Inside the Star-Studded LA Fundraiser for Planned Parenthood
Anyone can do it," said Grace Gummer with a shrug. She wasn't referring to acting—but activism: "Cook dinner for friends, talk, urge them to donate or write letters. Any support is valuable. Small steps can be the most effective."
Gummer was one of three dozen friends from Los Angeles's creative community who gathered two days before the presidential inauguration to share a meal, drink mezcal, and use their collective musical talents to raise money and support for Planned Parenthood.
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Gummer rarely misses parties thrown by lifelong pal Gina Correll Aglietti, a stylist, chef, and co-founder of Yola Mezcal, which co-hosted the event. Last spring, Aglietti and her partners, Swedish singer Lykke Li and Mexican mezcaleria owner Luisa Yolanda Jimenez, launched the additive-free artisanal brand (bottled exclusively by women), driven by a shared aversion to liquor ventures that target their gender and hype the notion of "skinny" cocktails.
"Strong woman, strong drink" is the brand's mission statement and rallying cry.
To further their fund-raising efforts, the Yola crew broke with their routine of hosting smaller house parties (drawing the likes of Lady Gaga and Lana Del Rey) in favor of No Name, a grit-glam neo-speakeasy near Hollywood that could accommodate the 150-plus friends who would pour in later that night to support a bill of singer-songwriters—Naomi Greene, Lola Kirke, Cornelia Livingston, Scout Willis, and more—with every dollar from Yola cocktails sold at the bar going to the cause. Candles and flowers were brought in to add warmth to the antler-infused space.
Alexandra Parker, who founded the Parker Foundation with her husband, tech titan Sean Parker, is a veteran of Yola's swirl, and served as party co-host along with Kirke.
"They're building a strong network of women taking action," she said, as Grace Mitchell and her band amped up the vibe from folk to rock. "This is not about talking about what we are wearing. This is about creating a female army and leading by example."
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Photographed by Justice Apple.