By Gabriel Solis
On Sunday, Feb. 15, hundreds of people from the greater Grand Rapids area gathered at Fountain Street Church for “Melt the ICE,” a benefit concert for families affected by the recent actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Donations collected at the door and inside the event benefitted three local human rights organizations: Kent County Indivisible, Movimiento Cosecha GR, and SECOM Community Resource Center.
Attendees were present from every conceivable demographic, united in their opposition to ICE’s ongoing activity in Grand Rapids and beyond.
“You look around and it’s people of all generations,” said Neal Vantil, 17, of Grand Rapids, who attended the event. “It’s not just the youth, it’s the people who support the youth, and it’s the generations that came before us. We’re all coming together.”
Beginning around 2:15 p.m., music from four Grand Rapids-based bands (Jeff Schroeder & Friends, Epcya, Cabildo, and the Bootstrap Boys) echoed through the church’s main sanctuary. These bands, comprised of members from all over the world, performed in an extremely diverse array of styles between them, from light folk and Americana to classic-tinted country to much harder rock, and everything in between. Much of the music had Latin influence, and songs were performed in both English and Spanish.
In the social hall, the performances were projected onto large screens, and volunteers distributed food from local ethnic restaurants. Many of these restaurants declined to be named publicly for fear of retribution. Meanwhile, social justice and human rights organizations from throughout the state set up tables and booths distributing information and accepting donations of their own.
One of many such organizations represented at the event was Raices Migrantes, a group that provides logistical assistance to families and individuals who have been detained by ICE throughout the process of their experience. The group was founded by Nahomi Ramirez and her sister after their father was detained in September and held at ICE’s North Lake Processing Center in Baldwin, Michigan.
“He’s been released since, he’s been out for over a month,” said Ramirez. “But, we noticed how much, like … people needed to know where to start. And so that’s why we wanted to step in and help others. Because we had to figure it out.”
Raices Migrantes helps people detained on the basis of immigration at every point in their legal process, whether that ends in release or deportation. They collect donations for commissary, help arrange transportation home for people who are released, and organize backpacks with fresh clothes for those who are deported. They are a small organization, and the constant logistical demands of their services are a lot to contend with.
“(It’s) a lot of phone calls from the detention center and the family members,” Ramirez said. “We just need more volunteers … helping respond to those messages.”
For some, the opportunity to assist groups like Raices Migrantes was just as much of a draw as the music. Marilyn and Philip Pikaart, of Grand Rapids, say they came to the event specifically to donate to Movimiento Cosecha GR, one of the three main organizations benefitting from the event.
“(We came) to make a contribution to Cosecha, and to help the immigrants in our community, and help spread resources to them,” said Marilyn.
The Pikaarts echoed the sentiment that the power of the event came from uniting people from various demographics behind a shared cause.
“It brings the community together,” Marilyn said. “Unity. And instead of splitting us up, like the (Trump) administration wants to do, events like this bring us all together with one common interest.”
Phillip added, “I think it brings these organizations together, too.”
Melt the ICE was the first project of Grand Rapids Sounds of Solidarity, an organization created specifically for the event. The turnout was a smashing success. Donations have been reported to total over $40,000, and attendance, by different sources, was estimated at anywhere from 700 to 1,400 people.
“Based on the percentage of multiple rooms filled at once, I’d say 700 (to) 800 (people),” said Dan Terpstra, event manager for GRSOS, in a text message to The Collegiate. “(I) would prefer a conservative number so it’s not … boastful like the current administration.”
