Word Rock Sword Festival Banner
The Word*Rock*&Sword festival is already in full swing, bringing a rich series of concerts, conversations and film screenings to New York City with a strong focus on womens' civil rights and perspectives. Presented by Tosh Reagon and spread out over an entire week, the fest spreads out across Manhattan and Brooklyn with a jam-packed schedule before culminating in a blow-out show at Le Poisson Rouge, which will bring 20 different artists to perform on the same stage, all in the name of womens' rights and community. The LPR show goes down on Saturday, September 19th and will feature Reagon herself, Arooj Aftab, SassyBlack, Imani Uzuri, Joan as a Police Woman, Be Steadwell, Nona Hendryx, and Las Krudas Tamar-kali, with Dopeshoes as DJ and Comidienne Karen Williams as the night's emcee.
WRS has been running for five years, but 2015 is set to be its most triumphant year yet. "With what started as a simple idea for a concert fueled by women but meant for all, to bring together a community in response to a shift in the political agenda after the 2010 midterm elections where incoming politicians made attacking women’s rights a top priority, turned into a weeklong festival aimed at addressing issues facing our global community," its organizers said in a press release.
And to make a good thing great--almost all the events are free to the public. All that's needed is an RSVP, which can be filled out here. From discussing voting issues to ways technology can be used to combat homophobia and misogyny, WORD*ROCK*&SWORD is in every way right in step with the Okayplayer tenets of proper rhythms, resistance and enlightened understanding. Check out the festival's full schedule and list of performers here.
WORD*ROCK*&SWORD: A FESTIVAL EXPLORATION OF WOMEN’S LIVES
Sunday, September 13 through Sunday September 20
Various venues throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn
Full schedule can be found here: www.wordrocksword.com
