LAKEVIEW — A new fundraiser happening Thursday aims to uplift female artists while raising money for refugee girls.
The first Make/Do Ladies Night will kick off at 6 p.m. Thursday at GMan Tavern, 3740 N. Clark St. and will feature performances by female and femme-identifying creators from Chicago's vibrant art scene.
Organizer Gillian McGhee was inspired to create the event after seeing Chicagoans come together in protest after the November presidential election.
"It really motivated me to stop feeling like the world was falling apart around me and start looking at what little power I had to help make a change," McGhee said.
Admission costs $5 and all proceeds will go to the Chicago-based GirlForward, a nonprofit that provides mentoring, education programs and leadership opportunities for young female refugees. The event is open to anyone over 21 years old.
Performances include music by Becca Brown, Chel Boren and Sincere Engineer and performances by Ariel Atkins, Alyssa Lynee and Morgan Ward. Local groups like Chicago Books to Women in Prison, Girls Rock! Chicago and Deborah's Place will also attend, and local artists will have work on display.
"I think, so often, people find themselves wanting to do something or make a change for a larger cause, but simply not knowing how to help," McGhee said. "With Make/Do, I want to bridge that gap and bring people together to celebrate art and music, and also introduce them to these incredible organizations in their backyard that maybe they had no idea existed."
McGhee, a Loyola graduate with degrees in anthropology and journalism, worked with a refugee family from Bhutan during her college years. Learning about their struggle to settle into a new country with few resources available to them was an eye-opening experience, she said.
"I think if more people understood these people's stories and struggles, there would be a lot more empathy for the refugee community," McGhee said. "Half the battle is growing awareness."
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