An acclaimed group of performers will combine their artistic efforts to combat sexual violence on the Highland Theatre stage tonight.
The First Annual Sisters Against Violence Initiative, organized with the help of the Albuquerque Rape Crisis Center and SolArts, will open their curtain for one night only, this evening, at 7 p.m.
The SAVI Fair will feature live music, poetry, dance, theater and performance art.
All proceeds of the benefit will be used to support the crisis center in community education, crises intervention, counseling and the 24-hour hotline for women and girls who are survivors of sexual assault.
According to an FBI report, the United States has the highest number of reported sexual assault cases.
An estimated one in 10 females actually report sexual assault cases, and one in 100 males report similar abuse. These alarming numbers are one of the many catalysts behind the show tonight.
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"So many times we feel helpless when we hear of this violence," said Cathryn McGill, a member of the crisis center. "But if we bond together as a community and raise our voices against this problem, we could create a world free of sexual violence."
The Albuquerque Rape Crisis center has worked for years to combat sexual violence through supporting the survivors of sexual assault and their families and loved ones.
Their mission includes raising community awareness of the ongoing problem of sexual abuse through events like the fair, crisis intervention and counseling. Though the crisis center has organized shows before, none have been on this caliber and scale.
SolArts is a recently formed nonprofit organization that focuses on creating community oriented performance and visual art. SolArts was put together in January by Kristen Loree and specializes in raising awareness through dance, theater and performance art.
Featured among the performers in tonight's variety show is Chris Calloway, Cab
Calloway's daughter. Yvonne Ulibarri, of the local Latin group CafÇ Mocha, will be collaborating with Rosi Encinias on some original songs. Local performer Linda Cotton will be presenting original material.
Divided into two hour-long acts, the fair will feature the New Mexico Divas, a diverse group of musicians, poets, dancers, thespians, performance artists and survivors, put together specifically for this event.
The musicians of the New Mexico Divas include Hillary Smith, a gospel and blues singer; The Rhinestones, an acappela trio; Debo Orlatski of Alpha Blue fame; Wendy Beach, a vocalist for Straight Up; MJ Maxfield; and Joan Griffin of Joani and the Mooncats, all supported by the New Mexico Diva's band.
The band includes Mod Beenhower, Sharon Eldridge, Susan Clark, Cindy Tag and Lydia Clark.
The other performers in the New Mexico Divas are Riti Sachdeva, a performance artist, doing her original piece "Seen, Unseen" and poets Juba Clayton and Andrea Cerrano Garcia.
Marya Aaron Jones and Kristen Loree will perform "The Adventures of Issue Girl and Affirmation Woman!"
Organizer Cathryn McGill will perform an excerpt from "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enough," by Ntozake Shange.
A modern dance piece choreographed by Lane Lucas and performed by Jolie Sutton will also be performed.
Finally, UNM's own African Dance Instructor Rujeko Dumbutshena will perform a piece in tonight's show.
The New Mexico Divas includes survivors of sexual assault who will relay their stories through various artistic means.
"This will be a fun event," Kristen Loree of SolArts said. "It'll help make us realize that these are human beings, not statistics."
Tickets for the fair are $22 and available through www.tick-ets.com or the Musical Theatre Southwest Box Office at the Highland Theater at 265-9119.
As there were tickets purchased through donations that will not be picked up, Cathryn McGill has offered up these tickets for UNM students who cannot afford the price of the show. These tickets are limited.
To pick up your free tickets call the Albuquerque Rape Crisis Center at 266-7711.
