Alex Villamil, Dr John Woodall, the Reverend Matthew Crebbin, and Jim Allen invite readers to Rock This Democracy on Saturday, February 22, at Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street.

The event will blend uplifting music with empowering speakers to discuss, candidly, what organizers see as the profound crossroads the United States is at.

Doors open at 7 pm, and attendees can expect to be greeted with music as they walk through the doors. Villamil expressed the evening will be an opportunity for people to get together, to build community, and to be informed.

Though a complete list of speakers has not been announced, Allen said this week the speakers will get into the “nuts and bolts” of power and democracy. The event will balance education with empowerment to help get the community involved and encourage voters to speak up.

Speaking with The Newtown Bee Tuesday afternoon, Crebbin said when people are not engaged “in the public life of our towns, of our communities … the well-being of ourselves, individually, and the well-being of our society is lessened.”

He added that he wants “to see people get connected, we want to see people be sustained.”

Villamil said the purpose of Rock This Democracy “is to bring people together to allow them to take a step back, take a breath, and sort of just realize that they’re not by themselves … [As] a government of the people, for the people, it’s important to make sure that people are together to remind themselves of that.”

Allen chimed in, “Because we are powerful together.”

Organizers said they hope to lift the light of liberty for all: All ages, all races and creeds, all orientations, all families and people.

While Rock This Democracy is a free event, donations will be accepted through GoFundMe, linked on the Rock This Democracy website, to acquire police presence to ensure the safety of all and to continue growing the grassroots organization. There will be a table set up with information concerning local, state, and national organizations that share similar values to Rock This Democracy, such as rejecting authoritarianism and embracing the melting pot that is the United States, Allen, Crebbin and Villamil said this week. Woodall was unable to join them for the quick conversation ahead of the February 22 event.

“Democracy is not a one-day, creative task,” said Crebbin, who added he hopes to bring the community together to continue working toward a fair, representative democracy.

Villamil wants to remind readers that “now is the time to get engaged.”

Rock This Democracy invites readers to submit questions, concerns, and inquiries through the website, rockthisdemocracy.org.

=====

Reporter Sam Cross can be reached at sam@thebee.com.