Caring Causes: Hold Tight, Shine Bright and RAICES

Hundreds of immigrant and refugee children are still being held in federal detention centers around the country. In response, 33 of the top artists in family music have banded together to create Hold Tight, Shine Bright, a compilation album of 27 songs with a basic goal in mind — the preservation and promotion of love, hope and family. Hold Tight, Shine Bright is available today via iTunes. All Proceeds of this album will benefit the legal aid initiatives of RAICES Texas.

The dozens of children’s musicians, artists, collaborators, and contributors on this album believe that families seeking refuge in the United States of America need to remain together. The compilation album was produced by The Hold Tight Shine Bright Project: Lucky Diaz and Alisha Gaddis (Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band), Polly Hall and Andrew Barkan (Andrew and Polly), and CJ Pizarro (Mista Cookie Jar), along with Dale Edward Chung. Album art is by Micah Player (Lately Lily).

Co-producer Diaz says, “We believe that unification is paramount and that children should be treated as such—children.” Diaz, who notes that his parents were immigrants from Mexico, wants to spread the positive feelings that come when a musical community comes together for good.

The first single, “Shine Your Light,” was released on Bandcamp in July, and the track (featuring the producers) is in daily rotation on radio shows around the nation. Proceeds from this single and  “Hold Tight, Shine Bright” will all go RAICES, Refugees and Immigration Center for Education Legal Service in Texas. RAICES is currently providing free and low-cost legal service to underserved immigrant children and families. “We believe these services are crucial in making a real difference,” notes Hall and Barkan. “Like RAICES, our goal is to join others in the effort to #ReuniteEveryChild,” adds Pizarro. “Having been raised by Filipino immigrant parents, the value of family was emphasized and instilled in me at a very young age. Family is light. Family is valuable. We want to spread this light into the dark corners, raise awareness, and promote family unification.”