"Shelter from the Storm": A Fundraiser for the Housing Cooperative RAISE-OP

This May 22nd, Central Maine Artists for Justice — a group of performers, musicians and artists from Central Maine — is hosting a fundraising event on behalf of RAISE-OP, a housing cooperative in Lewiston.

Tickets are a $15 suggested donation; however, we encourage generosity if people have the means to donate more. All proceeds will go directly to RAISE-OP, who use their funds to "operate safe and affordable housing that is democratically controlled by its Members on a non-profit basis."

The theme for the event's performances is titled, "Shelter from the Storm." At a time in the U.S. where the cost of living is skyrocketing, in a city where many people struggle to afford a roof over their head or struggle to find an open bed in a shelter, and in a country that is deliberately depriving the populations of other countries of safe shelter... we seek to spend time together thinking about what "shelter" really means, either to those of us harmed by local and national government policies, racism, predatory landlords, classism, war and genocide, capitalism — or to those of us who have always had the privilege of access to a variety of types of shelter. For this fundraiser and talent showcase, we ask the audience, our art auction contributers, and our performers to consider: How can we build a world where everyone can seek and receive shelter? How can we prevent shelter from being jeopardized? And what are some ways of thinking about our cultural relationship to shelter, that perhaps aren't as obvious?

Performances will include songs, stories, poems, theatrical monologues, and... perhaps group singing?!?! Come find out!!

Additionally, there will be a silent art auction (!!), organizers from RAISE-OP talking about their work (!!) and a raffle for an exciting door prize (!!). (As with ticket sales, all proceeds will go to RAISE-OP).

The doors to the event open at 6:30pm, and the performances will begin roughly at 7:00pm. In that half-hour, there will be time for people to hang out, bid on the silent auction art, and eat some snacks.

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Accessibilty:

LA Arts is on the ground-level, and we will provide masks for those who wish to wear one. If you have other accessibility needs (including language needs), we want to hear from you, especially as we look to host, and create, future events.

Join us — we absolutely can't wait to be in community with you!

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Central Maine Artists for Justice (aka "CMajor") is a creative collective formed in support of immigrants, the LGBTQIA+ community, bodily autonomy, and racial justice. Through the transformative power of the arts, we amplify and educate about social justice actions in Lewiston and throughout Maine. We serve as a hub by redirecting people and resources to engage with our community. We support the ongoing work of local social justice organizations through coalition building, arts events, and fundraising. CMAJ believes the arts serve as a tangible expression of the human experience to foster a deeper empathy for the humanity of all.

For more information about RAISE-OP,

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