Elon Cares annual benefit cabaret continues the fight against HIV/AIDS – Elon University

Elon University Hosts Annual Benefit Cabaret Supporting Health and Equity

Event Overview and Purpose

On January 14, Elon University’s Department of Performing Arts, in collaboration with the Gender & LGBTQIA Center, hosted the annual Elon Cares benefit cabaret. This event supports Broadway Equity Fight AIDS, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to securing healthcare, counseling, and financial assistance for individuals living with HIV/AIDS.

Elon Cares has been a longstanding tradition for nearly two decades, celebrating queer art while raising funds for one of the nation’s leading AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. The event aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including:

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being – by supporting healthcare access for people living with HIV/AIDS.
2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities – by fostering inclusivity and equity through queer art and community engagement.
3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals – through collaboration between university departments and nonprofit organizations.

Community Engagement and Leadership Opportunities

The event is organized by students from various majors, primarily within the Department of Performing Arts, offering leadership roles within the creative team. This year’s performance featured selections from queer artists and Broadway hits such as Death Becomes Her and Cabaret. The cabaret also hosted informational tables from the Gender & LGBTQIA Center and the Triad Health Project, an organization promoting sexual health, justice, and equity.

• Encouragement of sexual health and justice through radical care and equity (SDG 3, SDG 5: Gender Equality).
• Community-driven canned food drive supporting local needs (SDG 2: Zero Hunger).
• Safe and inclusive space for creative expression emphasizing queer identity (SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities).

Student Perspectives and Impact

Laird Sterns ’28, co-director and double major in art administration and music theatre, emphasized the meaningful nature of the event:

“We are always singing and dancing, but now there is a reason that we are doing it. It’s something we are fighting for and a message we are sending too.”

Primary director Malia Horst ’26 highlighted the event as a stress-free environment for students to express their creativity with queerness at the forefront:

“This is not a show where you just come and sit and applaud nicely. This is a hooting and hollering celebration.”

Event Details and Participation

• Date: Wednesday, January 14
• Showtimes: 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
• Location: Yeager Recital Hall, Center for the Arts, Elon University
• Donation Methods: Cash or check at performances; online donations available via the event homepage
• Additional Activities: Raffle entries with donations; canned food drive

For further information and to support the cause, visit the event website at www.elon.edu/glc/eloncares and the Broadway Cares website at broadwaycares.org.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

The Elon Cares benefit cabaret exemplifies the university’s commitment to advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals by:

• Promoting health and well-being through support for HIV/AIDS communities (SDG 3).
• Fostering gender equality and reducing inequalities by celebrating queer identities and creating inclusive spaces (SDG 5, SDG 10).
• Encouraging partnerships between educational institutions and nonprofit organizations to maximize social impact (SDG 17).
• Supporting community welfare through food drives and awareness campaigns (SDG 2).

1. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed or Connected

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The article focuses on supporting people living with HIV/AIDS through fundraising for Broadway Equity Fight AIDS, which provides health care, counseling, and financial assistance.
2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • The event celebrates queer art and supports LGBTQIA+ communities, promoting inclusivity and equity.
   • Partnership with the Gender & LGBTQIA Center and Triad Health Project emphasizes fighting for sexual health justice and equity.
3. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • The event provides leadership and creative opportunities for students, fostering learning and personal growth in a safe and inclusive environment.
4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • Collaboration between Elon University’s Department of Performing Arts, Gender & LGBTQIA Center, and national nonprofit Broadway Equity Fight AIDS highlights partnerships to achieve social goals.

2. Specific Targets Under Those SDGs Identified

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • Target 3.3: By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS and other communicable diseases.
   • Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including access to quality essential health-care services and financial risk protection.
2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • Target 10.2: Empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
3. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • Target 4.7: Ensure that all learners acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including gender equality and human rights.
4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied to Measure Progress

1. SDG 3 Indicators
   • Number of new HIV infections (implied through the focus on fighting AIDS).
   • Access to health care and counseling services for people living with HIV/AIDS (implied by Broadway Equity Fight AIDS support).
2. SDG 10 Indicators
   • Measures of social inclusion and equity for LGBTQIA+ communities (implied through event focus and partnerships).
3. SDG 4 Indicators
   • Participation rates in educational and leadership activities promoting inclusivity and creativity (implied by student involvement and leadership roles).
4. SDG 17 Indicators
   • Number and effectiveness of partnerships between educational institutions and nonprofit organizations (implied by collaboration described).

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: elon.edu