Slash has spread the love to more than just fans who attended one of the 23 S.E.R.P.E.N.T. festival shows. Following the conclusion of the iconic Grammy-winning artist’s brief trek this summer, he has announced that the US tour raised more than $125,000 for five nonprofit organizations handpicked by Slash that benefit mental health, and socio-economic equality and justice nonprofits, uplifting the lives of underserved Americans.
The S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival, which stands for Solidarity, Engagement, Restore, Peace, Equality N’ Tolerance was created by Slash with maximum social impact in mind. Slash chose five nonprofit organizations to benefit from touring proceeds lifting marginalized communities and supporting mental health initiatives.
The S.E.R.P.E.N.T Festival is proud to donate the full $125,0000 raised equally across National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in honor of Lucy-Bleu Knight, The Greenlining Institute, War Child, The Equal Justice Initiative, and Know Your Rights Camp. Plus1.org helped the S.E.R.P.E.N.T Festival organize and distribute all of the proceeds.
For the inaugural S.E.R.P.E.N.T Festival, Slash handpicked the all-star Blues lineup with Warren Haynes Band, Keb’ ‘Mo, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Robert Randolph, Samantha Fish, Eric Gales, ZZ Ward, Jackie Venson, and Larkin Poe. Slash and his Blues Ball Band--Johnny Griparic (bass), Teddy ‘ZigZag’ Andreadis (keys/vocals), Michael Jerome (drums), and Tash Neal (vocals/guitars) - also performed on all S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Blues Festival dates.
“The goal of the S.E.R.P.E.N.T. festival is to bring music fans together in these divisive times to celebrate the spirit of the Blues with other artists who share a love of the Blues like I do and to raise awareness and funds for a handful of charities that I have supported over the years,” says Slash. “Thank you to Warren Haynes Band, Keb’ ‘Mo, Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram, Robert Randolph, Samantha Fish, Eric Gales, ZZ Ward, Jackie Venson, and Larkin Poe who performed with us this year.”
Raised over the course of 23 shows in the U.S., the donated proceeds benefitted the following nonprofits:
“This donation will help NAMI continue to meet the mental health needs of our nation, advocate for systems level change, and serve youth and young adults on their mental health and wellness journeys,” says Jessica Edwards, Chief Development Officer at NAMI. “Thank you for joining NAMI in this important work to create a world where all people affected by mental illness live healthy, fulfilling lives supported by a community that cares.”
“The Greenlining Institute appreciates the support of the S.E.R.P.E.N.T. festival and musicians like Slash that participate in giving back,” says Debra Gore-Mann, President and CEO of The Greenlining Institute. “At Greenlining, we work towards a future where communities of color can build wealth, live in healthy places filled with economic opportunity, and are ready to meet the challenges posed by climate change. We partner with communities of color to understand the barriers they face and establish equity-driven policy solutions that will fundamentally transform our systems to create a just and equitable future for all. Contributions from the S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival will ensure we can continue to drive this essential work at a time when communities of color continue to face deeply rooted inequities and uncertainty in our rapidly changing world.”
"We are immensely grateful to Slash for his generous support,” says Dr. Samantha Nutt, Founder and President of War Child USA and War Child Canada. “For over twenty-five years, War Child has delivered long-term solutions to help war-affected children recover from the devastating impacts of conflict. The funds raised from the S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival will support locally led programs that provide education, uphold children’s rights, and enhance food security and economic development, helping children and families recover and rebuild their communities."
“The funds will support Know Your Rights Camp's mission to advance the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities through education, self-empowerment, mass-mobilization and the creation of new systems that elevate the next generation of change leaders,” says Kerem Ozguz, Senior Director at Know Your Rights Camp.
“With such important work ahead, we are energized by this support, which will greatly aid our efforts to end mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, challenge racial and economic injustice, and protect basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society,” says Bryan Stevenson, Founder and Executive Director at the Equal Justice Initiative.
(Band photo - Allison Morgan)
