A benefit concert for Pregnancy Justice

May 28, 2025  |  6-10 pm  |  City Winery  |  25 11th Ave  |  New York City

JusticeAid was proud to present: “Respect!” a one-night-only spectacular! Weaving together multiple musical genres, the electrifying show celebrated female musicians, songwriting, and empowerment. Guests enjoyed a 3-course dinner at NYC’s City Winery accompanied by the music of our curated show.

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MEET THE ARTISTS!

MIKO MARKS

Miko Marks is a country and Americana artist whose powerful voice and genre-blending sound fuse Americana, blues, Southern rock, and gospel. Born in Flint, Michigan, and now based in Oakland, she was raised by a politically active single mother and a hardworking grandmother, whose resilience and aspirations shaped her path.

In the 2000s, Marks recorded two albums in Nashville but found herself knocking on doors that remained closed—especially for women and artists of color. After stepping away from the industry for a decade, she made a triumphant return, quickly gaining recognition for her distinctive sound. Blending Americana, blues, Southern rock, and gospel, her powerful voice and warm, soulful presence captivate audiences and inspire change.

Since her resurgence, Marks has performed alongside Little Feat, Tedeschi Trucks Band, and Rissi Palmer, gracing festival stages worldwide. In 2024, she released a deluxe edition of Feel Like Going Home and took the stage at Stagecoach and the Trailblazing Women of Country Tour, solidifying her place as a transformative voice in the genre.

“I’m not just one genre. I love everything,” Marks explains. “If I can pull from different influences and make a big gumbo, that’s what I’m going to do. As artists, we need to stir the pot with more and more ingredients—when we do, it elevates us all.”

LIZZ WRIGHT

​Lizz Wright is an acclaimed American vocalist and songwriter celebrated for her rich, smooth alto voice. Born in Georgia, she began her musical journey as the musical director of her father’s church. Wright has released multiple albums, beginning with her debut, Salt (2003), and most recently Shadow (2024). Her rendition of “Seems I’m Never Tired Lovin’ You” from the album Grace (2017) was featured on President Obama’s Summer 2016 playlist. NPR has praised her work, stating, “Aided by producer Joe Henry, the jazz and gospel singer strikes a balance between ecstasy and empathy on her sixth album.”

MARTHA REDBONE

Martha Redbone is a vocalist, songwriter, composer, and educator known for blending folk, blues, and gospel with the eclectic grit of pre-gentrified Brooklyn and the roots of her childhood in Harlan County, Kentucky. Drawing from the powerful gospel legacy of her father and the resilient spirit of her mother’s Southeastern Indigenous culture, Redbone expands the boundaries of American roots music, sharing the story of her experience as a Black and Native American woman and mother in the modern world.

Her album The Garden of Love: Songs of William Blake was hailed as “a brilliant collision of cultures” (New Yorker), and she and her husband, longtime collaborator Aaron Whitby, composed and arranged the music for the 2022 Broadway revival of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuff, earning seven Tony Award nominations. Together, they received the 2020 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music in a Play and the 2020 Audelco Award for Outstanding Composer of Original Music and Score.

Redbone is a 2021 United States Artist Fellow and frequently guest lectures on Indigenous rights, the arts in politics, and Native American identity at institutions like NYU, the University of Michigan, and the University of Massachusetts. Her latest work, Bone Hill, a musical inspired by her Appalachian heritage, is currently touring nationwide after being commissioned by Joe’s Pub/NEA and Lincoln Center for the Arts.

CHRISSI POLAND

Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Chrissi Poland weaves together the sounds of soul, blues, jazz, and pop to create a uniqueness that has elevated her as an artist and linked her with some of the best in the business. A vocalist with a diverse stylistic range, Chrissi has drawn comparisons from Aretha Franklin to Adele, Joni Mitchell to Prince

A touring member of Rock ’n Roll Hall of Fame legend Sam Moore’s band (Sam & Dave) from 2008-2012, Poland also appeared with Bette Midler as an official “Harlette” for Bette’s 2014 album release promo tour of “It’s The Girls.”Her original songs have appeared on the HBO, NBC, Bravo networks, and Netflix.

