BUILDING A BOLD, BLACK , QUEER
A Letter From Our Founder
To Our Beautiful Community,
Reflecting on this transformative year at Lighthouse Foundation, I am filled with profound gratitude and unwavering hope for the journey ahead. Five years ago, we kindled a flame of possibility—a vision of a Chicago where Black LGBTQ+ people live with power, joy, and abundance. Today, that flame has grown into a beacon that illuminates not just our city but looks to serve as a model for liberation work nationwide.
In 2024, we more than doubled our impact, reaching over 1,100 individuals through our programs, gatherings, and advocacy efforts. Every connection represented not a number, but a sacred opportunity to affirm, empower, and transform lives. The pages that follow tell a story of community resilience and radical imagination. From the vibrance of our Black LGBTQ+ Beach Day that reclaimed space for 400 community members, to the call for accountability from out Lighthouse Foundation Equity Index that is reshaping institutions, to the healing circles of our Black Wellness Tribe; we have woven together art, spirituality, justice, and care into a tapestry of liberation.
At the Lighthouse Foundation, our faith in a more just world is manifested through deliberate action. We don't just dream of equity - we measure it, pursue it, and hold systems accountable. We don't simply wish for wellness, we build pathways to wellness through culturally responsive programs designed by and for our community.
As we look toward 2025, we stand at a threshold of even greater possibility. Our new Holistic Wellness Model acknowledges that genuine liberation necessitates addressing the interconnection of economic, spiritual, and physical well-being.
Our upcoming HIV Testing, Linkage to Care, Counseling, and Social Service Navigation program represents our deepening commitment to comprehensive care that leaves no one behind.
In a world that often tries to dim the light of Black LGBTQ+ communities, we continue to proclaim:
"If you don't like the world that you're in right now, make a new one!"
That is the sacred work we are called to – not just responding to inequities but imagining and building something more extraordinary.
I invite you to join us in this work of world-building. Whether as a participant, volunteer, donor, or advocate, your presence strengthens our collective power
Together, we are more than an organization; we are a movement shaping a future where justice, wellness, and liberation are not just distant visions but lived realities.
The light shines on, Jamie Frazier
Impact by the Numbers
Building a Future Where We Thrive
Lighthouse Foundation of Chicagoland is more than an organization. We are a movement, a beacon lighting the way toward a future where Black LGBTQ+ people across our city live with power, joy, and abundance. Guided by an Afrofuturist vision, we are shaping a reality where justice, wellness, and liberation are not just a vision for the future but tangible, lived experiences.
In just one year, we doubled our impact, reaching 1,100+ individuals in 2024, more than twice as many as in 2023. Every event, program, and community gathering fuels a revolution of care, connection, and change.
We reached 1100+ participants this year with 700+ being Black & LGBTQ+
Top 5 Neighborhoods Served
Hyde Park
South Shore
Woodlawn
Auburn Gresham
Washington Heights
460+ participants were from the South & West Side of Chicago
Race*
Gender
Sexuality*
Black 87.5%
White 6.8%
Hispanic or Latine/x 3.1%
American Indian or Alaska
Native 1.4%
Middle Eastern or North
African 0.7%
Southeast Asian 0.5%
Cisgender Female: 38.0%
Gender Expansive: 24.2%
(Transgender, Non-binary, Genderqueer, Gender Nonconforming, Genderfluid, Agender, Two-Spirit, Intersex)
Cisgender Male: 20.2%
Prefer Not to Say/Unlisted: 17.6%
2024-2025 Black LGBTQ+ Cook County
Community Needs Assessment
my own stars and planets.
I am my own sun
Janelle Monáe
Too often, the needs of Black LGBTQ+ people are overlooked or assumed. At Lighthouse Foundation, we don’t believe in guesswork. We believe in organizing and listening. Our Community Needs Assessment was designed to gather actual data from real people, ensuring that our programs, advocacy, and initiatives reflect the lived experiences of Black LGBTQ+ individuals in Cook County
In 2025, we will release our complete findings, which will directly inform our work, ensuring that Lighthouse Foundation’s programs, advocacy, and services are deeply aligned with the real needs of Black LGBTQ+ Chicagoans. “I am my own universe, I create
In the fall of 2024, we launched this inquiry to understand how to better meet the needs. We heard directly from over 500 community members about their health, employment, financial well-being, and sense of belonging. These insights gave us a clearer understanding of our community's challenges and the opportunities to create lasting change.
The Arts
Black Queer artistry is resistance, healing, and the blueprint for the future we are creating. Whether through House music, drag performance, or spoken word, our community has always used art to push boundaries and reimagine what’s possible. This is why entertainment has been a key part of our mission.
