A chill in the air and falling leaves mean one thing at CAASE: It’s time for our annual Celebrating Allies event! 

On October 14, we gathered virtually to celebrate our circle of supporters, advocates, allies, and survivors. After last year’s successful Zoom event, we again prioritized safety and fêted over the Internet. And our friends showed up: Celebrating Allies raised $37,530! This is an incredible number, and we are so humbled by this generosity. 

The night’s program represented a successful year of supporting survivors. We hosted a number of speakers and performers from our flourishing community while honoring the work of our legislative allies and pro bono partners. The night’s honorees included State Senator Kimberly A. Lightford and State Representative Anna Moeller, who both championed the Ensuring Success in School Law (HB 3223) and carried the bill through its passage. Our Legal team also presented the Pro Bono Superstar Firm award to Jenner & Block, whose continued support of survivors makes our work possible. 

The celebration also featured Survivor Speaker Erin Merryn, an internationally recognized author, speaker, child abuse advocate, and activist. For six years of her childhood, she was sexually abused keeping her secret locked away in her childhood diary. Before graduating high school Erin published her diary into a book called Stolen Innocence.

We are so grateful to all those who supported Celebrating Allies, including the backing of our sponsors King & Spalding, Boomerang Information Services, Baker McKenzie, the Motorola Solutions Foundation, STS, CDK Global, Russell Investments, and the Friedman Family Charitable Fund. Coupled with attendees’ contributions, this fundraising well testifies to our community’s commitment. 

Additionally, we want to thank our Celebrating Allies Host Committee: Jennifer Halpern, Joan Akalaonu, Kathryn Arancio Wilson, Twania Brewster, Linda Friedman, and Gleny Shea whose efforts brought this beautiful event to life.

Survivors have experienced a spectrum of harms, some that clearly fit in widely recognized categories and others that do not. In one form or another, these violations impact all of us. They also spur allyship; among those who do the work because they are survivors themselves and those who wish to support them. The success of Celebrating Allies reenergized our mission and will inspire another year of confronting sexual harm throughout Illinois together.

You can support CAASE’s mission and stand with survivors by making a donation today.

This piece was published on October 19, 2021. It was authored by KT Hawbaker. Learn more about our staff here.