GrassROOTS was formed by sociologist Dr. Janice Johnson Dias back in 2010 with long time friend, Black Thought from The Roots to bring health awareness to African American and low-income communities. Based on some alarming statistics, Dr. Johnson Dias and her colleagues at GrassROOTS decided to that the best way to make a difference was to work directly within the community.

“We decided to focus on women and girls because the overwhelming majority of health risks and problems are among this community of individuals,” explained Dr. Johnson Dias. “Women and girls give back the significant majority of their earnings to family. In black, brown and poor communities, women and girls govern and guide their communities, particularly as our men are being heavily incarcerated.”

The concert is just one step in a 10 city initiative by GrassROOTS to spread awareness to childhood obesity and health inequality in low income neighborhoods; other cities involved are Augusta, Ga.; Memphis, Los Angeles and New Orleans.

In addition to raising funds and awareness for GrassROOTS, the concert will directly benefit C.H.I.C.K.S. (Creating Healthy Informed Confident Knowledgeable Selves), an after-school health program for girls at Harding Middle School located in the Frankford area of Philadelphia. The program is ran by Carson Valley Children’s Aid Society (CVCA) under the leadership of Joan Todd and provides workshops on nutrition, fitness, sexual health and health literacy.

“I benefited from programs like the ones we fund,” said Black Thought. “I went to after school arts programs all during my youth. These programs saved my life and kept me from the streets.”

“This is going to sound super cliche, but the children are our future. It’s real,” added West Philadelphia native and fellow performer, Chill Moody. “Whether it be for health issues, behavioral issues, whatever, it all needs to be addressed and programs like GrassROOTS and C.H.I.C.K.S show that they understand the importance of our youth with focus on our next generation of mothers and care takers of Philadelphia.”

In addition to the C.H.I.C.K.S program, GrassROOTS has three programs in Newark, N.J. , a summer day camp, an after school wellness program for homeless and residentially insecure families and an after school program for girls.

“We mostly fund after school programs because we know we can reach kids, their parents and the community,” added Black Thought.

For more information on the GrassROOTS Community Foundation and to purchase tickets for tonight’s event visit www.letsmoveitphilly.eventbrite.com.

Sometime over the course of the winter, after being reenergized with the addition of bassist Kyle Garvey, Moon Women were offered a chance to record at the not-yet reopened SIGMA SOUND: The very studio where Bowie recorded ‘Young Americans’ and countless R+B legends cut classic Philly records.

Producer / Engineer Dave Downham (of Gradwell House) had been tasked with getting the legendary studio up-and-running and brought Moon Women in as the catalyst for what turned out to be the first record finished since Sigma’s closing. Inspired by the recordings of the studio’s golden years (not the mention the short timespan they had to mess around) this 4 song, 12″ EP was recorded + mixed in a short blast and with a minimalist approach that reflects the power of the band’s live set.

You can listen to the track “We Weren’t Wrong” below. Moon Women performs with Far-Out Fangtooth and Psychic Teens at 9 p.m. Saturday, March 10th, at Station Bar And Grill; tickets to the 21+ show are $7.

Reading Rainbow‘s previously canceled Vitamin Water Uncapped show has been rescheduled for September 28th, according to the band’s Twitter. The earlier date, August 27th, was cut when Hurricane Irene intervened. The 21+ concert will be free and take place at Sigma Sound Studios. Reading Rainbow will be accompanied by The Homophones and Cat Vet.

UPDATE 9/8/11 (1:30 p.m.): An earlier version of this post stated that the show was on September 29th, as was originally mentioned on Reading Rainbow’s Twitter. As Johnny Brenda’s Chris Ward mentioned below, the show is on the 28th.

Work Drugs will perform with Black Landlord and Hezekiah Jones + Andrew Lipke during our inaugural Key Studio Sessions Live free concert on Mon. Sept. 12 at World Café Live. (RSVP for the show here.) For more photos by Eric Ashleigh, visit eashleigh.com.