This year, our arts programming infused creativity across our initiatives. We shared artistry from the soul-stirring House music by our Black LGBTQ+ music collective, Voices of Light (VOL), at the LFEI Soul Food Brunch, to the transformative art therapy sessions at a SelfCare Recharge, to the electrifying drag performances at our 5th Anniversary Celebration. These moments weren’t just about celebration. They were acts of remixing the world we’ve inherited and shaping the one we deserve.
Remixing Reality, Building New Worlds New Worlds:
The Arts
Remixing Reality, Building New Worlds
Glitter, Giving, and Five Years of Impact
Since 2019, Lighthouse Foundation has been a force for Black Queer liberation, justice, and community transformation. On July 13, we celebrated our fifth anniversary with Glitter & Giving: A Drag Bingo Fundraiser at Meeting House Tavern.
This wasn’t just a fundraiser—it was an unapologetically Black Queer celebration. Kenya J. Sanchez and Olaysia delivered stunning drag performances while attendees played bingo, built community, and reflected on five years of impact.
Thanks to our community’s generosity, we raised over $7,000, fueling our racial justice, wellness, and workforce development initiatives!Lighthouse Foundation leaders and allies, including CARE Member Pastor Rebecca Anderson and our staff members spoke on the power of Black Queer-led justice work.
Jamie Frazier captured the spirit of the night:
"For the past five years, Lighthouse Foundation has ignited a wildfire of Black Queer liberation across Chicagoland. We are proud to convene this community, celebrate our journey, and catalyze our next growth chapter Together, we create healing and empowerment for all Black LGBTQ+ people involved."
As we honor our past and build our future, one thing remains clear: Black Queer people deserve joy, safety, and the freedom to thrive.
Spirituality
Joy as Resistance, Healing as Power
We believe that spirituality is not just about belief but about how we show up for ourselves and each other. It’s about creating spaces where Black LGBTQ+ people can heal, connect, and build resilience in a world that often tries to dim our light.
This year, we deepened our commitment to Black Queer spiritual well-being through transformative gatherings like\ LFEI Happy Hour, and self-care activations (wellness sessions) that reminded us of vital truths: rest is revolutionary, joy is justice, and our light will never be stolen.
Healing the Healers
:
The 2024 LFEI Happy Hour & Self-Care Recharge
In times of uncertainty and political instability, our community has always turned to one another for support, wisdom, and collective care. That is why, two days after the 2024 presidential election, Lighthouse Foundation hosted its Third Annual Fall LFEI Happy Hour—a sacred space to breathe, heal, and strategize for the work ahead.
"I’m tired. Are you tired too?" Jamie Frazier asked the crowd, naming the exhaustion of navigating another cycle of anti-Black and anti-Queer rhetoric. But, as he reminded attendees, exhaustion is not defeat: "Come, America, and sit at our Black, Queer feet, and we will tell you how we get over."
"We heard messages of healing and resistance from a panel of Black, LGBTQ+ Chicago nonprofit traiblazers Lora Branch, Kim Hunt, and Antonio King moderated by LF Executive Director Jamie Frazier while also sharing a meal.
The evening also reaffirmed the expansion of the LFEI—a project holding nonprofits accountable for racial equity As LFEI scales nationally in 2025, spaces like the LFEI Happy Hour remain vital for restoration, strategy, and collective power.
This event was designed as more than a gathering –it was an act of healing for those who heal others. Attendees participated in self-care activations, including yoga, massage therapy, meditation, group therapy, and nutrition counseling before coming together for an evening of reflection and an engaging panel discussion.
We must focus on healing the healers. it is the way to create the greatest ripple of impact. By caring for ourselves and each other, we create cycles of empowerment essential to our way forward. Jamie Frazier
Wellness: The Black Wellness Tr
Wellness is more than fitness—it’s survival, community, and power The BWT removes barriers to health by providing free, culturally responsive fitness, nutrition, mental health, and workforce development support for Black LGBTQ+ people.
Through five 10-week cycles, BWT tackled critical health disparities—HIV, heart disease, and mental health challenges—while fostering belonging and empowerment and integrating physical and professional well-being. We championed holistic wellness through a dynamic fitness program offering six weekly classes tailored for women, men, and all-gendered individuals, led by certified trainers from our Black LGBTQ+ tribe. Monthly convenings with Black LGBTQ+ health professionals sustained vital health through supportive therapists and nutritionists.
As shared by BWT participant, Maurice Cook, "I joined this group to find a supportive community where I could be my authentic self—without fear, without judgment. Here, I can focus on both my physical and mental well-being, surrounded by people who understand my journey." BWT proves that when Black LGBTQ+ people have spaces designed for us, we thrive.
