If you’re a fan of Lady Gaga, drag and taking down the patriarchy, mark your calendars for this Friday, Jan. 18, at 9 p.m. Local LGBTQ group the SLO Queerdos will be putting on a Gaga-inspired drag show at 7 Sisters Brewing Company in order to raise money for Women’s March SLO.
Friday’s event is open to all ages and admission is free; however, a $10 donation is requested at the door. According to Daniel Gomez, Co-Founder of SLO Queerdos, the audience can expect a night shaped around female empowerment, a common theme between Gaga and the Women’s March. Gomez also said that Friday’s show will be the biggest production the SLO Queerdos have ever done.
The drag show is the second fundraising event for Women’s March SLO organized by the 7 Sisters Brewing company staff. Co-owner of the Brewery and Cal Poly Biology Professor Emily Taylor said this is part of a larger mission to use her business to support local community events and progressive causes.
“As a woman, as a scientist and a business owner, [the Women’s March] has always been incredibly close to home,” Taylor said. “When I heard that the costs for running a safe event were going to be so high for them this year, I wanted to be able to help with that.”
Local Women’s March organizer Dawn Addis said the majority of money raised will go towards costs associated with closing down streets in town and the signage needed to do so, a $7,500 expense.
Women’s March SLO is trying to raise $30,000 for the march. So far, $14,314 has been raised. For Addis, it is important for Women’s March SLO to contribute to the cost in order to be good community partners.
“We don’t want to expect the city to bear the cost of holding a large event,” Addis said.
Among other expenses, the donations are essential to funding security personnel. Women’s March SLO is required to pay $11,500 towards event security according to the Women’s March SLO website. In sharing the costs with local authorities, Addis and other organizers hope to create an environment in which all participants feel comfortable coming out and “speaking their truth to power,” this year’s theme.
The 2019 Women’s March is scheduled for this Saturday, Jan. 19. Saturday’s events will begin at 8 a.m. in Mitchell Park, according to the Eventbrite page for the march.