Brave Space Alliance, the first Black trans-lead LGBTQ center in Chicago, was born on a March evening in 2017 during the Trans Liberation March in Chicago’s city center, which at the time was the largest demonstration for trans rights in the history of the Midwest. Now, Brave Space’s focus is on providing culturally equitable resources to Black, Indigenous, and Brown trans folks and operate several programs including identity-based support groups, gender-affirming resources, and mutual aid. Their work is sustained by dedicated activists, fixtures in the ballroom scene, and people engulfed in Chicago’s queer Black community.
Their critical services reach the entire Chicagoland area, but Interim CEO & Director of Communications Jae Rice (he/him) says Brave Space calls the South side home for a reason.
“In Chicago, most of our LGBTQ spaces are white-led, cis-led, or privilege-led, and concentrated on the North side of the city. This introduces another type of harm, and a barrier for folks who look like me to get different life-sustaining, life-saving resources. We are Black-led and of the community — this is radical and revolutionary.”
But Jae says Brave Space is about more than just safe spaces, but brave ones.
“I think there are positive intentions behind wanting to create safe spaces. But we challenge that idea, because especially for Black trans folks, there’s no way folks can guarantee our safety. But what we can guarantee is that we show up in spaces as brave as possible; having the bravery to evolve from an ally to a comrade and an accomplice; having the bravery to stand up to family members when they perpetuate hate instead of liberation.”
To truly become an accomplice to Black LGBTQ young people’s liberation, it takes bravery to take that step beyond allyship. Jae asks of allies, “Who is going to stand with me? Who is going to put their bodies physically on the line, or put up their privilege for collective liberation?”
Read more at TheTrevorProject.org.
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