DIY music and activism come together today at the first ever at in Denton in a day of fun and games to benefit a cause for reproductive justice.
Organizer Jessica Ziegler put together a lineup of queer and allied artists and musicians to benefit the Cicada Collective, a group dedicated to helping women get better access to reproductive healthcare in Texas.
The festival’s lineup includes , Lily Taylor, and , featuring members of Denton’s beloved .
“Every band has a queer/trans person or a woman in it so I kind of wanted the bands to be set up to not just be hetero-cis dudes just like a lot of events tend to be,” Ziegler said.
The collective was started in reaction to SB 5 that passed into law last year making it difficult for women seeking abortion in Texas. Many abortion clinics closed as a result of the law, forcing women to drive long distances to even get a check-up.
Donations go towards supporting Cicada’s project aptly titled the Abortion Support Network of North Texas, intended to help train volunteers and give transportation, lodging and doula services to women seeking abortion.
Ziegler said the group’s name is symbolic about a certain experience about living in Texas and the journey of cicadas. The group’s website sums it up pretty well:
“They begin their life journey as an egg that is deposited in a groove in a tree limb, feeding on the trees fluids. When the egg hatches and the cicada is ready, it falls to the ground where it finds roots to feed on. Once rooted, it will stay underground from 2 to 17 years. We view ourselves and our communities as cicadas, rooted in the land we inhabit, and growing together to form healthy, strong connections. Cicadas are also known to sing loudly, embodying the voices of those resisting on a daily basis, growing stronger in numbers each season.”
The festival is also collaboration with , a student group at the University of North Texas created to support a more inclusive campus.
“I wanted to include them because one thing that is really important to me and to Cicada Collective is seeing abortion as an issue not just for cis women but for anyone who is able to get pregnant and also for their loved ones, it’s an issue for them as well,” said Ziegler.
The festival starts at 2 p.m. To learn more, check out the event page .
