Slowly, the different elements of the event came together: El Rio was an obvious fit to host because of how queer-friendly it is — and the bar was even willing to waive its usual fees for the fundraiser. A local cook, Verita, volunteered to make tamales to sell at the event. A ceramicist will also have a table set up.
Meanwhile, the fact that the DJ lineup is all trans wasn’t something they planned on purpose, Yara says. Those were just the DJs who responded to their call for volunteers. “They were the people who stepped up,” Yara says.
According to Yara, the bulk of the money raised at Sunday’s event will be distributed directly to a handful of Bay Area families who have been impacted by the ICE crackdowns. If there are extra funds, they’ll be donated to the Oakland Education Alliance’s Rapid Response Team, which provides legal services to immigrant families facing deportation.
Melt the Ice Fest, featuring DeAlma, Tranzmutation, DJMJ and Maryama, will take place at El Rio (3158 Mission St., San Francisco) on Sunday, Jan. 18, 3–8 p.m. The door fee will be a sliding scale of $10–$20.