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Free Marissa Alexander Fundraising Party

Featuring live music from Daro Behroozi & friends, with special guest speaker Vikki Law and Trish Tchume, emcee

About Marissa Alexander's Case
Marissa Alexander, an African American mother of three from Florida, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for firing a warning shot, which caused no injury, to halt an attack by her abusive husband.

The growing national Free Marissa Now campaign is raising funds for her retrial, currently scheduled for March. Although Marissa's legal team is working pro bono, there are significant additional costs in running an effective defense. The campaign is more than halfway to its initial goal of raising $20,000 by December 31, and now is a crucial time for everyone to who wants to see Marissa Alexander free to contribute.

ON DECEMBER 15, COME LIFT UP MARISSA ALEXANDER'S NAME AND RAISE MUCH-NEEDED FUNDS TO HELP BRING MARISSA HOME.

Although Marissa had no prior arrests, was licensed to carry a gun, and had a restraining order against her husband, and although Florida's now-infamous self-defense law includes the right to "stand your ground," Marissa was charged with aggravated assault. Racist and sexist stereotypes that paint African American women as aggressors and deny sympathy to women who stand up to their abusers meant that Marissa Alexander was presumed guilty until proven innocent. This erasure of domestic violence is doubly institutionalized in Florida's draconian and racist system of mandatory minimum sentencing laws. (Adapted from resources on the Free Marissa Now website.)

In September 2013, Marissa won her appeal. Now more than ever, her legal team must have the resources to defend this survivor. Please buy your tickets today and help spread the word about her case!

This event is an ad-hoc effort by concerned individuals responding to the Free Marissa Now campaign's call for people of conscience to undertake grassroots fundraising actions. For information on the national campaign, including resources on mandatory minimums and the criminalization of abuse survivors, please visit http://freemarissanow.tumblr.com.

Please note that tickets are not tax deductible. All funds raised will go to the Marissa Alexander Legal Defense Fund, which is administered by Marissa's family on her behalf.