Sophomore Katy Kendrick is offering musical entertainment in hopes the Baker University community will take part in saving the “invisible children” of Africa.
Kendrick organized a benefit concert to be held from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. today in Rice Auditorium.
Several local musicians and the Loud Noises Comedy Troupe will perform for a free-will donation to give to the Invisible Children Inc., organization.
Kendrick began planning the benefit after becoming interested in the cause.
“They are called invisible children because they don’t have a voice,” Kendrick said. “My mom came up with the logo for the (benefit) T-shirts that say, ‘Be heard so they can be seen.'”
Through being introduced to the organization and talking to a friend she made from Uganda while studying abroad, she was inspired to “just do something” to help the situation.
“When people are being massacred at such an alarming rate, that’s something you can’t ignore,” Kendrick said. “You just have to watch (the documentary) and you’ll understand. Knowing my friend from Uganda and seeing how physically affected she was just by talking about it, I knew I had to do whatever I could to just help, even if it is just a little bit.”
Kendrick has received assistance from several organizations on campus in order to get the benefit going. She also encouraged friends to get involved. Freshman Patti Greenbaum baked desserts to sell for fundraising at the event.
“Katy came to me and asked me to be a part of it because I am obsessed with baking,” Greenbaum said. “I hope it’ll help get money to send.”
Invisible Children, Inc., was founded by filmmakers who recorded their trip to Northern Uganda in 2003. The concept of invisible children refers to the thousands of children who are displaced, kidnapped and abused at any capacity due to a 20-year war that continues in Uganda. The message is these children spend much of their lives running to avoid being kidnapped or harmed by rebels fighting to overthrow the Ugandan government. In order to give these invisible children a voice, the filmmakers have created a campaign to create awareness about the ongoing situation.
Chelsea Laswell and Adjunct Instructor of Music Mike Yunghans will perform and sing. Artwork and Invisible Children merchandise will also be sold to raise money, in addition to the baked goods.
A showing of the 2003 documentary “Invisible Children: Rough Cut” was held in Rice Auditorium Wednesday night.
Senior Alex Beam-Ward said even though he had never heard about the situation in Uganda, he wanted to learn more about it after Kendrick encouraged him to see the film.
“I didn’t know this was happening in Africa,” Beam-Ward said. “It’s a very blunt movie; it didn’t hold back on the emotion or tragedy.”
Freshman Jason Shipley said viewing the film reinforced his decision to make time to attend the benefit Friday night.
“I’m going to try and make time to support this cause – one to support the improv troupe, but also because I saw it tonight,” Shipley said. “I would tell (others) to definitely come. As far as the benefit goes, it should be a good time just in and of itself. But it is something everybody needs to get involved in anyway. I think that as far as we Americans go, we’re pretty privileged. … Because of this we should try and help out other countries that don’t have the privileges we do, and this is a perfect example. I would encourage all that can to come.”