Non-Profit Spotlight:
JusticeAid is a non-profit
started in 2012
by members of the Washington D.C. law community
based on their love of live music and their desire to
move the needle on progress for folks in need. All of
the founders have a long history of doing pro bono
legal work on justice-related issues and are lifelong
music supporters. This has proven to be a natural and
successful fit.
ticeAid trumpet logo is all about”.
JusticeAid also educates thousands of Americans on
justice issues through live and streaming panels, so-
cial media campaigns and outreach efforts. Panelists
have included social justice advocate Bryan A. Steven-
son; Seth Waxman, 41st Solicitor General of the United
States; and New York Times Pulitzer Prize winning jour-
nalist Michael Winerip.
JusticeAid’s mission is to identify and eradicate barri-
ers that limit economic justice, personal freedoms, or
the opportunity to exercise the rights that every person
should possess, regardless of background or circum-
stance. Using the arts as the medium, the organization
celebrates the work of, and provides financial support
to organizations actively engaged in the fight against
injustice.
Each year, JusticeAid organizes concerts, panels and
other event s to educate the public about key civil
rights challenges, while raising vital funds to support
under- resourced organizations addressing these is-
sues. “We’re the only country in the world that sen-
tences children to life in prison without the possibility
of parole,” explains Jody Kent Levy,
Executive Director of The Campaign
“We’re the only
for the Fair Sentencing of Youth.” We
country in the world are incredibly grateful to JusticeAid
for both spreading awareness about
that sentences
these practices and generating funds
to support our work.” http://fairsen-
children to life in
tencingofyouth.org
There are some unique features to
this group though. Unlike most or-
ganizations of this nature, JusticeAid
puts on gigs and then gives 100%
of the ticket sales to pre-determined
(and thoroughly vetted) non-profit
prison without the
beneficiaries who use this funding to
continue the heavy lifting in fighting possibility of parole.” Over the past five years JusticeAid has
raised hundreds of thousands of dol-
for legal reforms and advocating for
-
Jody
Kent
Levy
lars to support organizations that work
the less fortunate members of society.
for juvenile justice, freedom for those
Additionally JA pays artists for their
imprisoned for crimes they did not commit, justice for
services and does not rely on the donated services of
veterans, legal representation for the poor, and justice
musicians.
for those with mental health issues.
Founder Stephen Milliken explains: “It’s said that hu-
mans are hardwired for narrative; yet, we know we are
even more hard wired for music. Music truly is the mes-
sage, and JusticeAid honors artists along with leading
civil rights advocates and organizations. At JusticeAid,
we don’t ask musicians to donate their talent. We pay
performers to honor their amazing contributions to all
of our lives and to the advancement of social justice.
Our concerts strive to be a seamless mix of the aesthetic
and uplifting— beauty and truth — that’s what the Jus-
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JusticeAid produces one main concert per year and has
featured such diverse artists as the Blind Boys of Ala-
bama, Ani DiFranco, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Ozomat-
li, Kandace Springs and Trombone Shorty/ Luminaries
such as Susan Sarandon, Bonnie Raitt, Bryan Stevenson,
Neko Case, Rosanne Cash and Joe Henry have helped
out through acting as Honorary Hosts of these events,
or participating in the #WhatJusticeMeansToMe video
campaign. See http://bit.ly/2DnFNMJ for a sampling of
the videos.
JusticeAid had been extremely successful in their
mission, but with the 2015 additions of ESA mem-
ber Paul Dalen and veteran Event Producer Danny
Melnick (Saratoga Jazz Festival, Newport Jazz Festi-
val, the Bermuda Music Festival among many oth-
ers) the shows began to feel more like a produced
event rather than just another gig.
In 2017 under the direction of Melnick, the orga-
nization did a show at City Winery in NYC billed
as “Gotta Serve Somebody.” The date of the show
was Bob Dylans 75th birthday, and each of the 5
female artists performed “…one of his and one of
hers.”
This sold out show was an artistic and commercial
success and raised over $120,000 for The Mental
Health Project of The Urban Justice Center. https://
mhp.urbanjustice.org
“Music is a wonderful way to bring people togeth-
er,” says Jennifer Parish, Director of Criminal Jus-
tice Advocacy for JusticeAid’s 2017 beneficiary the
Mental Health Project of the Urban Justice Center.
“I think that emotional connection is what effects
people. It speaks to a different part of us and it
touches our hearts. I think to make social change
we really have to touch people’s hearts.”
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