LOTUS Legal: Rise + Thrive Fundraiser

“Rise and Thrive is about rebirth, reintegration into the world, and a public celebration of who we are today and where we’ve come from.”
- A LOTUS Rise & Thrive Participant

Having amazing friends leads to so many great experiences. My friend Heather roped me in for just such an incredible experience this weekend for the Rise and Thrive fundraiser hosted by LOTUS Legal.

The Rise and Thrive fundraiser featured poems written by four suriviors and songs crafted from each poem by Milwaukee singer/songwriter Marielle Allschwang.

From the event listing:

Allschwang created one song for each of them in response to and inspired by their poetry, implementing their words as lyrics, and composing melodies and arrangements that best hold and honor those words and voices. Allschwang then pulled together her band The Visitations to create the four-song EP, Somewhere to Swim…
…ALL event and auction proceeds go to funding direct legal and empowerment services to Wisconsin survivors of human trafficking and sexual violence.

It all came together for a beautiful and inspiring night!

Also, LOTUS legal are the silent superheroes of Milwaukee - Events like Rise and Thrive are only one part of what they are up to:

LOTUS Legal Clinic empowers survivors of sexual violence and trafficking. We provide direct, comprehensive legal services, advocacy, and community education, and we invest in survivors as change agents.

*More information about LOTUS Legal Clinic: www.lotuslegal.org.

*For more information on Marielle Allschwang: www.marielleallschwang.com/