Garnet Rogers Benefit Concert for BTS in Antigonish

Photo of Garnet Rogers in front of a microphone holding a guitar while on stage

Garnet Rogers benefit concert on Sunday, October 19th, 7pm: Celebrating 35 years of Breaking the Silence at the St. James United Church (197 Main St. Antigonish)

Press release: ANTIGONISH, NS, October 9, 2025 — Garnet Rogers, Canadian folk music icon, will perform a benefit concert on Sunday, October 19, at St. James United Church, 197 Main St., Antigonish. A gifted guitarist, singer, songwriter and composer, and brother of Stan Rogers, Rogers is sharing his many talents to support the Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network. Hailed by the Boston Globe as a “charismatic performer and singer,” Rogers’ music is literate, passionate, highly sensitive and deeply purposeful. His songs “give expression to the unspoken vocabulary of the heart” (Kitchener Waterloo Record). Rogers sings extraordinary songs about people who are not obvious heroes and of the small victories of the everyday.

BTS Network founder, Kathryn Anderson said, “We in the Breaking the Silence Antigonish Committee are honoured that Garnet supports our work with Maya and Xinka partners who demonstrate ongoing resilience, determination and courage after decades of violent repression, including genocide.” The Network supports its partners’ efforts in a most challenging context to bring genocide cases to court, defend land and labour rights, develop a high school based on the Maya-Achí language and culture, create a permaculture centre based on the Mayan cosmovision, and organize community resistance to Canadian mining companies.

In addition, Breaking the Silence collaborates with Just Us! Coffee Roasters to purchase coffee beans at fair trade prices from small coffee farmers who are members of the Campesino Committee of the Highlands (CCDA), a BTS partner. This coffee is marketed as Breaking the Silence coffee.

Recently, BTS generated widespread international support for CCDA leader Leocadio Juracan who was arrested on unfounded charges as he was leaving Guatemala to speak in South Africa at a land rights conference. This pressure ensured Juracan was released on bail and led the Canadian Ambassador to Guatemala to comment on the amount of support shown for him by
Canadians. A few months ago BTS accompanied elderly Maya-Achi women to court as they courageously testified about sexual violence perpetrated during the genocide, a case which has sent the perpetrators to prison. BTS is currently supporting Xinka communities who have said a massive no to a Canadian company, Pan American Silver's attempts to reopen a silver mine.

The concert with Garnet Rogers will celebrate 35 years of Breaking the Silence in Antigonish, and will include rising young talent from River John, Christian Kirby, accompanied by Ross O’Ciarmhaic.

For more information and interviews, please contact Kathryn Anderson at kathrynande@gmail.com or 902-956-1137.