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After the Women’s March in Washington, D.C., earned the distinction of being one of the largest single-day demonstrations in U.S. history earlier this year, organizers faced a big question: What next? It was clear that a huge audience around the country cared about the issues, but those participants needed to do more than discuss women’s rights online. From Oct. 27–29 at the Cobo Center in Detroit, they will have an opportunity to unite face-to-face at the first-ever Women’s Convention. However, organizers now face another question: What about the people who want to attend but lack the funds to do so?
The registration fee for the Women’s Convention is $295 — necessary to help cover the many expenses involved in an event — but organizers don’t want to turn away prospective attendees because of their budgets. “The Women’s Convention must be accessible to women and allies regardless of economic barriers,” the convention’s website states.
To break down those barriers, organizers have launched a crowdfunding campaign via Crowdrise to raise money that will go towards discounted admission, group registration, and scholarships. The goal is $500,000, and as of Aug. 16, more than 2,500 individuals had contributed more than $120,000. The campaign includes a range of comments that speak to the forces driving the community’s growth.
“The timing is around my due date,” Marcie Weslock wrote to accompany her $100 donation, “so I am hoping this money empowers another to attend.”
“Please use my donation to fund attendees who cannot afford to pay the registration fee,” Monica Vaughan wrote with her $500 contribution. “We need to hear the voices of poor women, not just those who can afford the fee for this convention.”
“I’m 25 and bought a [discounted] $125 youth ticket,” Katie Simon wrote with a $125 donation. “And I want another young person who can’t afford the ticket to be able to attend.”
It’s not the first time that the minds behind the movement have worked to make getting to an event more convenient and cost-effective for attendees. Click here to learn how organizers arranged a grassroots transportation system to help shuttle groups of attendees to the Women’s March in Washington, D.C.
Interested in learning how Crowdrise could work with one of your own events or charity initiatives? Find more information here.