We reached 350 unique clients over the BWT cycle
Racial Justice Organizing
Racial Justice Organizing:
Holding Systems Accountable,
Building a More Just Future
Equity is practice; it’s informed, dedicated action. Whether at the individual, organizational, or political level, we must break through the barriers that keep us separate from each other Through our Coalition of Accomplices for Racial Equity (CARE), we built bridges among Black LGBTQ+ individuals, allies, and faith communities to imagine what is possible in creating the spaces we need to thrive, connect, and do justice well, through building community locally and advocating across the state.
Too often, organizations claim to stand for racial justice while maintaining the same harmful systems that exclude, exploit, and undervalue Black LGBTQ+ employees and leadership. This year, we took a significant step forward in the fight for structural change through the LFEI. The inaugural LFEI grades revealed how four of Chicago’s largest LGBTQ+ healthcare and housing organizations were—or
Racial Justice Organizing
Building Community and
Advancing Justice: The
Coalition of Accomplices for
Racial Equity (CARE)
In 2024, CARE hosted a total of eight CARE Connects—six virtual sessions and two in-person gatherings—each designed to engage and empower participants around issues of advocacy, identity, and spiritual well-being. The virtual CARE Connects spanned a diverse range of timely and impactful topics. Attendees explored practical tips for engaging in advocacy, including meeting with legislators and navigating political systems effectively. Other sessions focused on essential skills, such as protesting safely and understanding the dynamics of intersectionality, particularly how power and privilege intersect with individual and collective identities.
The two in-person CARE Connects explored the theme of spiritual affirmation, centering the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals seeking inclusive and healing spiritual environments. These gatherings featured a therapist and a spiritual healer who facilitated discussions and workshops on cultivating affirming spiritual spaces. Participants gained insights into what they needed to feel safe and supported in these environments and were equipped with tools to reflect on and process their past religious experiences.
This year, CARE wove together eight vibrant themes through CARE Connects. Six virtual gatherings sparked dialogue and empowered participants, while two in-person encounters fostered deep, resonant connections. Each session served as a vital space for exploration and growth, centering the crucial intersections of advocacy, identity, and spiritual wellbeing.
Our virtual CARE Connects explored a rich panorama of timely and impactful topics. We equipped attendees with practical tools for navigating the terrain of advocacy, charting pathways for effective engagement with legislators and the intricate workings of political systems. Other virtual sessions ignited essential skills, providing participants with the knowledge to protest safely and to unravel the nuanced dynamics of intersectionality, illuminating how power and privilege shape individual and collective identities. A profound theme of spiritual affirmation unfolded in the in-person sessions.
Racial Justice Organizing
Building Community and Advancing Justice: The Coalition of Accomplices for Racial Equity (CARE) Continued
On National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, a group of 12 CARE members, Lighthouse Foundation staff, and friends traveled to Springfield to advocate for equitable funding for Black-led organizations addressing the disproportionate impact of HIV on the Black community, who represent 43% of Illinois' HIV cases despite being only 14% of the population.
The trip involved meetings with state legislators to thank them for past funding, report on progress, and raise awareness. Providing advocacy training in this way fostered unity among Black LGBTQ+ individuals and allies committed to achieving health equity and social justice.
A powerful highlight of the year was our Advocacy Trip on National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Twelve CARE members, Lighthouse Foundation staff, and allies journeyed to Springfield to champion equitable funding for Black-led organizations. This crucial advocacy addressed the disproportionate impact of HIV on Illinois' Black community.
While unifying CARE members, the trip involved impactful meetings with state legislators to express gratitude, share progress, and amplify awareness–all in the name of health equity and racial justice.
The State of Equity in Chicago’s LGBTQ+ Nonprofits
On March 30, Lighthouse Foundation released the first-ever LFEI grades at our Workforce Development Conference, assessing how well these four of Chicago’s largest LGBTQ+ healthcare and housing organizations supported Black LGBTQ+ employees and board members
Based on 12 Equity Indicators across five key categories—resource allocation, leadership opportunities, professional development, systemic action, and data collection—these grades exposed significant gaps in mentorship, equitable benefits, and intersectional data tracking.
“[The LFEI has been] an for collaboration. For us
outstanding experienc filled with learning, colla
[the] ability to take the Lighthouse Foundation
pivotal partner to us a cohort organizations o year. We look forward to we’ll make as an organi
our participati
Michael Herman, CEO, C
LFEI Grades Reveal:
The State of Equity in Chicago’s LGBTQ+ Nonprofits
From Data to Action: The First Annual LFEI Convening
In August, Lighthouse Foundation hosted the first LFEI Convening, bringing together leaders from the four graded organizations to move beyond assessment and into action.
