Five BYU students teamed up to organize a benefit concert for the LGBTQ community as a class project.
Danny Lacopucci, Sierra Ryan, Sean Rostrom, Sarah Hebertson and Ellie Gerstner are all studying experience design and management in the BYU Marriott School of Business. They are currently enrolled in an Organizational Effectiveness class, which motivated them to organize this event as part of their coursework.
“All five of us were put in a project group that we have to take for our program, and the prompt was to do something that makes a difference in the world,” Hebertson said.
The concert will be held on March 18 at 7 p.m. at The Boardwalk in Orem and feature musical performances from local bands, including EJ Michels of Foreign Figures, Wesley Monahan of Suit Up, Solider, Rally, and 19 Miles Per Hour.
The event will also showcase experts from Encircle, a non-profit organization that works to provide safe spaces and resources for LGBTQ youth and families.
Ryan said Encircle will be able to provide the expertise and resources for those who are LGBTQ throughout the event.
“We want to show our allyship,” Lacopucci said. “We may not be a part of that community but we want to show them that we care and want to connect with them as much as we can.”
The main goal for the event is for attendees to be able to “educate those who don’t know or who haven’t had much experience with members of the LGBTQ+ community,” Gerstner said. “We also want to help the LGBTQ+ community feel like they belong here.”
The event itself has already received an immense amount of support from local organizations and bands.
“We’ve had such a great response, when we’ve reached out, they’ve been willing to help with their talents and abilities for such a good cause,” Rostrom said.
All proceeds from the concert will go to Encircle. Ryan said creating awareness is more important than the money that will be raised through the event.
“One hundred people at the event is our goal, but if even only one person comes, it’s totally worth it,” Hebertson said.
Tickets for the event are $10 online, and $12 at the door. They can be purchased on the Boardwalk’s website.
