Earlier this week, The Ford revealed its 2025 lineup, which includes performances from artists ranging from Perfume Genius to Aly & AJ to The Pharcyde. Additionally, the historic LA venue will host an event directed by actress Gina Belafonte called If I Awaken in Los Angeles on August 1, which will blend various storytelling mediums including music, video, dance, and spoken word to weave together a narrative tapestry spanning the city’s Indigenous origins up to the present day, traveling through each neighborhood that helps to provide Los Angeles with its distinct character.
Produced by Get Lit - Words Ignite, a Los Angeles–based nonprofit that works to increase literacy and inspire communities through spoken word poetry, the night will feature musical direction by composer/bassist Derrick Hodge, who will bring his Color of Noize Orchestra to The Ford for this special evening, along with guests including Indigenous hip-hop duo T H R O N E, Da Poetry Lounge co-founder and actor Dante Basco (Hook, Avatar: The Last Airbender), Sekou Andrews, rapper and activist Jason Chu, and more.
Sponsored by FLOOD, the one-night event arrives in the wake of the devastating fires that ravished LA at the beginning of 2025, with If I Awake in Los Angeles striving to “uplift the diverse cultures of our city and to heal hearts in the wake of recent tragedies, fostering a sense of community, resilience, and hope.” Find more info below, or on The Ford’s website here.