With a focus on collaboration, policy reform, and accountability, the conveningcreated space for deep reflection and strategybuilding. Participants engaged in breakout sessions to co-develop equity policies and commit to meaningful change before the subsequent LFEI evaluation in early 2025.
"The LFEI Convening was an excellent way to see how dedicated these organizations are to enhancing equity," Dr Thomas, LFEI Convening Facilitator, shared.
The work continues as LFEI expands nationally in 2025, welcoming a broader cohort of local and national organizations for the next National LFEI Convening in August.
Beyond the Convening: LFEI Consultations & Ongoing Advocacy
Revealing inequities is just the first step. Lighthouse Foundation is working with organizations to close the gaps we identified through a series of LFEI Consultations.
These consultations provide:
Targeted support for leadership teams committed to equity reform
One-on-one strategy sessions for improving workplace policies and culture
Practical tools and recommendations tailored to each organization’s needs
Through this process, we ensure that organizations don’t just acknowledge the issues but actively work toward lasting solutions.
More detailed results and reports can be found at https://www.lightfoundchi.org/LFEI.
Workforce Development
Workforce Development: Black LGBTQ+ Professionals, Black LGBTQ+ Solutions
Workfo
rce Dev
elopment & The Lighthouse Foundation
Equity Index
Black LGBTQ+ people don’t just need a seat at the table. We need tables built for us, by us. On March 30, Lighthouse Foundation hosted our second annual Workforce Development Conference, where Black LGBTQ+ professionals could build skills, expand our networks, and gain tools for long-term success. Attendance grew by 151% from 2023, proving what we already knew: when professional development is designed for us, we show up.
n the 2023 LFEI research, Black LGBTQ+ workers made it clear: we wanted professional development tailored to our realities. This conference is one of the LFEI’s direct responses to that call.
"One of the reasons that the LFEI is so novel is that it not only identifies challenges and problems, it also convenes Black LGBTQ+ people and other stakeholders to co-create solutions," said Jamie Frazier
Equipping Our Community
for Success
One attendee reflected: "I love being in spaces like this. I feel so much more connected to the community and comfortable. It feels so nice to be surrounded by Black LGBTQ+ people. I feel empowered and understood. "
This year’s conference featured a diverse lineup of Black LGBTQ+ experts, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders, offering workshops and discussions tailored to navigating workplaces as Black LGBTQ+ professionals.
Attendees engaged in:
Leadership & Career Growth – Sessions like "Leading With Intention" by Joli Robinson and "Resume Writing Laboratory" with Rodney Matthews helped participants refine their skills and level up professionally.
Entrepreneurship & Creative Business –Panels like "Sisters Doin' It for Themselves: Black Queer Women Entrepreneurship" and "Building Sustainable Businesses for Creative Entrepreneurs" guided those forging their paths.
Wellness & Workplace Culture – "Health and Wellness in the Workplace" and "Productive Aging for LGBTQ+ Workers" highlighted the importance of longevity and balance in professional spaces.
Unapologetically Black & Queer Perspectives – "Everything I Needed to Know About Business, I Learned From Drag" by Kenya Sanchez showcased the innovation and strategy within Black Queer artistry.
This conference was even more than workforce development – it was a space for connection, confidence, and belonging.
Transforming Community By and For
Us: The Black LGBT(Q)+ Caucus (BQC)
The Lighthouse Found (BQC) prides itself on Black, LGBTQ+ Chicag interventions and prog Chicagoland born of t living in Chicago offers
Throughout 2024, BQC dynamic hubs for conn
empowerment, driven
BQC participants. The space to delve into the experiences of Black L
planning impactful fre
celebrated joy, wellnes
Discussions navigated identity and expression, the impact of societal
biases, healthcare access, and more. BQC
participants practiced self-care and wellness together, inspired by Black trans culture, and celebrated the rich heritage of Black Queer culture
Nia, one of the Self-Care Recharge participants, shared:
“I learned how I can lean into yoga as a Black woman. It’s always felt very inaccessible to me. ”
BQC Events in 2024
BQC planned a vibrant Self-Care Recharge
three-part series for hundreds of Black LGBTQ+ Chicagoans to experience profound physical,
mental, and spiritual renewal guided by Black
LGBTQ+ practitioners. Events included
transformative chakra alignment, acupuncture, and crystal healing, outdoor yoga, somatic
movement, and expressive art therapy workshop
in partnership with Black Alphabet, fostering supportive and healing environments led by and for the community.