Chrissi has toured with and opened for a wide range of artists, including Blood, Sweat & Tears, Marc Cohn, and Suzanne Vega. She currently splits her time between touring with GRAMMY- winning soul singer Michael Bolton as his duet partner and writing/recording/producing from her home studio. With four solo albums, three EP’s, and a slew of singles released, Poland continues to release new music this year.

DANIELLE PONDER

A once-in-a-generation talent, Danielle Ponder’s soulful and genre-defying sound and unique backstory are self-evident.  Infused with a myriad of influences, from the gospel she grew up singing, to trip-hop, blues, pop, R&B and alt-rock, Ponder brings them together organically, effortlessly and powerfully.

At the tender age of 39, Ponder gave up a successful and rewarding career as a public defender in her hometown of Rochester, NY to focus purely on her music, which up until then had been a passion on the back burner.  By 2022, she signed her first record deal, and became a trailblazer on her own unusual path to worldwide renown, developing the distinct style centered around her commanding voice.

Ponder’s debut album, Some Of Us Are Brave, almost immediately garnered critical praise, as well as dozens of major sync placements including the latest Apple campaign for the iPhone 16 Pro. Her live performances have included four major TV appearances, and sold out shows across North America and Europe including festival appearances at Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Afropunk and Montreux Jazz Festival. 

Defying all of the odds, Danielle Ponder is poised to continue her revolutionary path to success with her hotly anticipated sophomore album, due for release in 2025 via Secretly Canadian/Saddest Factory Records.

 

SCOTT SHARRARD

Scott Sharrard is an esteemed American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer, celebrated for his contributions to rock and blues music.

A Michigan native, Sharrard began his musical career studying jazz in high school, earning his stripes alongside top musicians before moving to New York City. There, he gained critical acclaim for his live shows and studio recordings, including collaborations with The Band drummer Levon Helm in the Hudson Valley.

In 2008, he joined the Gregg Allman Band as lead guitarist and later became its musical director. He co-wrote “My Only True Friend,” featured on Allman’s Grammy-nominated Southern Blood (2017). More than collaborators, Sharrard and Allman were best friends.

Committed to social justice, Sharrard has served as music director for multiple JusticeAid benefit concerts, leading all-star bands in support of organizations like Black Voters Matter.

Since 2019, he has been the lead singer and guitarist for the legendary band Little Feat. His work includes co-producing Live at The Ryman (2022) and performing on Sam’s Place (2024), both Grammy-nominated projects.

As a solo artist, Sharrard has released multiple albums, including Rustbelt (2021). Billboard Magazine calls him “one of the best guitarists in the country.”

He also shares insights on music and life through his Substack, Scott Sharrard’s Endless Road.

AN ALL-STAR BAND

ERIC FINLAND
KEYS, PIANO

TONY LEONE
DRUMS

MIKE MERRITT
BASS

ALEXANDRA RIDOUT
TRUMPET

JENNY HILL
TENOR SAXOPHONE

NICKI RICHARDS
BACKING VOCALS

ELIZABETH PUPO-WALKER
PERCUSSION

JENNY FOOTE
BACKING VOCALS

WHY US?

JusticeAid is a nonprofit charitable organization that leverages the community-building power of art and music to transform awareness into action in the fight against injustice. Each year we identify and raise funds for justice causes by hosting music, arts, and educational events. Since 2013 JusticeAid has granted more than $4 million to nonprofits working to ensure access to justice for the disenfranchised and marginalized.

We know that you trust JusticeAid to identify phenomenal musical talent, important issues, and deserving organizations like Pregnancy Justice. Please kindly give what you are able and know that we are truly grateful for your support and audience participation.

Our 2025 Grantee Partner, Pregnancy Justice, advances and defends the rights of pregnant people, no matter if they give birth, experience a pregnancy loss, or have an abortion.

Since its founding more than 20 years ago,  Pregnancy Justices provides criminal defense, advocates for legal and policy change, publishes cutting-edge research, and equps partners in the field with analysis, training, and narrative framing.

JusticeAid supporters share a passion for justice and a love for the arts. Learn about Pregnancy Justice, persuade someone of its importance, and let’s rally together to make the world a better place.

Pregnancy Justice advances and defends the rights of pregnant people, no matter if they give birth, experience a pregnancy loss, or have an abortion. Now more than ever, it’s time to fight for a world that treats all pregnant people with dignity and humanity because no one should lose their rights because of pregnancy.