Kaitlyn Tucek is a well-known Denver artist ... but she’s also a mom. When she saw what was happening at the border, she decided to use her work to help the families who were separated.
"I think I was just lying in bed at night thinking of my own children,” she said. “My daughter who is almost two, not having me around, it's traumatic, it's horrible."
Tucek organized an art sale Friday night at the McNichols Civic Center Building in Denver called Artists for Immigrant families. More than 200 pieces were donated by local artists.
"I started thinking we can do something," she said. "I messaged a group of creative women that we meet with sometimes and I threw it out there. I said ‘what if we do this, have an art sale.’ Then from there the news sort of spread and the artists started coming to us."
All the money raised will go to the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network. RMIAN said the money will help hire more attorneys that can work on reuniting families separated at the border. The organization has a total of 16 people on staff with five attorneys dedicated to helping people at the Aurora Detention Center.
"I think artists tend to be advocates for things in general," Tucek said. "Usually their a voice so I think it was natural for a lot of artists to set up."
She said it’s a way to use their work to portray one major message.
"We care,” Tucek said. “I guess that's the most important message, right? We really care and we really want to help people.
"If we can do this than we can do a lot of things that do a lot of good."
