On October 20, we honored some incredible people at Celebrating Allies. It’s CAASE’s annual cocktail reception and this year was especially meaningful because we were able to hold the event in person for the first time since 2019. We were grateful to gather with supporters, advocates, allies, and survivors again. The sense of community was palpable and shown in the outpouring of support for our mission to end sexual harm. The evening raised a record-breaking  $61,418! These funds directly support the work of our dedicated staff in service of survivors. 

The evening honored changemakers, and we heard from a survivor about her experience. The preeminent award was presented to McKensie Mack, who examines and helps deconstruct oppressive systems. Their expertise and partnership with CAASE through MMG Earth have supported our strategic goals of increasing our accountability to those most marginalized and impacted by sexual harm.

The evening also highlighted critical legal work accomplished for survivors. The law firm Baker McKenzie and their Attorney, Mike Lehrman, both have a long history of serving the community by donating time and expertise to worthy causes. We were thrilled to acknowledge the firm and Mike individually with our Pro Bono Excellence awards for exceptional work representing survivors of sexual harm. Mallory Littlejohn, CAASE’s former legal director, received a Superstar Leader award. Her outstanding work representing survivors, nourishing our legal department, guiding our strategic plan, and collaborating with partners to identify and address legal flaws is especially worthy of recognition. 

Guests were also treated to moving and inspirational remarks from Terry Carter, a survivor and former client of CAASE’s legal services, who said, “I will not allow the assault to dimmish who I am but empower who I am. I will advocate for any woman, man, and child that has been sexually assaulted. This is a new journey for me—and sharing my story is part of my healing.” Her words underscored the transformational power of standing with survivors and were a testament to her incredible strength and determination. 

We are grateful to all who attended and supported Celebrating Allies, including our many sponsors. We thank Skadden, King & Spaulding, Boomerang Information Services, Faegre Drinker, Rivers Gives, Baker McKenzie, Cappy Silver, Mercer, Corboy & Demetrio, ArentFoxSchiff, Perkins Coie, Friedman Family Charitable Fund, Motorola Solutions Foundation, Motorola Solutions, Mayer Brown, and Tito’s Vodka for their generosity. In addition to our guests and sponsors, we thank Event Chair Jennifer Halpern and our board of directors for helping make this a successful evening.

Working against sexual harm is challenging, which makes celebrating the dedication and tenacity of our partners in these efforts all the more critical. In showing up for survivors, choosing allyship, and committing to shifting our culture, we can all make a difference. Thank you for joining us in envisioning a world without sexual violence and supporting the work ahead.  

You can always support CAASE’s mission and stand with survivors by donating.

This piece was published on October 21, 2022. It was authored by Hayley Forrestal. Learn more about our staff here.