Julia Roberts, Jane Fonda, Robert De Niro, Ayo Edebiri, Tessa Thompson, and many more stars attend an important event celebrating the First Amendment.
The Committee for the First Amendment hosted “Rise Up, Sing Out: A Concert for the First Amendment,” on Monday night (June 15) at The Town Hall in New York City and it boasted an all-star lineup of performances and appearances.
Jane Fonda, who relaunched the committee in October 2025, opened the show with a powerful statement.
“In the face of what’s happening, we need our industry to be unified, activated, and unwilling to engage in anticipatory obedience. We will stand together in defense of our right to free expression. They come for one of us, they come for all of us,” she said.
Performances included Patti Smith singing “People Have the Power,” Bette Midler singing “All the Fascists Bound to Lose,” Rufus Wainwright singing “Somewhere over the Rainbow,” and Sasha Allen singing “A Change Is Gonna Come.”
Other highlights from the night included Julia Roberts reading the poem “Renee Nicole Good,” and saying, “Renee Nicole Good is not a symbol. She is an American woman, a queer woman, who was doing the very best she could to be good in an unjust world. I am honored to celebrate her life and her legacy tonight, because the life she gave is our responsibility to carry.”
Robert De Niro also addressed the crowd, as did Lily Gladstone, Tessa Thompson, Ms. Rachel, and Joy Reid.
The Bear star Ayo Edebiri surprised the crowd alongside Jane for the closing call to action at the end of the concert.
“We are all humans in this space, and moments like these can feel insurmountable; they can feel like our voices don’t matter. But that’s wrong, and it’s a lie. And the powers that be know it,” she said.
The full concert can be viewed here, courtesy of C-SPAN.
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