In early June, Bay Area music legend Sheila E. posted a photo on Twitter of her shoulder-to-shoulder with political activist Angela Davis. The two had teamed up for a peaceful vigil for Black lives hosted by the Greenlining Institute and Brown Folx 4 Black Lives. Both women wore masks and knelt to protest the killing of George Floyd and other Americans at the hands of police officers.

During the vigil, Davis shared a powerful speech to address racial injustice. “I am here because I want to bear witness to the long history of Black and brown unity,” she said. “I would not be walking free today if not for the valuable contributions of Chicano and Latinx communities five decades ago.”

Oakland-born Sheila E., whose father is Mexican-American and whose mother has Creole and African-American roots, is no stranger to collaborative efforts between Black and brown communities to denounce social injustice. She fondly recalls playing as a child with her father, world-renowned percussionist Pete Escovedo, who also blended his music and his activism.

 Now, Sheila E. is bringing us the We Stand Together virtual fundraising show on Thursday, July 23, benefitting the Black Lives Matter Global Network, an organization aimed at ending white supremacy and police brutality by building power in local communities. The event will also benefit two local nonprofits, YR Media and Elevate Oakland. Sheila E. is a co-founder of Elevate Oakland along with Yoshi Akiba (who co-founded the legendary local jazz club Yoshi’s), musician Lynn Mabry, and entrepreneur Jason Hofmann.

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