ARTISTS & PERFORMERS
TEOLI STAGE
The Carmela Teoli Stage is named in honor of the Lawrence teen whose courageous testimony before Congress helped bring a successful end the Bread and Roses Strike by raising national awareness of unsafe working conditions. After dropping out of sixth grade to work in the mills, Teoli suffered a horrific injury when her hair was caught in a textile machine. Despite months in the hospital, she joined the strike and testified before Congress, gaining national attention, the support of President Taft, and pressuring mill owners to raise wages. Her testimony also gained support for labor laws that limited work hours for children so they could attend school and set minimum ages for dangerous jobs. Teoli's bravery continues to inspire today's youth in the ongoing fight for workers' and human rights, showing that even the youngest voices can make a lasting impact.
12:35PM - 1:05PM
TIGERMAN WHOA!
What started as a couple of under-employed friends learning songs off the American Anthology of Folk Music has become a locally celebrated brotherhood dedicated to making music that moves people into mosh pits and onto picket lines.
1:10PM - 1:40PM
NEEMZ
Neemz is a Boston-based multidisciplinary artist known for pushing boundaries and creating her own path. Representing both Palestine and Boston, she transcends more than just geographical borders, seamlessly blending the worlds of fashion, music, film, photography, and modeling.
Highlights of her career include being a Converse All-Star, releasing her own custom Converse shoes, modeling for global brand campaigns, being recognized as a gender-bending artist at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, attending IDK's "No Label Academy" at Harvard University, having her own segment on NBC News, and being nominated for New Artist of the Year at the Boston Music Awards.
Having only begun her musical journey three years ago, she has performed at the Boston Calling Festival, opened for Skepta and Lancey at her first Canadian music festival, and opened for IDK, Rico Nasty, Big Freedia, Druski, and more!
Exploring hip-hop, R&B, and pop, Neemz showcased her range with the release of her first EP, "It's Above Me," in November 2021, which has garnered over 3 million streams. With every element, Neemz tells a beautiful story of self-love, self-discovery, self-awareness, and spirituality.
1:45PM - 2:30PM
VERONICA ROBLES
Veronica Robles is a Mariachi singer, musician and Latin American folkloric dancer and choreographer by trade but has become a cultural icon for Latinos in Boston. She has effectively utilized the power of the arts and culture to bring the community together by raising awareness on the importance of diversity and she has empowered the youth by employing them and teaching them about their roots and cultures.
Robles is Co-founder and Director of the Veronica Robles Cultural Center that supports community action and economic growth in East Boston and offers Latin American arts and culture programming and provides jobs for youth.
Recently she was honored with the national 2021 Changemakers Award presented by the Institute of Non-Profit Practice. In November 2019 Ms. Robles received the Ohtli Award. This Award is one of the highest and very limited distinctions given by the Government of Mexico. Veronica Robles is a woman of courage and principles; as a cancer survivor she lives her life to the fullest, filled with joy, passion, and love. Her work honors the memory of her only daughter who passed away as a teenager.
3:10PM - 3:55PM
RYAN GILFILLIAN
Ryan Gilfillian is a Philadelphia based singer / songwriter that is providing soulful therapy for all that have dealt with the pain of heartbreak. The warmth of Ryan’s tone carries you into a safe place of vulnerability and self-reflection as you think back on the good and the bad of past relationships. Behind the warmth and vulnerability sits a confidence and cool that pulls you in like a magnet. Despite all of the obstacles life has thrown Ryan, he actively chooses to inspire confidence with his go-getter attitude that is infectious to those around him.
Ryan has performed on stages at WXPN Xponential Festival, Newport Folk Festival, Philadelphia Flower Show, and Bonnaroo headlining and opening for some of the top acts in the music industry
In the 4th quarter of 2022 Finally Released his debut EP "Evergreen" which brings you along Ryan's journey of heartbreak and love. Multiple songs off "Evergreen" are in rotation on the airwaves with support from WXPN Philadelphia and 91.5 Jazz & More Las Vegas.
From the suburbs of Philadelphia, Ryan was born into a musical household. Both his father Nelson and brother Devon are professional musicians. Music was something that Ryan always found happiness in, but he didn't know if it was the career path he wanted to pursue. It wasn't until 2009 when Ryan was involved in a life-altering car accident that left him paralyzed, that his love for singing and songwriting was ignited. “Even though I may not be able to walk, writing music, recording, performing live and being able to connect with others, has allowed me to express my whole entire self without any limitations”. Ryan uses music as a means to inspire his fans while shining a light on the disability community.
His musical influences include His father, Nelson Gilfillian, his brother Devon Gilfillian, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Usher, Musiq Soulchild, & Jill Scott which you can hear through his own original music.
When he's not making music Ryan can be found spending time with his family, creating a new definition of confidence, beating the odds, and living life on his terms.
4:00PM - 4:45PM
TAÍNA ASILI
Taína Asili, New York-based Puerto Rican singer, composer, and interdisciplinary artist, is celebrated by NPR, Rolling Stone, and Billboard for her soulful, genre-blending music echoing calls for love and liberation. With powerful vocals and a multi-genre fusion traversing salsa, rock, reggaeton, Afrobeat, and other global sounds, Asili's music is both unique and deeply rooted. Accompanied by her brilliant ensemble, she delivers energetic performances at diverse venues nationwide, inspiring audiences to dance to the heartbeat of social change.
The Beginning After the End of Humanity Circus
Show Starts at 5:00PM
BREAD & PUPPET
The circus is coming! The circus is coming! The Bread & Puppet Theater is bringing its iconic circus to Lawrence, MA. The company presents The Beginning After the End of Humanity Circus, a brand new show in the tradition of the iconic Bread & Puppet Circuses that began at Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont in 1970. As usual, the show will draw on traditional circus tropes and familiar Bread and Puppet iconography to draw attention to the urgent issues of the day. Stilt dancers, paper maché beasts of all sizes and a riotous brass band make a raucous, colorful spectacle of protest and celebration.
Director Peter Schumann describes the show as featuring, “tigers teaching the congress of cowards how to jump over billionaires and acquire the courage to not pay for the atrocities of the latest genocide; the proverbial sheep of The system refusing to be sheep and committing revolution against the system; and the blue horses of the peace and harmony terrorists of the Northeast Kingdom breaking through the wall of threatening clouds that hide the truth from the population and then galloping over the ruins of the truth industry.”
After the show Bread & Puppet will serve its famous sourdough rye bread with aioli, and Bread & Puppet’s “Cheap Art” – books, posters, postcards, pamphlets and banners from the Bread & Puppet Press – will be for sale.