When Fascism Comes For The Artists

In a moment defined by polarization, disconnection, and a steady drip of fear, something different is taking root, starting in Pittsburgh, PA.It’s called People’s Song SocieTea (PSST) — a monthly, curated gathering where artists, poets, and performers come together not for perfection, but for presence. For truth. For dialogue that leads to understanding.Created by performer, Erika JC Laing (Erika June), and launched this January, PSST is part salon, part resistance, part community-building experiment. The premise is simple but powerful: when the world fractures, we gather and we create.PSST spans music, poetry, and short-form expression, all rooted in current events and the questions shaping our collective future.And that matters because historically, artists are often the first to be targeted when power feels threatened. Not by accident, but because artists translate truth in ways that move people. They challenge narratives. They make us feel and build empathy for one another. And empathy leads to action.Erika didn’t set out to create just another event. She created a space where expression is accessible, curiosity is welcomed, and people don’t just consume art; they engage with it, question it, and see themselves inside it.The invitation is simple: show up. You don’t have to be an artist. You just have to be willing to listen, to feel, and to be part of something bigger than yourself.Every last Thursday of the month from now until the end of the year, people can come together at Bantha Tea Bar in Garfield because community requires consistency. Because the need to gather — especially now — isn’t going away.What if you don’t live in Pittsburgh? No problem.PSST now a podcast, extending these conversations beyond the room and creating a living archive of art and dialogue shaped by this moment.Poem that Erika read during the interview:Use FearMusic by Christian Hoffman and Spoken Word by Ben KernionUse fear to bring you closerto the joyOf being a hard resistorCharged with the conscious serviceof your holy attentionIce meltsUse fear toclap up highand celebrateMaking use of each divine state to riseWe use fear to ascend the liesAnd in time collaborate towardsA society of meaning filled livesWhere every person has the abilityTo move towards the promise they were born toreply toI can, I am, I see, It’s me, out there, somewhere AndI’ll care more and more. We all wereMade one time, for thisTime is oursTo use love to use fearAnd reveal all true facesWhat a way to makea wayI feel youIce meltsFOLLOW NATALIEsubstack: https://substack.com/@factsoverfearnataliebinstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@nataliebencivenga/#tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nataliebencivengathreads: https://www.threads.com/@nataliebencivengapodcast via spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/47JYsn9LQchErS3cnHP2YFpodcast via apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/facts-over-fear/id1855901950FACTS OVER FEARLet's dismantle the fear that is used to divide us surrounding the issues impacting the people and talk facts.ABOUT NATALIENatalie Bencivenga is a socially-conscious journalist working towards building equity in our communities through storytelling. Her goal is to inspire, educate and activate people to become catalysts for positive change. Join her for transformative conversations that uplift and challenge the ways in which we perceive the world. Let's turn this moment into a movement – together.