Students Advocating Girl’s Education (SAGE) and Blue Hawk Records came together for their first annual Singing for Our Sisters event on Wednesday, Nov. 29. The event was created to support female education, to spread awareness on the lack of it, and to empower women to be whoever they want to be.
The two organizations collaborated for the first time last year, for their PB&Jam event, which included performances by five different acts and collected donations for homeless women. With the success of PB&Jam in mind, the two clubs decided to come together once again to host another event to aid and empower women.
“I contacted Kaitlin and within a month we had this amazing show planned. Girls from Blue Hawk Records volunteered to play and I got so much support from both sections of Intro. to Gender Studies,” said Blue Hawk Records’ Aja Armstrong, who organized all the musical acts and enlisted the help of classmates from her section of Introduction to Gender Studies, taught by Corey Wrenn, Ph.D., Chair of the Gender Studies Department.
The event included musical performances by members of Blue Hawk, including: Monica Flores, Skyeline’s Brittany Byrne, Nicole Govel, and Incolor. Performances included some covers of female empowering tracks, like Corrine Bailey Rae’s “Put Your Records On,” as well as some original pieces by the artists.
“I love doing shows, and I love helping my community, so what’s better than a show for a cause!” Armstrong continued.
SAGE President Kaitlin Allsopp, along with other members of the group, worked to collect donations of school supplies for Sisters Academy, an all-girls school located in Asbury Park, NJ. SAGE has worked with the school previously and has donated their annual 5K run money to the facility.
“I became an advocate for female empowerment through educating myself on discrimination and violence against women across the world,” said Allsopp. “You can’t help unless you know what is going on, so education is the most important step. This movement is so important because women are still barred from full access to education, employment, and independence around the world. By empowering women, there is widespread spillover effects that benefit families, communities, and nations. The future depends on women’s equality.”
Many students showed up for the cause and were treated to pizza, along with the performances. Donations poured in. Due to the success of the event, this is one the organizations now plan to hold annually, giving to new recipients each time.
“So far, we have overflowed the donation box, filling about six or seven grocery bags to the brim,” said Allsopp.
“The simplest ways we can keep making meaningful change for women and girls is analyzing and breaking down restrictive, traditional gender norms, by encouraging little girls to pursue interests in science, math, and engineering, as well as the arts, English, and other traditionally female interests and careers,” said Allsopp. “We can empower women through education. Men can help by doing just the same, listening to their female counterparts, taking their thoughts and concerns into consideration and by learning about rape culture and taking steps to stop it.”
“Anyone can help by organizing and supporting communities and organizations that empower women and support girls’ education; this can be accomplished through donating or volunteering, and also applying feminism in everyday life,” Allsopp added. SAGE will be collecting donations throughout this week, which can be dropped off in Room 226 of Bey Hall.
