S.H.E Circle, Making the Journey
The Spirit Health Education (S.H.E.) Circle is a unique series developed by African American lesbians for African American lesbians and bisexual women. S.H.E. Circle honors the African traditions of health and healing through the body, mind, spirit connection. This intensive two day training will offer women the tools to conduct and support S.H.E. CIRCLES in the Chicago area. Together, participants will explore the 6 part series covering breast health, reproductive health, colorectal health, exercise and nutrition, smoking cessation and coming out to your health care provider.
Join Affinity and Mautner Project’s S.H.E. Circle facilitator/trainer as together we create sacred space for beginning the journey to creating healthier lives for ourselves and our communities. [More Information]
Affinity's Health Provider Resource Guide
Our inaugural list of health providers is now available online. It includes physicians, psychotherapists, site-based providers. The providers were solicited by constituents of Affinity Community Services and the larger Black lesbian and bisexual women’s community. Constituents were asked to refer both primary and behavioral health care providers with they had positive experiences in terms of actual care, office environment, partner inclusion in treatment, and inclusive language on all forms and documents. [View the list]
Voice your opinion! Read and comment on the Affinity Blog
There are several Affinity Blog authors posting on a myriad of topics including Advocacy, Economic Empowerment, Health, News and Social Justice. You can also subscribe to the Blog's web feed via your RSS newsreader. [Read the Blog]
Looking ahead
Affinity focuses in on three particular areas of importance
within our communities. Old friends of Affinity will recognize that several
of these areas are integrated aspects of the work we have enjoyed for years,
with a new focus on collaborations, advocacy and initiatives to building much
stronger relationships with communities of ally, and supporting the needs of
family, children, health, education and economic development. These efforts
will be organized through the following strategies:
- Health Advocacy
This initiative involves various activities, including building coalitions
within and outside of Black les/bi communities to assess key health care
barrier issues, creating and maintaining a referral list of sensitive and
excellent health providers, and providing information to constituents about
pertinent legislative policies and information locally, and nationally
which impact the lives of our constituents. The Affinity Take Charge Health Report is available for download.
- Networking Opportunities
These activities will include current networking opportunities, including
but not limited to young women’s drop in, singles nights, topic
oriented discussions, special events, community meetings and workgroups
center drop-in,
and updated access to site and web based resources.
- Economic Development
This involves current activities such as disseminating career opportunity
information, business fairs, investing, and educational opportunities
that will support
and sustain individual and family growth.
Affinity is also committed to:
- Advocating for Black lesbian and bisexual women’s issues internationally,
nationally, and city-wide
- Standing against violence, hate crimes, and war
- Promoting African American lesbian and bisexual women’s creativity
in music and arts
- Being inclusive of African American lesbian and bisexual women of various
ages, abilities, lesbian gender roles, and sexual identity labels
To accomplish these activities and to live by these values, we will shift
to an evening work period that would allow for open house and folks to drop
in between the hours of 4pm-8pm. This revised schedule will begin a couple
of days a week. But within the next year, we expect that center drop-in will
occur 5 days a week.
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