Affinity http://affinity95.org/acscontent Nearly 20 years of activism, advocacy, leadership, wellness, artistry and organizing. Thu, 03 May 2012 20:04:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Affinity on CAN-TV http://affinity95.org/acscontent/?p=1545 http://affinity95.org/acscontent/?p=1545#comments Thu, 03 May 2012 20:04:20 +0000 Sloka http://affinity95.org/acscontent/?p=1545 Check out Affinity’s latest appearance on CAN-TV, with guests Bonnie Wade and P. Posey from UCAN’s LGBTQ Host Home Program. This month’s topic was youth homelessness. From CAN-TV ]]> Check out Affinity’s latest appearance on CAN-TV, with guests Bonnie Wade and P. Posey from UCAN’s LGBTQ Host Home Program. This month’s topic was youth homelessness.

From CAN-TV
]]> http://affinity95.org/acscontent/?feed=rss2&p=1545 0 Our Youth, Homelessness In Our City http://affinity95.org/acscontent/?p=1541 http://affinity95.org/acscontent/?p=1541#comments Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:37:38 +0000 alexia http://affinity95.org/acscontent/?p=1541 About 15,000 youth in Chicago experience homelessness in a year, according to the Lakeview Action Coalition. UCAN says, 20-42% of homeless youth are the street self-identity as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning. Physical, verbal, emotional, and/or sexual abuse, substance abuse by a guardian, absence of a guardian, long term familial economic instability are common experiences [...]]]>

  • About 15,000 youth in Chicago experience homelessness in a year, according to the Lakeview Action Coalition.

UCAN says, 20-42% of homeless youth are the street self-identity as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning.

Physical, verbal, emotional, and/or sexual abuse, substance abuse by a guardian, absence of a guardian, long term familial economic instability are common experiences of homeless youth. Pregnant and parenting teens, former and current wards of the state, and youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning are  a disproportionately high segment of homeless and home-free young people.

While attempting to gain stability young who are homeless and home-free are often vulnerable to further abuse. The Chicago Coalition for the Homeless youth survey found that 33% of young people had been physically attacked, 20% had been raped or sexually assaulted after leaving home, and 12% engaged in prostitution.

Chicago has less than 120 spaces at emergency and long term shelters. Limited spaces, waiting lists, and places that do not welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning young people is what our youth are confronted with; and, our youth remain on the streets. The truth is our systems are failing them and it is our responsibility to support and advocate for and with our street youth, and there are ways we can get involved:

  • UCAN LGBTQ Host Home Program is an innovative approach to moving Chicago’s LGBTQ youth beyond life on the streets. Host Home volunteers open their homes for a period of time to a youth 18-24 to help create the safety and stability necessary for the youth to work towards their goal of self-sufficiency.  UCAN is seeking Host Home volunteers, for more information contact Bonnie Wade, A.M., Associate Director at 312-738-5966 or emailwadeb@ucanchicago.org
  • If youth and street youth have been denied help from a social service or someone who was supposed to help you like a doctor or police officer call The Bad Encounter Line 773-728-0127. Help us figure out who, where and why our community is being turned away from help. Speak with our operator or stop by Young Women’s Empowerment Project offices.
  • Chicago Street Youth in Motion is our grassroots organizing city wide task force for street based youth. This task force is for all genders. For more information or to get involved email dominique@youarepriceless.org
  • If you know a young person experiencing homelessness gather information on relevant and accessible resources.
  • Donate to agencies that are creditable and open its doors to young people, regardless of their sexual identity.
  • Continue to research and strategize actions with community groups working to end to homelessness.

More information on data resources for homeless and home-free youth in Chicago:

Dial 3-1-1

www.lakeviewaction.org

www.thenightministry.org

www.impactresearch.org

www.chicagohomeless.org

www.teenliving.org

www.1800runaway.org

www.mercyhome.org

www.lacasanorte.org

www.yourarepriceless.org

www.howardbrown.org

]]> http://affinity95.org/acscontent/?feed=rss2&p=1541 0 “Miss Representation” Screening — May 8 Benefitting StartOut’s Lesbian Entrepreneur Mentoring Program http://affinity95.org/acscontent/?p=1535 http://affinity95.org/acscontent/?p=1535#comments Wed, 25 Apr 2012 16:31:55 +0000 Kim Hunt http://affinity95.org/acscontent/?p=1535 Affinity is proud to be a community partner for StartOut’s screening of “Miss Representation,” the most important film you’ll see this year. Miss Representation is the documentary by Jennifer Siebel Newsom about how mainstream media contribute to the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence in America. All proceeds go to StartOut’s new [...]]]> Affinity is proud to be a community partner for StartOut’s screening of “Miss Representation,” the most important film you’ll see this year. Miss Representation is the documentary by Jennifer Siebel Newsom about how mainstream media contribute to the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence in America. All proceeds go to StartOut’s new Lesbian Entrepreneur Mentorship Program. StartOut is an organization dedicated to building the next generation of LGBT business leaders through entrepreneurship.

