An estimated 15,000 youth in Chicago experience homelessness each year, and an estimated 32 percent to 40 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ. These young folks experience hunger, institutional and interpersonal violence, employment discrimination, and don’t have access to basic needs. But a grassroots collective of youth advocates (including some fabulous femmes) are committed to reducing these statistics, forming Project Fierce Chicago.

The group aims to provide affirming, longer-term transitional housing and support services to LGBTQ young adults. A collective model operating and funding model allows Project Fierce Chicago greater independence from institutional bodies that are not always able to respond effectively to our community’s needs. Learn more about the group in the video below:

Project Fierce Chicago is currently raising funds to file as a legal nonprofit and to put a down payment on a community home. To support their efforts, community members, myself included, participated in a shoot for a promotional video. Two collective members rewrote the lyrics to the ABBA tune, “Money, Money, Money” adding rhymes about homeless youth and fundraising, while we served as background dancers. Watch the video below, and don’t miss the money shot:

And here are some behind-the-scenes photos from the video shoot:









Donate to Project Fierce Chicago here. The group is also looking for volunteers with expertise in housing, finance and/or law. Please email ProjectFierceChicago@gmail.com to help. Keep up with the campaign on the Project Fierce Chicago Facebook page.

Follow me on Instagram for my latest raw photos from the wild.