Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars Bring the Energy

Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars brought the energy to Phoenix at their concerts on May 8th and 9th. The band got the crowd of young and old attendees out of their seats and grooving to smooth reggae rhythms and West African beats. The concerts were held at the newly opened Musical Instruments Museum and were provided through collaboration between the Museum, the All Stars and the IRC. The band is comprised of former refugees from Sierra Leone who fled during their countries violent civil war. Two of the band members attended IRC schools while in refugee camps in Guinea. Now the band is giving back to the community. With the release of their sophmore album, Rise and Shine, the band is going on a nationwide tour and partnering with the IRC to raise money along the way.

At the Phoenix concert, IRC staff announced a call for donations through their text-to-give program. Audience members dialed "refugee" and donated $5.00 to support Phoenix programs. The band strengthened the communal sense of connection with powerful lyrics calling for people to think of their actions in a global light and support one another. To hear their new album and catch the All Stars at another IRC office, visit them online. If you missed the concert, but would still like to support IRC Phoenix programs with a $5.00 donation text "Refugee-Phoenix" to 25383.