Their partnership is, perhaps, a little unorthodox.
A dancer at a well-known Portland vegan strip club and a Christian pastor have joined forces to raise money for the children of families targeted during a sweeping immigration raid in Mississippi.
Dawn McCall and a team of fellow sex-industry workers will hold charity events the next two Saturdays at Casa Diablo, known for its meatless food menu and policy of prohibiting performers from wearing animal products on stage.
The Rev. Adam Ericksen, meanwhile, has asked the congregants at his Clackamas United Church of Christ in Milwaukie and other faith communities in the Portland area to pitch in financially.
Immigration enforcement officials last week detained more than 600 men and women working at several food-processing plants more than 2,000 miles away from Oregon. Stories and videos soon surfaced that showed dozens of tearful and terrified children left without their parents.
“It’s traumatized babies, families,” said McCall, who goes by the stage name Blu Dawn. “A lot of us are mothers. None of them want to see this happening to kids.”
McCall has organized stripper-led fundraisers for social causes in the past. She got involved this time after a former co-worker, who is also an artist, asked her what they could do to help these immigrant children.
The co-worker, Lauren Seeley, created an image for t-shirts and postcards now available online. All proceeds from the sales, as well as other donations, will go to a half-dozen organizations working in Mississippi.
Artwork by Lauren Seeley.
When Ericksen learned of the endeavor last week he immediately said he’d support in whatever way he could.
“Christianity is about trying to help those on the margins of society — that’s where God goes,” Ericksen said. “Anyone who goes to people who need to be loved, I want to be on their team.”
The pastor and the stripper first met thanks to the unambiguously progressive messages Ericksen posts outside his Southeast Webster Road church, which have garnered global attention.
McCall, an atheist, reached out to Ericksen to thank him for his vocal support of immigrants, racial justice and members of the LGBTQ community. She later donated $150 to his church.
Despite their divergent backgrounds, McCall said she and Ericksen share one major thing in common.
“We hustle for those who right now can’t hustle for themselves,” she said.
For more information about the #OurKids fundraiser visit c-ucc.org.
Direct donations can me made here.
-- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh; 503-294-7632
Email at skavanaugh@oregonian.com
Follow on Twitter @shanedkavanaugh
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