FREER Donor Rockstars 6
We appreciate EVERY SINGLE LAST ONE of our donors. Not only people who give money, but also give time volunteering, and give access to their information and resources. You're all priceless. It’s an honor to highlight those who have participated in building us to this point. Thank you all! 💯
Edited by BL Shirelle
Alex Medina
Alex Medina is a quiet force in the FREER community — thoughtful, introspective, and deeply invested in using art to restore humanity where it’s been stripped away. A musician, web developer, and visual artist, Alex’s support for FREER goes far beyond monthly donations. He brings an aura of care and curiosity that reflects the heart of this mission.
“I had an uncle who was in prison for eight years,” he shares. “We’d visit him every few weeks — it was a couple-hour drive with my mom and grandma. And just the whole process is meant to be DEHUMANIZING. Even being a visitor is hard. It’s exhausting. But it made me realize how important it is to give people a chance to heal. Everyone deserves that, no matter what they’ve done or what they’re in for.”
Alex’s love of music runs deep. He plays guitar in several bands — from jazz to folk rock — and learned pedal steel guitar just by immersing himself in sound. But it’s not just performance that drives him. “I used to think I’d be a visual artist,” he says. “I took painting classes all through high school. I still like to draw. I think I just always want to CREATE. I want others to have that chance, too.”
He sees music not just as a hobby, but as a human NEED. “Art is like food and water,” he says. “It’s something people need to survive. It helps us understand ourselves. That’s why FREER is important—because people inside deserve that too. They deserve the chance to express themselves.”
Alex’s favorite release from FREER.
Among the FREER projects that have stuck with him, one especially stands out. “Probably ‘Headed to the Streets’ — that was one of the first ones I heard. It combined rap with a rock guitar solo, and just all the feelings in it... I felt it. The concept, the angst, the story — there’s SO MUCH DEPTH in that song.” He’s also a fan of Assata Troi, an album that bends genre and expectation. “It has a lot of range, a lot of crossover between hip hop and jazz, which I LOVE. I like music that surprises me. I can appreciate the musicianship.”
Still, for Alex, supporting FREER isn’t about his taste—it’s about the PRINCIPLE. “People are NOT what their convictions say. Everyone has families. Everyone is still a person. You can’t just throw people away.” That belief goes beyond criminal justice. “I donate to other orgs too—ACLU, things like that. Lawyers are expensive. Sometimes I just give money directly to people on the street. I’ve probably been scammed a few times. But if someone asks for help, and I have it, I GIVE it.”
His perspective is shaped not just by compassion, but also by experience. “My dad is from Mexico. I’m mostly Mexican, but I never learned Spanish. I’m white-passing. And that puts me in this weird space where I don’t fully belong to the community — but I care about it. I’ve seen people get profiled just because their name sounded ‘foreign.’ That stuff stays with you.”
He thinks often about PRIVILEGE and TRUST—and how to use both with intention. “You want to believe people are good. And I still do, mostly. But I’ve had to learn how to protect myself too. You can’t give everything and expect everyone to be grateful or kind back. But that doesn’t mean you stop giving.”
To Alex, art is the way forward. “It puts more good into the world,” he says. “Especially for people who’ve had their voices taken away. Music helps restore something.”
We’re proud to call Alex a member of the FREER family—not just for what he gives, but for how he sees the world. With nuance. With empathy. And with an unwavering belief that redemption, creation, and connection still matter. We love you Alex! Thank you so much for rocking with us.
P.S. If you’re into experimental guitar music, check out some of Alex’s tracks below!