Alicia Keys: Don't Be Fallin for Apartheid
On July 4, 2013, Alicia Keys went through with her plans to perform in Tel Aviv, Israel as part of her Set the World on Fire tour. For several months organizations and activists around the world called on Alicia to heed the Palestinian call for boycott and cancel her performance.
Even though she went through with her show, this campaign garnered much mainstream media attention. More than 16,000 people signed a petition asking her to cancel, which was delivered to the New York office of her charity Keep a Child Alive.
Check out the links below highlights from the campaign and media coverage.
Media Coverage
Despite Alicia Keys performance in Israel, BDS movement continues to grow
July 5th, 2013
July 5th, 2013
Statement from the US Campaign after Alicia performed in Tel Aviv on July 4.
Alicia Keys' Tel Aviv gig shows her progressive politics are just skin deep
July 4th, 2013
July 4th, 2013
Article by Palestinian activist Rafeef Ziadah.
Are Palestinian Children Unworthy to Alicia Keys?
July 4th, 2013
July 4th, 2013
Article by Lubna Hammad, Palestinian-American human rights lawyer.
Pro-Palestinian organization, petition call on Alicia Keys to cancel Israel concert
July 2nd, 2013
July 2nd, 2013
Another article from The Grio covering the campaign.
As Keys Heads to Israel, African Americans Compare Treatment of Palestinians to Jim Crow South
July 1st, 2013
July 1st, 2013
As a campaign calling on world-famous artist Alicia Keys to cancel her July 4 concert in Israel continued, African Americans, including Angela Davis and actress LisaGay Hamilton, released a statement reaffirming parallels between Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and discrimination against African Americans living under Jim Crow in the United States.
YouTube removes video calling on Alicia Keys to cancel Israel concert
June 28th, 2013
June 28th, 2013
Article in Haaretz.
Alicia Keys Going Ahead with Performance in Israel
June 28th, 2013
June 28th, 2013
Coverage in Al Monitor.
Amidst Israel Boycott Calls, Alicia Keys Removes Palestinian Women’s Youtube Protest Video
June 26th, 2013
June 26th, 2013
Alicia Keys took legal action to remove a popular video from Youtube that depicted Palestinian women protesting Israel’s military occupation to the tune of Keys’ song “This Girl Is on Fire.”
Palestinian women urge Alicia Keys not to perform in Israel
June 13th, 2013
June 13th, 2013
More coverage from The Grio.
Alicia Keys urged to cancel concert in Israel
June 12th, 2013
June 12th, 2013
USA Today coverage of delivery of 12,000 petition signatures to Alicia's charity Keep A Child Alive in NYC.
Poll: Should Alicia Keys Perform in Israel?
June 12th, 2013
June 12th, 2013
Coverage from BET.
Rights Advocates Visit Alicia Keys’ Brooklyn Charity, Ask Keys to Cancel Israel Show
June 11th, 2013
June 11th, 2013
Press release from the US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel.
Alicia Keys’ planned Israel concert inspires backlash from black peers
June 6th, 2013
June 6th, 2013
Coverage of the campaign from The Grio
Alicia Keys Is Urged To Drop Israel Gig
May 31st, 2013
May 31st, 2013
HuffPost Live interview with Omar Barghouti.
Despite Protests, Alicia Keys Says She Will Perform in Tel Aviv
May 31st, 2013
May 31st, 2013
Letters
African Americans Affirming the Jim Crow analogy in Palestine/Israel
July 1st, 2013
July 1st, 2013
Letter signed by African American academics, artists, clergy, and activists in response to attacks against Alice Walker for this analogy.
Letter from Hip Hop/R&B; Artist Lah Tere
June 27th, 2013
June 27th, 2013
Lah Tere was formerly a member of the group Rebel Diaz.
Robin D. G. Kelley: Letter from a West Bank Refugee Camp
June 24th, 2013
June 24th, 2013
Letter from Professor Kelly of USACBI in response to the attacks on Alice Walker for her letter to Alicia Keys urging her to cancel.
US Campaign Letter
June 21st, 2013
June 21st, 2013
Our appeal to Alicia endorsed by more than 50 organizations and sent to her publicist.
Alicia Keys, Put the Spotlight on the Plight of Palestinian Children: Boycott Apartheid Israel!
Letter from Boycott From Within.
Defence for Children International Palestine and Health Work Committees to Alicia Keys: Cancel Israel Show
June 12th, 2013
June 12th, 2013
Alicia co-founded the charity Keep a Child Alive in 2003. This letter highlights the suffering of Palestinian children under Israeli occupation.
Just Another Open Letter in The Wall
May 29th, 2013
May 29th, 2013
Letter from Roger Waters to Alicia Keys about why she should cancel.
Open letter from Alice Walker to Alicia Keys
May 29th, 2013
May 29th, 2013
Alice Walker writes "It would grieve me to know you are putting yourself in danger (soul danger) by performing in an apartheid country that is being boycotted by many global conscious artists."
BDS France Letter to Alicia Keys
April 13th, 2013
April 13th, 2013
Actions
Alicia Keys: Don't Be Fallin for Apartheid, Cancel Israel
by Ramah Kudaimi, Membership and Outreach Coordinator
July 2nd, 2013
by Ramah Kudaimi, Membership and Outreach Coordinator
July 2nd, 2013
Tell Alicia Keys to Boycott Apartheid and Cancel Her Concert!
BDS France Actions
June 25th, 2013
June 25th, 2013
Activists distributed thousands of flyers to Alicia's fans at her concerts in France.
Keep the Pressure on Alicia Keys!
June 24th, 2013
June 24th, 2013
Sample tweets directed at Alicia, her publicist, and charity asking her to cancel her concert in Israel.
Alicia Keys: Don't Be Fallin For Apartheid, Cancel Israel
Like the Facebook page.
Video: Don't Play Apartheid Israel
From our member group University of New Mexico Students for Justice in Palestine. Video had more than 27,000 views before it was disabled due to a infringement notification from Alicia Keys.
Action: Send Alicia Your BDS Photos!
Alicia ran a competition for her fans to get featured in a video that would be shown while she was touring. Check out some of the photos activists submitted about Palestine.
Twitter Action: Tell Alicia Keys to Cancel Her Schedule Concert!
June 5th, 2013
June 5th, 2013
Sample tweets to @aliciakeys.