April Arts Marathon Participant: Lissa Schneckenburger

Mission: I will be sharing fiddle tunes and folk songs, sometimes solo and sometimes in collaboration with other local musicians.

Message: I am a Brattleboro area musician, and it is my pleasure to be writing and sharing fiddle tunes and folk songs throughout the month of April to help raise money for the Community Asylum Seekers Project, a local organization that I care very deeply about. My goal is to share music three times a week (two writing and process related posts, resulting in one finished song each week) sometimes on my own and sometimes in collaboration with other local folk musicians. You’ll get a little bit of the behind the scenes work of writing, rehearsing, and recording music, and you’ll also get to hear the finished pieces once they’re all polished up.

Please give generously in any amount that you can afford (no gift is too small)! I have personally witnessed CASP help multiple families find safe homes and integrate into our community with thoughtfulness and care, and I really want that continue. I believe in what they do, and how they go about it. As extra incentive, I will mail out a CD of your choice from my catalogue https://lissafiddle.com/store/) to anyone who donates $50 or more, and a Hope Lingers On Tote Bag (https://lissafiddle.com/store/hope-lingers-on-tote-bag/) and CD of your choice to anyone who donates $100 or more. Please help us spread the word and share this with your family and friends, and thank you! Here’s a little more about CASP:

The April Arts Marathon is the Community Asylum Seekers Project’s key fundraiser. CASP hopes to raise $50,000 this year. With all the uncertainty around the new administration, one thing we know for sure is that people who are experiencing violence and terror in their home countries will continue to seek asylum in this country. Sponsors like you are critical to CASP’s ability to accompany asylum seekers who, against all odds continue to strive for a life of dignity and independence. Every donation directly supports our mission of cultivating a supportive community for asylum seekers in Southern Vermont. All proceeds will go towards fulfilling asylum seekers’ basic needs and accompanying them on their journey towards building a better life in this country.

This week, CASP staff are meeting with families to plan for the worst–if parents are detained, who will care for their children? We are guiding families through the process of setting up temporary guardianship, and the conversations are heartbreaking. Now more than ever we need creative ways to provide support for those who are fleeing violence and oppression in their home countries.

Through the April Arts Marathon, we can build a collective community of care and resistance, while making a huge impact in the lives of asylum seekers! During the month of April, artists will commit to practicing and sharing their work five days a week with sponsors who pledge donations to CASP–turning daily creativity into critical community support. Together, we support asylum seekers who, in turn, enrich our community with their determination, energy, and diverse experiences