work with the vision of creating spaces, allowing each violent person and abuser to change their destructive behavior for the good of their family, society, and their well-being. Let's work together for change and to create a society of Anti-Violence.”

A Coalition of Community Leaders
Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez, District Attorney Diane Becton, County Supervisor John Gioia, and representatives from the offices of Congressman John Garamendi and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks will be in attendance. Their presence underscores the collective resolve of the Richmond community to end violence against women.

Richmond Art Contest     
Leading up to the Benefit Concert, a Richmond Art Contest was held in August for Richmond residents of all ages. The call was for impactful art that highlights the need to end violence against women and girls. The winner and finalists will be announced and awarded checks in person at the event on the 30th. The winner’s art will be featured on posters and potentially banners on lighting posts around the City in October, the month of Domestic Violence Awareness.

Concert & “Canción Sin Miedo / Song Without Fear” Performance
The event will include music and dance performances from prominent Bay Area artists. The highlights of the event are the song performance of the Bay Area version of “Cancion Sin Miedo” and performances by a group of 50+ survivors and their friends and family that have been practicing for over two months. It will also include a performance by East Bay Center for the Performing Arts’s “Son de la Tierra.”

A Commitment to Take Action
During the event, the City of Richmond will make a public commitment to partner with community organizations including The Latina Center, the Family Justice Center, and more in a concerted effort to eliminate violence against women and girls.

"We are committed to not just raising awareness but to also taking concrete steps to eliminate violence," says Councilmember Soheila Bana. "We are collaborating across departments and with community organizations, residents, and other stakeholders to create and implement policy changes this fall that make Richmond a safer place for women, girls, and everyone."

The Benefit Concert is made possible with the support of The Latina Center; Councilmember Soheila Bana with the City of Richmond; The City of Richmond; the Love Your Block Mini-Grant from the City of Richmond City Manager’s Office, Economic Development and Community Services Department; Latino Community Foundation’s PoderArte initiative with support from the California Arts Council; Esperanza United and Mujeres Latinas en Acción (Mujeres); Magic Cabinet; Visión y Compromiso; and the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts.

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ABOUT THE LATINA CENTER
The Latina Center is a community-based organization that improves the quality of life and health of the Latino community by providing leadership and personal development opportunities to Latinos and their families in Richmond, Contra Costa County, and the San Francisco Bay Area in California. For 23 years, they have served 65,000+ people with trauma-informed and culturally relevant programs and services. Learn more at www.thelatinacenter.org