Citizen Way Headlines Peace Starts With Me Benefit Concert

NEW YORK, May 22, 2019 -- Come join the Peace Starts With Me Benefit Concert on May 25, 2019, 7:00 p.m. at the Manhattan Center. Billboard charting Christian rock band Citizen Way and Stellar Award winner Jason McGee will be headlining the show. All proceeds from the concert will go to the City of Refuge Ministries community engagement program. Seats are selling out fast so make sure to get your tickets today at putdownthatweapon.org.

In the wake of recent gang violence in Los Angeles, the concert's theme of "Put down that weapon -- Pick up an instrument!" is more relevant than ever.

The concert is part of the Peace Starts With Me rallies, a joint project of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) USA and the American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC). First held at Madison Square Garden in 2017, thousands of people from a wide variety of national, racial, and religious backgrounds gathered together to celebrate peace. This phenomenal event was repeated November 12, 2018 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum and is now headed to Las Vegas on June 22 and other cities around the country.

Bishop Noel Jones, pastor of the City of Refuge Ministries in Los Angeles said, "We live in a time when the inner city has been wracked with so much violence. So God has given us an initiative to pick up an instrument instead of a gun. What you're blessing us to do is to teach our kids.. To use [their] skills to enhance and embellish other people's lives instead of taking [them]."

The concert will be in the Hammerstein Ballroom of the Manhattan Center. Doors open at 6:00 p.m., concert starts at 7:00 p.m. Additional acts include Sarah Eide, The Group Fire, Marie Della Thomas, and many others.

CITIZEN WAY began their journey in Chicago in 2004, quickly becoming a voice of hope heard throughout the world, the mission of Citizen Way's lead singer, Ben Calhoun, drummer David Blascoe and guitarist Daniel Olsson has never wavered. The members of Citizen Way consider themselves "musicianaries," or musicians with a missionary-like calling. "It's not just music for music's sake; it's music with a message," David says. "We write and sing about the things that we do because of the impact they've had on our lives, and we want to share that."

JASON MCGEE is the lead choir director for City of Refuge Ministries in Los Angeles. A native of Bakersfield, CA, Jason moved to Los Angeles in 1998. He has shared the stage with Kanye West, Mariah Carey, Donnie McClurkin, and Kirk Franklin. In 2006, Mr. McGee formed the award-winning choir P.S.A.L.M.S. at City of Refuge Ministries, who have performed in three national Verizon commercials, the Ellen Show, and were featured guests on BET's 10th Anniversary Celebration of Gospel. Mr. McGee can also be heard as the lead singer on "It's Not About Us," the hit single from the City of Refuge's freshman project.

SARAH EIDE  is a singer-songwriter known for lively lyrics and unpredictable melodies. She describes her style as cinematic folk rock with nuances of jazz and pop. Eide is touring throughout the Midwest and Northeast this year in support of her newly released album, "Dreams On Hold," which has been hailed "a unique spin on Americana" (NYS Music) and "an enthralling Americana storybook" (CITY Newspaper).

Contact:
FFWPU USA
Nancy Jubb
Phone: (212) 997-0057
press@familyfed.org

IRVING STREET REP
Ron Lucas
Phone: (973) 643-6262
Fax: (973) 643-6325
rlucas@irvingstreetrep.com

SOURCE Family Federation for World Peace and Unification