Demarest Hall hosts 3rd annual DemFest Charity Event

Residence hall and student organization Demarest Hall held their annual “DemFest” charity event on April 17, featuring live music from local bands and tabling from activist groups.

The event has been held annually for the past three years to raise money for local organizations. Led and organized by students, the festival uses community resources, such as hand-printed shirts, local underground bands and food stalls to make it a fun event while raising money for serious causes.

The philanthropic event raised funds for New Labor, a local organization advocating for the rights of immigrant and labor communities. Organizers said the event raised over twenty-three thousand dollars, all of which will go to New Labor, which is facing eviction due to the construction of the Helix Center.

Demarest co-president Maya Braham spoke to WRSU about how the event will help New Labor. “They are facing eviction because of the Helix Center, and so likely this money will go towards making sure that they are able to have a place in New Brunswick to continue their work,” Braham said.

Organizers said they try to use their limited resources to organize an event that is fun for the attendees and can raise awareness of the current political climate and raise money for local organizations.

Local indie band Jack Flowers and the Petal Tones spoke to WRSU about the many times they’ve performed at Rutgers, including Demarest’s Trans Visibility Festival and Halloween Cover Show. “We were super lucky that they invited us to come back,” vocalist Jack said. “Once they told us that it was a fundraiser for New Labor and anti-ICE, I was like, ‘Well, of course we’re gonna be there.’”

Local advocacy groups tabled at the event and spoke to attendees to raise awareness around local and University issues. Groups included LGBTQ+ advocacy group Garden State Equality, student-basic-needs support group Knights Needs, and disability fitness group Move4More.

Patrick Bubniak, who tabled for RU for Disability Justice, a disability rights group, spoke about the organization’s campaign to close gaps that hinder students with disabilities from participating in university life.

Bubniak emphasized the need for support from both students with disabilities and their allies to achieve this goal. He highlighted the importance of collective advocacy and the ongoing nature of the movement, using the event as an opportunity to raise awareness and gather support.

“We need the support of students with disabilities, and we also need their allies to join in, because it takes an entire village to make this stuff happen,” Bubniak said. “Demfest is an awesome opportunity to make this happen and make people more aware of our movement.”

Co-president Jaxon “Roman” Sample said the event was a big success and the culmination of a year’s worth of Demarest community events. “This has been an incredible event,” Sample said. “So many people have come together, and so many incredible bands have been just killing it up there…I’ve never felt more like a ‘Demarite’ in my life.”

Andrew Hawthorne contriubted to this report.