Jam for Justice McGill kicks off school year with a community park Jam

Students gather at Jeanne-Mance Park to play music, share food and support the Milton Parc Food Bank

Fringe ArtsSafa Hachi — Published September 20, 2025 | Updated September 20, 2025 at 11:00pm 3 minutes

Around 10 people gathered in the first half hour, acoustic guitars in hand, chatting as they worked up the courage to pick the next song. Soon, soft strumming broke the silence, with singers naturally falling into harmony. 

As the evening went on, the group doubled in size, and new circles formed as more instruments, including a ukulele, joined in. 

Some attendees stopped by just to drop off donations and say hello, while others lingered on picnic blankets, swapping instruments and singing along.

“Music is just something that inherently draws people together,” said Holly Kohler, president of Jam for Justice McGill. “Sometimes people come to our events not necessarily thinking about the cause, and then they realize all of our proceeds or donations are going to support a charity. It’s a win-win.”

Kohler joined the group as a first-year representative in 2023 and worked her way up to VP of communications before becoming president this fall. She said the group’s mission has expanded over the years.

“It started out very music-focused, like donating instruments and playing Concerts for Comfort at nursing homes,” she explained. “Now we use music as a tool to connect with the wider Montreal community, whether that’s raising money for shelters or doing a food drive like today.”

VP of communications Rhiannon O’Brien, VP external Esmée Quattrocchi, and VP internal Rachel Lee-Minzenberg were also present, helping coordinate the evening and chatting with attendees. 

O’Brien, who runs the group’s social media and marketing, said she was drawn to the club’s mix of live music and community work.

“I thought the mission of Jam for Justice was really amazing,” O’Brien said. “To do it for a good cause and to help the Montreal community, I’ve gotten to meet such amazing people who work for great causes. I love being able to use music to better other people’s lives.”

Beyond park jams, the group has hosted coffeehouse open mics, DJ nights—including their “Femme Fatale” event to spotlight women and non-binary DJs—and their flagship Battle of the Bands competition each April.

For some attendees, the appeal of park jams lies in their simplicity.

“You can just grab whatever you have in your pantry, grab your instruments and come play,” said Grace Seguin, who was in attendance singing and playing the ukulele.

“Music is always political in some way. Sharing it is a nice way to connect with people, learn new ideas, and see different points of view,” Seguin added.

As the pink sunset lay the backdrop, signalling the end of the day, the group packed up guitars and picnic blankets, trading contacts and asking when the next jam would be. By the end of the evening, Jam for Justice McGill had collected over 50 food items.