A beautiful phenomenon occurs in this world when a human truly desires to help others — no catch, no payment, no recognition — and merely possesses the wish to give to those who have nothing for themselves. When I first met Lillian Martino, she had come to the in-studio rehearsal for the #IamYourFriend benefit concert, a multi-style dance performance created to aid her organization, Fahodie for Friends, in reaching out to the child slaves of West Africa. She beamed with joy as she watched us rehearse, after which she shared a poem she had written at the start of her incredible journey. The room went silent, and we could all feel the electrifying power in the air around us; we knew we had each made the right choice choosing to volunteer our time for this benefit.
Fahodie, or “freedom,” for Friends, is a local organization geared toward putting an end to modern-day slavery and human trafficking all over the world. In June 2015, after a year of planning, the #IamYourFriend benefit took place at the Rail Event Center in west Salt Lake City. This benefit brought together over eight dance companies and schools from the Salt Lake valley, including world-renowned dancers of Ballet West. The concert drew attention from the entire Salt Lake community and was featured in City Weekly, SLUG magazine and others, as well as receiving attention from across the country. A small town in Pennsylvania created their own version of the event and connected with Allison DeBona and Rex Tilton (#IAmYourFriend coordinators), and connections were made with board members from “Dancing with the Stars” Nigel Lythgoe’s Dizzy Feet Foundation, who discussed possible future funding towards an annual benefit concert. I emailed Lillian, who attends BYU Hawaii, to get a clearer picture of what her intention of the benefit was and what she hopes to achieve in the future.
What inspired you to create the organization (Fahodie for Friends)?
I was born in Ghana and adopted into a loving family from Heber City, Utah, at age three. Upon returning to Ghana at age 13, I became friends with a young man named Enoch, who had become a slave in West Africa. We were very fortunate to have the resources to find and help rescue him. After he was rescued he did not have money for his basic needs, such as food, clothing, and education. Upon knowing this I decided I could do something to help him. I held a benefit dance for him in 2012, inviting my community and high school friends to a dance. We were able to raise a significant amount of money that went towards his future, and my passion and desire for this work began.
How did you partner up with Allison to create this arts performance, and why did you choose to do this benefit, rather than a conventional fundraiser?
Allison and I had known each other and had been friends previous to the fundraiser. During one conversation, the idea came up about putting on a benefit. After a long year of planning, we were able to make our vision come to life. The reason we chose to do this type of benefit is because we were really hoping to do something creative and unique that focused on rescued children in West Africa. Allison and Rex had incredible talent in dance and brought the artistic elements to the amazing show. They shared and connected their skills along with many other dancers within Utah’s dance community. Being able to do a benefit rather than a conventional fundraiser brought an element that utilized talents as a form of service. Ultimately we all came together with what we could do and, with combined efforts, brought awareness to the prevention of human trafficking.
Is the #IAmYourFriend benefit in the process of becoming annual?
The #IAmYourFriend event was a huge success and exceeded expectations. Though nothing is official, there has been much discussion about making it an annual event.
Could you explain the monetary outcome of the benefit for the organization and how this impacted what may happen in the future?
The benefit performance was successful on many levels. It not only helped raise enough money to begin initial stages towards building a safe house in Ghana but also brought various Utah dance communities together. Numerous groups with unique dance styles and genres came together for the specific cause of prevention of human trafficking. That alone is incredible! Unifying events such as these are key towards making a difference. We are so grateful for all those who participated and donated, and we hope to break ground on a safe house in West Africa next summer.
For a fundraiser to solely benefit an organization is one thing, but an event that can profit those in need, draw attention to a serious world-wide issue of crime and bring together an entire community of artists, including dancers, photographers, writers and more? Those qualifications generate the line that separates the good from the great and the ordinary from the extraordinary. Generally, we in the Salt Lake area are fortunate enough not to know the horrors of child slavery. The consequences of such acts are unimaginable, and it takes a great deal of perseverance and courage to stand up to those with little sense of right and wrong. People in Salt Lake City, West Africa and around the world are lucky that one young girl saw the opportunity to use the transcendent beauty of art to call attention to those in need and that her cause was so well-received by her community. The #IamYourFriend benefit was a huge success and will continue to be a success in future endeavors — not only for the artists of the Salt Lake community or for the board of Fahodie for Friends, but, most importantly, for the children of West Africa, escaping a horrible fate. By supporting this cause, we not only support the legacy of the arts, but the bringing together of a community, a community of artists and the people of the world whose voices, while just as strong, are a little quieter.
To donate, find out more, or merely let this organization know that you support their cause, visit http://www.fahodieforfriends.org/.