.png)
Organizations unite to support survivors, raise awareness
Anight of live music in downtown Elgin brought residents together Sept. 26 to recognize survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault and to highlight the organizations working to support them.
The free 60 Million Rising: Survivors in Solidarity LIVE event at Lightnin’ Bar featured performances by Sara Hickman, Bryan Lawhorn and Alicia Adkins, along with speakers and a candlelight vigil. The event supported Family Crisis Center and Thrive After Domestic Violence and came just days before the start of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October.
Doreen Hunter, founder and chair of Thrive After Domestic Violence, said the event brought in a mix of supporters, music fans and customers who simply happened to stumble in, helping bring their work to a broader audience.
“What really gave me energy was to see how excited people were to celebrate survivors and to understand that this event was to bring awareness,” she said.
“It’s good to know that so many people in our community want to help people who are in crisis.”
— Doreen Hunter, founder and chair of Thrive After Domestic Violence One of the night’s most memorable moments, Hunter described, came during a candlelight vigil led by GG Thompson of the Family Crisis Center. People were asked to hold up candles if they had been through abusive relationships. As Thompson went through examples, Hunter said the candles never came down.
“No one turned off their candles, men and women alike,” she said. “It was truly telling about the statistics of what we see in domestic violence.”
The event was organized by area resident Kat Hammer, who sought to use live music as a way to bring the community together. Hickman, a Grammy- nominated singer and songwriter, headlined the evening of performances.
According to organizers, using music helped create a setting that was accessible to the wider community rather than focusing on a traditional fundraising event.
“We were looking for the average survivor … and so we met them where they’re at, where people want music,” Hunter said.
Hunter said she wants residents who left knowing survivors do not have to travel to Austin to find help.
“There are resources here available to them,” she said. “We have strong resources here and they’re not alone.”
Family Crisis Center serves Bastrop, Colorado, Fayette and Lee counties, while Thrive provides advocacy, food assistance, housing support and other services for survivors in the area.
Hunter said collaboration between the two groups could help expand outreach and make better use of limited nonprofit resources. She also expects the event to make a return.
“We’re going to do it again next year,” Hunter said. “It’s good to know that so many people in our community want to help people who are in crisis or have moved past crisis and are trying to put their life together.”
