Addis, an 18-year-old girl from Ethiopia, thought she was just going to church with her father. Instead, she was forced to marry a man and give up her pursuit of learning. Her new husband refused to take her to school, and she had to quit to take care of her husband and son.
Addis was one of many girls pinpointed during an event held by UB Girl Effect and The Royal Pitches last Friday. The Girl Effect, a national organization, advocates for the potential of adolescent girls to end poverty for their families, communities and countries around the world. UB's chapter teamed up with The Pitches, UB's female a cappella group, to present "A Night of Girl Power."
The night was dedicated to raising awareness about underprivileged girls in impoverished countries. The audience enjoyed a one-hour show of videos from The Girl Effect website, showcasing the stories of underprivileged girls, paired with six girl-themed selections from The Pitches.
Samah Asfour, a sophomore gender studies and political science major and president of UB Girl Effect, said it was an "unexpected surprise" when The Pitches contacted them about collaborating for the event.
"We are very fortunate to have them notice us and do this for us," Asfour said. "We were planning on having other fundraising events, but this is just so different from what we would have ever done."
According to The Pitches' treasurer, Emily Pumm, her group was looking to collaborate with a club for a donation-based concert. Pumm, a sophomore English and media studies major, met with Meghan Young, a senior political science major and secretary of UB Girl Effect, to plan the event.
Students were asked to provide a donation before entering the event. Guests were given a raffle ticket for each dollar they donated for a prize that was announced at the end of the show.
A Cappella Productions, an independent production company in Buffalo, provided sounds and lighting for the event. The Pitches gathered in a half circle and captured the audience's attention with their harmonious voices and powerful lyrics. Popular songs of the night included a new Pitches mash-up of "Independent Women" by Destiny's Child, "Scrubs" by TLC, "Soar" by Christina Aguilera and "Safe and Sound" by The Civil Wars and Taylor Swift.
Corey Rosen, a sophomore communication and film studies major, enjoyed the combination of informational videos and songs. Rosen found the event to be a "unique and inspirational" fundraiser.
"This was the first event I have attended by The Royal Pitches and would definitely like to attend more of their performances; they are all talented women," Rosen said. "If I was born in any other time period, I would have had to face similar issues other women and girls are currently facing in countries around the world today. I believe all women should support other women, especially when it comes to each other's safety, education and potential for a better and brighter future."
Girl Effect is still fairly new to the UB community, according to Pumm. The Royal Pitches saw the concert as an opportunity for them to give back to the community and help Girl Effect become more popular on campus.
Jonathan Yepez, a sophomore music theater major, said he learned more about what the club stands for and would definitely support it again in the future.
"I really enjoyed the videos Girl Effect showed, and the videos were very informative and opened my eyes to an organization I had not known about," Yepez said. "I fully support Girl Effect's efforts to educate young women around the world."
Yepez would like to see Girl Effect and The Pitches team up again in a bigger venue with a more publicized event. Both groups are looking forward to working together again.
Pumm said the group may not have time for another big fundraising project this semester due to its spring concert on April 27, but students should keep their eyes open for future collaborations.
Girl Effect is looking to make "A Night of Girl Power" an annual event with The Pitches in the future.
Email: features@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Mhdariby / Wikimedia Commons
