Nearly 100 Port residents and local performers participated in an interfaith musical celebration at Dolphin Bookshop last week that served as a fundraiser for the Deportation Defense Clinic at Hofstra University’s Maurice A. Deane School of Law. The clinic represents Long Island immigrants facing deportation with a full range of free services and spearheads education and advocacy programs for immigrant rights.
The event, entitled “Welcoming the Stranger,” raised $2,000 and counting for the clinic and featured local musicians from different faith and spiritual traditions celebrating the common wish that “strangers” among us be welcomed with open hearts. It was sponsored by Long Island Together, a local collective of activists working to protect our most vulnerable neighbors and building a community to advocate for progressive social change (longislandtogether.org).
Performers who generously donated their time and talent included international jazz singer Jessica Medina, the Willow Interfaith Women’s Choir, Bhajan singer Anju Jain, the St. Stephen’s Singers, guitarist and folk singer Lisa Lay, Port Jewish Center soloist and composer Rochelle Potak, and contemporary vocalist Trish Molyneux.
“We thank the wonderful performers as well as Dolphin, which offered its café space to host the event,” said Ronni Aronow, a member of Long Island Together who helped organize the concert and served as emcee. “We urge those who could not attend to support Hofstra’s free legal clinic by donating online at https://lawspark.hofstra.edu/project/8790.”
To find out more about Long Island Together, including how to join, email info@longislandtogether.org.
