Friends believe in Boston, community

Abhinaya Gunasekar and Fatima Elsheikh have spent much of their five-year friendship collaborating both in school and out of the classroom.

“Once we're together, we kind of dominate some things,” Elsheikh said, laughing.

The two Kennedy High School students are putting their potent partnership to work in the spirit of Boston Strong.

The young women are coordinating Believing in Boston: Hope for a Strong Recovery, an evening of entertainment that also will serve to raise money for victims of the April bombing during the Boston Marathon.

There is no cost for admission but the organizers will accept donations for The One Fund Boston, a charity created to assist families directly affected by the attack.

Gunasekar and Elsheikh wanted to hold the fundraiser earlier this year, but school and travel commitments resulted in rescheduling.

In this era of quickly moving news cycles and ever-diminishing attention spans, Gunasekar said the delay might have its benefits.

“A lot of people still need help and need money,” she said of the bombing victims. “Their recovery, it takes a lot of time.”

The young women hope to raise at least $1,000 for The One Fund Boston and encourage people to donate online regardless of whether they can attend the event.

Even though Gunasekar and Elsheikh did not know anyone injured in the tragedy, which left three people dead and hundreds wounded, they both had personal reasons for wanting to help. Gunasekar, who has studied dance since age 4, was inspired by the story of an injured dancer.

Culture and unity motivated Elsheikh to get involved.

“Helping out with this event would really bring out that it's not about religion,” said Elsheikh, who is Muslim and was upset by the stereotype that people who share her faith commit attacks such as the bombing in Boston.

She will host the show and Gunasekar will perform. The duo reached out to a broad range of local artists, including Irish, Indian and Filipino dance groups, to entertain audiences for the fundraiser.

Gunasekar patterned much of Believing in Boston, including the inclusive talent roster, after a muscular dystrophy event that a family friend used to coordinate.

“We were ... trying to get the diverse population that actually lives in America,” said Gunasekar, who will do a solo dance and a Bollywood-style number with an ensemble.

“There's a wide variety (of acts). Even if you're not used to it, people should still come to see what other cultures do.”