Gallery • 4 Photos

Breana McGrier

A student gives a speech at the concert

A benefit concert on Saturday, Sept. 27 outside of University Hall hosted local bands and raised money to support Palestine.

The concert, put on by on-campus organizations Bowling Green Socialists and Music Industry Club (MIC), featured bands Milk on the Rocks, Nobody Wins, Foxing Day and Dreggtooth.

Bryce Howard, president of BG Socialists, said last year’s concert raised over $600 in about two hours.

This year, they were able to raise over $500 in donations.

Proceeds from the concert go towards the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), a United Nations program that provides humanitarian aid, protection and development services to Palestine refugees.

A junior from The University of Toledo, Luma Alaraje, was a guest speaker at Saturday’s event and explained the importance of events that support Palestine.

“We must do everything in our power to stop the genocide to help our people,” Alaraje said, speaking to the concert’s attendees. “Continue to protest, continue to educate and continue to fundraise for Gaza.”

Alaraje said hosting similar events at universities, including BGSU, is helpful in spreading awareness to larger crowds.

“Just in general, in all spaces, we should be mentioning Gaza and mentioning Palestine right now, because what they’re going through is a genocide. It’s unspeakable,” Alaraje said.

Alaraje also said she currently has family living on the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian territory.

The Gaza Strip’s population is approximately 2.4 million people, including about 1.6 million Palestine refugees, according to the UNRWA.

“My entire family is in Gaza, because my parents are from there,” she said. “I actually lost one of my uncles and a couple of my cousins in November 2023, but the rest of my family is just living across the strip in tents.”

Paige Weiden, outreach coordinator for MIC, said she’s familiar with Bowling Green’s music scene and chose punk-adjacent bands that supported the event’s message.

“I just wanted somebody who would push that message forward and I know that’s something that’s really close to their heart,” Weiden said.

Weiden said their events show students’ love for music and the personal beliefs they’re passionate about.

“We want to spread love, music and awareness for any issue we’re talking about,” Weiden said.

Howard said BG Socialists hosted another event on Sunday, Sept. 28, which showed the documentary “Gaza Fights for Freedom” and will continue to host similar events supporting Palestine in the future.