“Girl Culture is Sacred” Show at El Rio on Saturday will Raise Funds for Abortion Access
Photo Credit: Ginger Fierstein
As chaotic and unpredictable as the current federal administration currently seems, they do appear to be guided by one founding principle—“wake up, do something insane.”
With so much grief and pain and hardship caused by such a reckless president and his loathsome sycophants, it can be easy to fall into a well of hopelessness and despair (hi, that’s me.) Or you can be like Tracey Holland and actually take action to make a positive change.
Holland, a local musician with longstanding roots in activism, will stage her second annual “Girl Culture is Sacred” fundraiser concert on Saturday at El Rio, with proceeds benefiting the Louisiana Abortion Fund.
“I hope the takeaway that people get from this event is that we’re not going away—that we’re not going to be quiet while all this shit goes down,” said Holland. “One of things that has been so disappointing is seeing all these universities and giant corporations utterly capitulate to this administration. Obviously, I don’t have a big voice—but someone has to say something—someone has to do fucking something.”
The fundraiser is part of Holland’s 1001 Stevies endeavor, a passion project that she founded in 2017 to raise awareness, funds and support for abortion access and reproductive healthcare initiatives. For Saturday’s event, she’s partnering with Pretty Beat, a local nonprofit organization that supports underrepresented artists in music, film, and media.
Holland started 1001 Stevies (the name is an homage to Fleetwood Mac’s legendary Stevie Nicks) as a sort of traveling benefit troupe, travelling between Los Angeles and San Francisco to stage fundraising concerts. The pandemic upended those plans, but last year, she settled on El Rio as a permanent, recurring home her abortion access fundraisers.
The matinee event will start at 3 p.m. on El Rio’s back patio and feature local bands Ouch! (delightfully described as “indie-hermit-pop”), Baycoin Beats (playing a special set of D’Angelo covers) and Holland’s own band for this project, Freebleed, a collection of musicians with ties to the community. Freebleed will play music inspired by acts that are foundational to Girl Culture, including Hole, Le Tigre, Fiona Apple and others.
While the show is titled Girl Culture is Sacred (a phrase coined by local music journalist Emma Silvers), Holland insists that the event will have a big-tent, welcoming feel.
“This is not just about gender—this is about self-expression and allowing for space for everyone to be proud of who they are,” said Holland. “Ultimately, we want to celebrate the freedom of making the choices you want with your life and with your body. Whether that’s an abortion, or birth control or gender-affirming care, or whatever, we support that. And so, this event can be for anyone.”
Over the years, Holland’s events have raised more than $10,000, and they’ve steadily grown since their inception. Along with providing crucial funds to abortion providers—particularly in the South, where they face existential threats—Saturday’s concert will provide another stirring reminder that activists and advocates like Holland will not disappear under the daily threats of this administration.
“It sucks that we are in a position where safe spaces like this show are really important,” said Holland. “But this gives us an opportunity to gather together and let people know that this is our culture, and we’re standing in solidarity together.”
Show Details:
Girl Culture is Sacred featuring Ouch!, Baycoin Beats, and Tracey Holland Supergroup Freebleed
Where: El Rio
When: 3 p.m. – 8 p.m., Saturday, February 14
Tickets: $28.52, available here.