Ripple Effect Fest: Franti, Anti-Flag, Dead Prez, more

Best reason to go to Minnnesota that’s NOT the RNC…

By Fred Mills

It’s a Ripple Effect: Mark your calendars for September 2nd and book your flights for St. Paul, MN, because that’s when thousands of people will gather at the Minnesota state capitol to engage in trainings, education, community building, music and art in the Ripple Effect name of positive social and environmental change. Appearing at the daylong festival will be Michael Franti, Anti-Flag, Dead Prez, Wookiefoot W/Matisyahu, I Self Devine, Indigo, Tru Ruts, B. Dolan And Prolyphic, The Sustainable Living Roadshow, Medea Benjamin (co-founder of Codepink & Global Exchange) Will Steger (polar explorer and global warming activist) and many more. Full details can be found at the Ripple Effect website.

According to the organizers, the event is intended to propel “a new wave of progressive action outside the Republican National Convention” — no so coincidentally, also being held in Minneapolis-St. Paul that same weekend — “and will go beyond the convention and beyond partisanship to empower and unite people of all backgrounds and interests. Through our partnership with a diverse team of local and national progressive organizations (nonpartisan), Ripple Effect will be a catalyst to the already burgeoning global movement for sustainability, justice, and equality.”

Ripple Effect is a free event and will run from 12:30-7 pm at the State Capitol Lawn in St. Paul. It’s being organized by Substance, a local social justice focused booking group, and supported by a number of progressive activist organizations (nonpartisan) and nonprofits.