On July 30, 2005, Affinity Community Services marked ten years of serving the black lesbian and bisexual women's community of Chicago with a Jazz 'n July Celebration. During the evening Affinity honored three foundations that have provided significant support towards Affinity's growth and development—including Astraea, the Chicago Foundation for Women and Crossroads Fund.

Affinity received its first national grant in 1998 from Astraea, who has continued to fund its mission and organizing efforts for more than eight years. Click here to see photos!

When Affinity Community Services first opened its doors in 1994, it took two years before women started showing up on a regular basis. After meeting in bars, living rooms and church basements for so long, they couldn't believe they had a physical space of their own—a place where lesbian and bisexual African American women could be themselves, where they would no longer be isolated and where they would find structure and community. Today, Affinity is a revered entity throughout Chicago and...

To read the rest of Affinity's profile, click here.

print version / go to top of page