Join  us Tuesday, May 8, 6:00 pm at The Music Box Theater, 3733 N. Southport. To purchase tickets, please click here. To invite your friends on Facebook, please click here.  If you have any questions please email Leanne Pittsford at leanne@start-somewhere.com. Tickets are $15 each/$10 for early birds. Early bird ticket purchase end April 25. To purchase tickets click here.

]]> http://affinity95.org/acscontent/?feed=rss2&p=1535 0 STARTING TONIGHT — JOMAMA JONES * RADIATE! http://affinity95.org/acscontent/?p=1523 http://affinity95.org/acscontent/?p=1523#comments Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:29:35 +0000 Kim Hunt http://affinity95.org/acscontent/?p=1523 JOMAMA JONES *RADIATE Produced by Jane M. Saks in association with Victory Gardens Theater April 19-21, 2012, Performance: 7:30pm Victory Gardens, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue Tickets required: http://www.victorygardens.org/onstage/radiate-live.php Legendary expatriate performer Jomama Jones brings an intimate concert version of her sold-out smash show, RADIATE to Chicago.  “RADIATE glows…” said The New York Times, “making it hard to resist this sequined [...]]]> JOMAMA JONES *RADIATE
Produced by Jane M. Saks in association with Victory Gardens Theater
April 19-21, 2012, Performance: 7:30pm
Victory Gardens, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue
Legendary expatriate performer Jomama Jones brings an intimate concert version of her sold-out smash show, RADIATE to Chicago.  “RADIATE glows…” said The New York Times, “making it hard to resist this sequined earth-mother’s soulful embrace.” Accompanied by her collaborator and musical director, Bobby Halvorson, Jones will perform songs from her CDs Lone Star, Radiate and the upcoming EP Six Ways Home while sharing tales from her life’s journey and her surprising observations of the America to which she has returned.
JOMAMA JONES SPEAKS TO THE COMEBACK IN US ALL!

“A true theatrical original.”   Backstage Magazine
“Performed with fearless style … [Jomama Jones] will have you wiggling and bouncing in your seat… a fusion of retro-funk, camp and theatricality that begs for yet another comeback.”- David Cote, NY-1 News
“…The music isn’t the main draw here; it’s Jones’s wit and insight, and her clear vision of a world where people join together to celebrate what makes them each unique.” – Trish Deitch, The New Yorker
Ellen Stone Belic Institute for the Study of Women and Gender in the Arts and Media Fellow Daniel Alexander Jones (Fall 2011) makes live art and brings the effervescent JOMAMA JONES to Chicago as part of his Fellowship. An award-winning performer, writer and director, Jones was named by American Theatre Magazine as “one of fifteen artists whose work will be transforming American stages for decades to come.” His unconventional body of work includes plays (Bel Canto, Earthbirths, Phoenix Fabrik), performance pieces (Blood:Shock:Boogie, The Book of Daniel, Cab and Lena) and devised collaborative work (Qualities of Light, Clayangels). He has directed world premieres of plays by celebrated writers Erik Ehn, Institute Fellow E. Patrick Johnson, Shay Youngblood and Renita Martin among others.
]]> http://affinity95.org/acscontent/?feed=rss2&p=1523 0 Out in Chicago TAG SALE this Saturday 1-4pm http://affinity95.org/acscontent/?p=1514 http://affinity95.org/acscontent/?p=1514#comments Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:00:12 +0000 Kim Hunt http://affinity95.org/acscontent/?p=1514 Say goodbye to the Out in Chicago exhibition with a tag sale—one day only! The sale will include large-scale graphic title panels that hung on the walls throughout the gallery as well as some of the handmade exhibit prop furniture and other items that furnished the display. Save a piece of this exhibit for yourself and not [...]]]> Say goodbye to the Out in Chicago exhibition with a tag sale—one day only!
The sale will include large-scale graphic title panels that hung on the walls throughout the gallery as well as some of the handmade exhibit prop furniture and other items that furnished the display.
Save a piece of this exhibit for yourself and not the dumpster.  What doesn’t sell will be discarded.
Cash only and first come, first served. Quantities are limited and exclude items that are ineligible for sale.
Sample items include the Sexicon definitions from the walls, welcoming title message, title panels from each section of the exhibition and a prop bed.
Prices range from $5 for a small printed label to $200 and up for some prop objects.
Admission to the sale is free.  Mention “tag sale” at the front desk.
Proceeds will benefit the Out in Chicago documentary project.
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