A special "Sexplosion" event was a bold and unapologetic exploration of health, pleasure, intimacy, and well-being with insightful panels on
chem sex and sex work, expert guidance from a sex therapist, kink demos, and the immersive
vibrations of a sound bath, all interwoven with
nourishing food, nutritional coaching, and sexpositive vendors
Us: The Black LGBT(Q)+ Caucus (BQC)
Reclaiming Space, Reclaiming Joy: Black LGBTQ+ Beach Day
On June 22, 400 Black LGBTQ+ individuals gathered at 63rd Street Beach for our inaugural Black LGBTQ+ Beach Day—a powerful act of reclamation and joy on the South Side.
Too often, Black LGBTQ+ people are pushed to the margins—excluded from Queer spaces and unseen in Black spaces. This event changed that. We created something different: a space where our Blackness and Queerness could coexist—entirely, freely, and unapologetically.
The day began with Movement on the Beach, featuring yoga, HIIT workouts, and mindfulness sessions led by Black LGBTQ+ wellness practitioners. From there, DJ Rae Chardonnay set the tone for a daylong celebration, filling the air with House and R&B as attendees danced, connected, and built community.
We also prioritized holistic wellness, hosting a Health & Human Services Village with free STI testing, COVID-19 and mpox vaccinations, and vital health resources supported by the Chicago Department of Public Health.
Just weeks before, this very beach had been a site of violence against Black LGBTQ+ people. We transformed the space that day into a site of safety, love, and power
Us: The Black LGBT(Q)+ Caucus (BQC) Black
LGBTQ+ Prom
The Black LGBTQ+ Prom on May 18 at Haven Entertainment Center in Bronzeville boasted 200 attendees This wasn't just any prom it was a celebration of resilience, empowerment, and unity within the Black LGBTQ+ community, a space where everyone was welcomed, cherished, and free to express themselves authentically. Staff members elected attendees who showcased their Black LGBTQ+ Pride to the prestigious Black LGBTQ+ Royal Court.
One attendee shared, "I learned that it is important to never think less of yourself because others think highly of you and that it is possible for many LGBTQ+ [people] to come together and have an amazing time!"
Transforming Communi
Us: The Black LGBT(Q)+ Cau
Pride Skate Party 2024
The sold-out 3rd Annual Pride Skate Party at the MLK Jr. Skate Rink on June 8 brought together over 200 individuals for an evening of uninhibited joy and connection.
An attendee expressed appreciation for the event's atmosphere:
"The environment and the people were all incredibly nice and welcoming! It was refreshing being in a pride space that allowed attendees to unwind, have fun, and feed our inner child rather than having performative activism at the forefront. It felt genuine.”
One attendee shared: "I learned about the importance of skating within Black Chicago culture and how it has been suppressed. I also learned how
c
us (BQC)
Us: The Black LGBT(Q)+ Caucus (BQC)
World Aids Day 2024
Concluding with our fourth annual event commemorating World AIDS Day on December 1, we featured a critical conversation that centered the Black Woman experience in HIV moderated by BQC Leader Nicolette Metoyer, and featuring Chicago House Director of Residential Housing, Evany Turk, a prominent community activist and woman living with HIV
Centering the experiences of Black women living with HIV, who make up around 50% of new diagnoses, underscored Lighthouse Foundation’s unwavering commitment to awareness, remembrance, and community support.
Looking Ahead: Expanding Our
Vi
sion, Deepening Our Impact
Embracing the
Holistic Wellness Model
As we move into 2025, we are scaling our work with an even sharper focus on holistic wellness, economic justice, and community care for Black LGBTQ+ people.
Moving into 2025, we are adopting a Holistic Wellness Model that recognizes how multiple, interconnected health and social issues of violence, poverty, substance use, and HIV disproportionately impact Black LGBTQ+ communities. This means moving beyond siloed solutions and addressing economic, spiritual, and physical wellness as part of a single, interconnected system.
Our work will now be organized into three core domains of wellness:
Economic Wellness – Strengthening financial security through workforce development, wealth-building, and racial equity advocacy
Spiritual Wellness – Expanding spaces for healing, joy, and community connection through arts, activism, and cultural organizing
Physical Wellness – Advancing health equity through direct services, education, and policy change
Be on the lookout for how this new approach enhances and evolves our work to be even more impactful in 2025 and beyond!
Looking Ahead: Expanding Our
Vision, Deepening Our Impact
Building the Future, Together
We are not just reacting to inequities. We are building new systems, reclaiming power, and setting the foundation for lasting change.
The future of Black LGBTQ+ wellness, justice, and liberation is being shaped right now, and we are leading the way.
The work continues. The vision expands. The light shines on.
