Agreed Calendar
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, This year marks the 25th anniversary of Affinity Community Services, formed in 1995 as a Black, queer led organization on Chicago's Southside to center Black queer women in the fight for Black liberation, LGBTQ+ justice, and community healing, and
WHEREAS, Affinity strives to center and uplift the most marginalized voices on Chicago's Southside to achieve an equitable Chicago and encourage radical acceptance of our most authentic selves, and
WHEREAS, After petitioning to march in the 1995 Bud Billiken parade, the largest parade for Black visibility, Affinity determined that it would be a non-profit organization to bring Black LGBTQ+ visibility to the community through a combination of educational, social, and community collaborations, and
WHEREAS, Affinity seeks to eliminate poverty, violence, and structural limitations to Black LGBTQ+ liberation through the advancement of justice in the intersecting areas of health, wellness, and safety, education, and civic engagement, and
WHEREAS, Affinity has many programs, such as COIL, Blackprint, Trailblazers, Midstreamers, Forty Plus, Proud Parents, and Spectrum, which offer support and safe spaces to the Black LGBTQ+ community, and
WHEREAS, Affinity offers a Black women led agency that includes comprehensive support services for Black queer and trans women whose experiences of systemic racism are heighted by the intersections of gender identity and sexuality, and
WHEREAS, Affinity recognizes the unique struggles of the Black LGBTQ+ community and strives to foster support for queer Black youth through support services to address health disparities, GED tutoring, tech workshops, financial management support, and encouraging participation in government and public policy, and
WHEREAS, Affinity has been recognized, honored, and awarded for several achievements such as the Bayard Rustin Award for Community service and social organization ofthe year, Ron Sable Award, New Spirit MCC Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame Induction, National Affiliate Award, Community Empowerment Award, 15 Years of Service to the LGBTQ+ Community, Pridelndex Esteem Award, and
WHEREAS, We reflect on these indispensable contributions to the Black LGBTQ+ community on Chicago's Southside, recognizing Affinity's vital contribution to investing in marginalized communities upon their 25th year in service, and
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, Mayor and City Council of the City of Chicago, assembled here this 22nd day of July, 2020, do hereby honor and celebrate the achievements of Affinity Community Services and their vision of a equity where every person has the desire, the support, and the right to be their authentic self while embracing differences.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy ofthis Resolution be prepared and presented to the Affinity Community Services as a symbol of our esteem for the organization's crucial work in advancing Black LGBTQ+ liberation, equality, and justice in our community, as we recognize the impact of their remarkable achievements over the past 25 years.