MusicFactory is an organization that is focused on the community around live music. They hosted Semester Sendoff, a two-day event on April 30 and May 1.
MusicFactory president, Ethan Artiga, decided to make the show a fundraiser for the University of Missouri’s Association of Latin American Students following the university’s defunding of Mizzou’s multicultural organizations.
Artiga said he initiated the fundraiser because he hopes to see ALAS continu
e to have a presence on campus as a resource for Latino and Hispanic students.
“The new reality is that they’re going to have to raise funds themselves,” Artiga said. “And so I also wanted to show them that, like, ‘While it sucks, you can do it.’ And it takes a little organization and work with other businesses and people there to help you raise money.”
The April 30 event was held outside the LSD Market. The event was free of charge, with a guest appearance by the Hacky Sack Man.
The night started with a set from DJ KvreeM. The set was filled with pop hits and newer songs, including “Apple” by Charli xcx and classic party songs such as “Like A G6” by Far East Movement.
After the DJ set finished, Artiga took to the stage accompanied by a bassist and a drummer. His set was filled with popular indie rock songs, including “1979” by The Smashing Pumpkins.
Artiga said he thinks that the fundraiser aligns with MusicFactory’s ideology of being a supportive space for anyone in the Columbia area and on Mizzou’s campus.
“Our motto is ‘Peace, Love, MusicFactory,’ because we just, everything that we do is out of love,” Artiga said. “Out of love for music, out of love for people, for our community, for Mizzou, that’s why we do it, you know.”
ALAS president Karina Franquiz said she hopes the Semester Sendoff event raised awareness among the greater Columbia community about the multicultural organizations’ funding cuts.
“Our organization (ALAS) isn’t very well known on campus, much less the rest of Columbia, so we would definitely like to have more visibility, just like in general, and that’s honestly the biggest outcome we can wish for here,” Franquiz said.
