Philadelphia is one of 21 cities that will host events this weekend to celebrate the contributions of the women of the LGBT community and those of a national LGBT organization.
The second-annual Her HRC party will be held 9 p.m.-midnight Jan. 15 at Sisters, 1320 Chancellor St.
The event, organized by Human Rights Campaign, is designed to organize women around LGBT-rights issues, said Ronna Bolante, a volunteer helping to organize the local Her HRC event.
“We want to bring together women all over the United States to celebrate who they are and to engage more women in the fight for LGBT equality in the country,” she said.
The inaugural Her HRC party in Philadelphia last year drew about 200 people, with the program seeing participation from more than 6,000 supporters across the country.
This year, the Philly event will be staged in partnership with The Elements Organization.
Bolante said Elements was the ideal group to help circulate the word about the party.
“They’ve been really tremendous as far as fostering a community of empowered women, especially among women of color, so it made sense to partner with them this year to try and reach out to even more people,” she said.
The crowd is expected to be diverse, representing a wide range of backgrounds and ages. Allies and men are also welcome to attend, Bolante said.
While the event will raise funds for HRC, Bolante said the more important goal is engaging new community members to promote LGBT-rights issues.
The admission fee, $10, was kept low, she said, to make the event accessible to a broad range of supporters.
Admission to the event will include a one-year membership to HRC.
The party will feature performances by the Liberty City Kings and spoken-word acts by representatives of Elements. Sisters will offer food and drink specials during the event.
“It’s going to be a really fun night and a great opportunity to gather with women and allies involved here in efforts in the Philadelphia area,” Bolante said. “And it’s at Sisters, so what better place to celebrate women in Philadelphia?”
For more information or to pre-order tickets, visit www.hrc.org/herhrc. Organizers recommend guests arrive early because the event is expected to reach capacity.