Radio Milwaukee to host HYFIN Anti-Gala on Aug. 3 with performances from Madison McFerrin and Silas Short

MILWAUKEE (June 5, 2023) – Radio Milwaukee will host a first-of-its-kind Anti-Gala to benefit its Urban Alternative channel HYFIN (WYMS-88.9FM HD2) on Thursday, August 3, the station announced Monday.

“We are excited to be hosting a one-of-a-kind experience for Milwaukee’s creative and innovative Black community,” said HYFIN Program Director Tarik Moody. “Currently, events like the HYFIN Anti-Gala are missing in our city and the community is left to travel elsewhere or go without. HYFIN is committed to connecting and celebrating the culture through events like this.”

The event, held in the Bradley Pavilion at the Marcus Performing Arts Center, will celebrate and appreciate Black culture through the lens of Afrofuturism with food, fashion and performances. Gary Witt, CEO of Pabst Theater Group, and Chauntel McKenzie, founder and principal strategist of The PowHER Network, will serve as the Anti-Gala’s co-chairs.

“We have an opportunity, through HYFIN, to lift up the Black community,” said Witt. “We can do that by celebrating our young professionals and the work they are doing to make Milwaukee a better place to live, work, and play. Join us on August 3 to be a part of the HYFIN movement as it works to connect and lift up the culture in Milwaukee.”

“HYFIN is so critical and relevant especially right now in this age of social media and streaming,” said McKenzie. “Having a platform for the culture that also infuses the talent of local artists uplifts Milwaukee’s entire art and culture footprint.”

Attendees are encouraged to dress as comfortably and as boldly as they want, with the HYFIN Anti-Gala being a place for folks to be their true and best selves.

The Anti-Gala will feature a plated dinner curated by chef Jason Alston of Heaven’s Table, along with a fashion showing from the nationally-recognized Edessa Fashion School. The event will also celebrate local innovators and trailblazers through an awards ceremony.

Following the dinner portion of the evening, guests will enjoy high-energy performances from Madison McFerrin and Silas Short.

McFerrin is a genre-bending soul and R&B artist whose early sound was dubbed “soul-appella” by Questlove. A multi-hyphenate, McFerrin is a singer, songwriter and producer. She is also the daughter of jazz vocalist Bobby McFerrin and granddaughter of Robert McFerrin, Sr., the first Black man to sing at the Metropolitan Opera.

Milwaukee-born Silas Short produces his own music, synthesizing influences from soul and classic R&B. Signed on Stones Throw Records, Short’s debut EP “Drawing” brings the multiplicities of his identity together.

Tickets and tables for the event will go on sale Wednesday, June 7 at 10 a.m. Radio Milwaukee and HYFIN FAM members will receive information for a special pre-sale beginning Tuesday, June 6 at 10 a.m. Companies interested in tables or corporate sponsorship should contact Julie Rowley at julie@radiomilwaukee.org or 414-892-7956.

HYFIN, NPR’s Black-led digital music and media movement, launched on Juneteenth Day 2022. The urban alternative channel from Radio Milwaukee can be heard online at hyfin.org, on-air at 88.9FM-HD2 and through the HYFIN mobile apps on Android or Apple devices.

Headshots of McFerrin and Short, as well as graphics for the event, can be found at bit.ly/HYFINAntiGala. For more information or interview requests, please contact Sarah Lahr at sarahm@radiomilwaukee.org or 815-260-7218.

About Radio Milwaukee

Radio Milwaukee (WYMS-88.9FM) has been a positive force for Milwaukee on air, online and in the community since its 2007 launch. Through its creative programming and content, non-commercial Radio Milwaukee utilizes a multimedia platform for creating a better, more inclusive and engaged community. 88Nine broadcasts and streams a unique blend of musical styles, including at least one song by a Milwaukee artist each hour, and short Uniquely Milwaukee stories that foster engagement and positive change. On 88.9FM-HD2 and hyfin.org, the station operates an Urban Alternative channel, HYFIN, that focuses on connecting with young, diverse audiences through the full spectrum of Black music. The organization runs a 24/7 all-Milwaukee music channel at 414Music.fm online and 88.9FM-HD3 on-air. The award-winning station receives the great majority of its financial support from its 6,000 contributing members, more than 150 underwriters and 25 foundations. Learn more about Radio Milwaukee and stream the station at RadioMilwaukee.org or via the Radio Milwaukee mobile app.

 

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.