For Immediate Release
July 31, 2015
Contact: Claudia Bautista, cbautista@ndlon.org, (310) 909-3917

Grammy Award-Winning Quetzal Joins Community Concert Outside Immigrant Prison

As Scapegoating of Immigrants on the rise following “Trump Effect”, Community Rallies to Serenade Inmates and Deportees

What: Chant Down the Walls Concert with Los Jornaleros del Norte & Grammy Award-Winning Quetzal followed by Clitoral Mass Bike Ride
When: Saturday, August 1, 2015, 11:00am-1:00pm
Where: Metropolitan Detention Center, 535 N. Alameda St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
Who: National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON), Ovarian Psycos-Cycle Brigade, ICE Out of Los Angeles Coalition Members, and community members from across Los Angeles

Why: Current immigration policy would have us believe that our communities are divided between those that are deserving and those that are undeserving of relief. The current attacks on immigrants with criminal priors, whatever those may be, underscores the cloud of suspicion that exists for all immigrants and people of color in the US. Chant Down the Walls seeks to remind us that those in detention are our family members, loved ones, and are as deserving as anyone outside of relief, of equal protection, and of freedom from detention. That is why we reject the idea that we can be divided between felons and families. Felons are also family. And everyone deserves equality, no exceptions.

“Because we know that music occupies space, a sonic space that cannot be physically removed, we sing to those inside the detention centers. It is our way of touching one another when we are separated by these harsh and unjust laws that continue trying to divide us,” says Xochi Flores, NDLON event organizer and member of Cambalache. “Music has become a vehicle by which we mobilize, cultivate community and tell our stories.”

This Saturday, Quetzal, the grammy award-winning Chicano rock band born over 20 years ago from the East LA Chicano art/music scene, will be our guest band at Chant Down The Walls. The musical ensemble is influenced by an East LA rock soundscape composed of Mexican ranchera, cumbia, salsa, rock, R&B, folk, and fusions of international musics, and also one whose political vision is based in social activism, feminism, and the belief that there is radical potential in expressive culture. During the past two decades, the musical force of Quetzal has created a unique cultural platform that has sounded against conditions of oppression and marginalization.

For this event, we are also collaborating with the Ovarian Psycos, a Boyle Heights based womxn of color bycycle brigade who will join us at the start of their 4th Annual Clirotral Mass bike ride. Clitoral Mass is the largest bike ride in Los Angeles to date organized by and for womxn of color, trans-womxn, womxn identified, two-spirited and gender nonconforming folx: 

With our arsenal of “indigena understanding and urban hood mentality,” we are building movement in the spirit of rebellion passed down by our great grandmothers, reclaiming the autonomy of our spaces and bodies as we continue to resist the settler occupation of both. The theme for the 4th Annual Clitoral Mass ride is “Mobility and Immobility: Base Building & Reclaiming Spaces Beyond Our Streets” to continue much-needed dialogue and analysis around issues of mass incarceration, mass deportation, gentrification and state-sponsored genocide.

To see other coverage of previous Chant Down The Walls please see the links below:

Youtube, NDLON Channel October 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMxC-Dp-wUg 

New York Times October 2014
http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/10/17/chant-down-the-walls-of-the-metropolitan-detention-center/?_r=0 

La Opinion October 2014
http://www.laopinion.com/chant-down-walls-detencion-inmigrantes 

Radio Notas November 2014
http://radionotas.com/tag/chant-down-the-walls-con-el-canto-penetramos-muros/ 

LA Times October 2014
http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-prison-concert-20141110-story.html 

Neon Tommy January 2015
http://www.neontommy.com/news/2015/01/using-music-inspire-social-movements-los-jornaleros-del-norte-sing-empower-migrant-work 

NY Times March 2015
http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/03/24/a-musical-plea-for-immigration-reform/ 

OC weekly March 24
http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2015/03/chant_down_the_walls_los_jornaleros_del_norte.php 

Victorville Daily Press March 2015
http://www.vvdailypress.com/photogallery/VV/20150329/POLL/329009997/PH/1 

Univision Fresno May 2015
http://univisionfresno.univision.com/videos/video/2015-05-30/marcha-por-los-inmigrantes 

AL.com June 2015
http://www.al.com/news/anniston-gadsden/index.ssf/2015/06/chant_down_the_walls_brings_mu.html 

Worker’s World June 2015
http://www.workers.org/articles/2015/06/24/black-and-brown-unity-in-alabama/ 

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