Ani and the band are taking the show to New Orleans on October 17 at the House of Blues, with special guest Hurray for the Riff Raff, and a special appearance from The Roots of Music. But wait...$52 for general admission? You use that cash to get a round of Sazeracs for you and six of your friends with money left over to tip your bartender... Sure, it's a little pricey, but this show is a benefit for organizations that help people regain something priceless, taken for granted by most of us everyday: freedom.
All proceeds from the New Orleans performance, presented by JusticeAid, will go to support the Innocence Project of New Orleans and Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project. These organizations fight tirelessly to help those who sit in our prisons for crimes they did not commit. Resources can be scarce, systemic corruption is an unfortunately common adversary and human lives are on the line. JusticeAid is there to make helping them easier.
Kia Stewart can personally attest to Innocence Project of New Orleans' tireless fight against injustice. Kia was wrongfully incarcerated in the days prior to Hurricane Katrina for a shooting that he didn't commit. But a single eyewitness argued otherwise, and with no other evidence at all connecting Kia to the crime, he was sent to jail at just 17 years old, left there to ride out much of the Hurricane before being belatedly evacuated. Today, Kia is free thanks to IPNO's help, and he's working hard to make up for 10 years of lost time spent in prison for a crime he did not commit.
Get your tickets to the show, enjoy a great night of music and help support these unsung heroes. If you can't make it to the show, check out ways to contribute on the Innocence Project of New Orleans and Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project websites.