By Aja Cooper, Staff Writer

Published in print Oct.1, 2014

On September 27, a concert was held for the family of Michael Brown, an unarmed teen who was killed by a police officer in Ferguson, MO in early August. The concert entitled, Artists 4 Justice took place at Uptown Artworks located on Arnold St.

The facility serves as a working artist studio that provides local, regional established and emerging visual artists with studio space as well as a professional and productive environment.

Artists 4 Justice, served as a benefit concert that raised funds that would be donated to Michael Brown’s family. Local and regional painters, poets, singers, actors and musicians all came together in one place to make a difference and speak about common unity and working in pursuit of seeing a change in the way America’s justice system treats those of color.

UNCG Alumni, Keisha McKane, the visionary for Artists 4 Justice said that the idea for this event all started with her having a bad day at work, mixed with the emotions she felt after hearing about Ferguson and Michael Brown.

“By no means was this the first case but something broke in me with this one. I just had to do something … so I decided to do what I know how to do which is get a bunch of my friends together and make some beautiful music, poetry [and] noise,” said McKane.

Holding a concert was only a part of McKane’s vision. After receiving more news in regards to Michael Brown’s story, it developed into being something bigger than just a concert.

“I decided to [add] the concept of it being a fundraiser when I heard about Darren Wilson, the cop that shot Michael Brown and the Ku Klux Klan raising over $400,000 for him. So I said, ‘Well if they can do that, then we can do this.’,” shared McKane.

Artists such as IShine, Reminiscent, KingMdot, Jamison Bethea, DNoble, I Am Soteria and many others performed pieces of various genres voicing the importance and need for justice.

Vendors and artists sold merchandise to raise funds that contributed to the $5,000 fundraising goal to be donated to the Brown family. Key speaker, Dr. Ronald Maddox of Fresh Start Ministries, Inc. was also in attendance.

Keyshia McKane shared that this was the first of many events that will be held as the pursuit for justice continues.

Having met with organizations such as Greensboro4Justice and Stop Mass Incarceration Network, McKane said that they plan on continuing to take the necessary steps to make sure that this cause doesn’t fade into the background.

“We’re trying to make some changes in our own community. Ferguson could be any town in North Carolina and we don’t want that,” she shared.