"The public conversation often centers on elite competition, championships and hypothetical scenarios that have little to do with the lives of most transgender children. The reality is far more ordinary. Most kids simply want to play basketball after school, run cross-country with their friends, join the volleyball team or experience the confidence and camaraderie that sports can provide." Read More

"'I get calls every day,' senior outreach coordinator Courtney McKinney said. 'People come up here looking for me every day. For housing. They ask them for clothing, need their hair done, need their makeup done. Those are services that we have here.'" Read More

“Embodied was more along the lines of a living document of emotions and joy on what it means to live at the intersection of queerness, blackness and trans identity in 2026—and everything that has led up to it." Read More

“'The way Brave Space operates is really focused on participant experience, and folks feeling like guests,” Chehmani said. “In the same way we don’t want participants to feel like guests that just come in and out, we don’t want our volunteers to feel that way either. Our volunteers should feel like they are part of the BSA community when they come in.'" Read More

“Patin has more than 25 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, arts education, advocacy and community organizing. They previously held leadership and consulting roles with organizations including After School Matters, Resilience, Center on Halsted, Urban Gateways, Victory Gardens Theater and Arts + Public Life at the University of Chicago." Read More

“Longtime activist Angela Davis headlined Brave Space Alliance’s second annual Planting Power and Perseverance-themed Partners in Dignity Soirée May 21 at Venue West, 221 N. Paulina St., in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood." Read More

“'A lot of youth, especially within the LGBTQ+ community, don’t have that many friends,' Jones said. 'Having somebody that’s just like them, who can understand them, is something very important that I feel like this generation needs.' Jones is BSA’s first youth outreach coordinator, and over the past two years, he has increased the organization’s youth participation by working with local schools and hosting events welcoming queer youth and young adults like the Sour Patch Ball." Read More

“Jahiem Jones moves through Brave Space Alliance like he belongs there — because he does. The 22-year-old knows every corner of the Hyde Park building: from the common area where participant artwork covers the walls to the back room where he runs "On My Soul," a support group he created." Read More

"Even before jets got going for the last day of the Chicago Air and Water Show, there was a slower place along the lakefront, dealing in dignity."

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"'It is more detrimental as we'll see young folks going to black markets. We'll see young people accessing really unsafe means of medication, which can really have devastating effects.'" Watch Now

"For many years, Black and Brown trans women in Chicago have sounded the alarm on a crisis that has been forced into the shadows." Read More

"Brave Space Alliance crushed its fundraising goal at its Partners in Dignity Soirée, a celebratory fundraising event that uplifted the power of community in the face of growing attacks on civil rights." Read More

"Thousands of transgender people and their allies took to the streets of Chicago on March 30 in a powerful celebration of the trans community and call to action amid growing attacks on its rights." Read More

"Several hundred people rallied in a park outside Lurie Children’s Hospital on Feb. 15 to protest the hospital’s early compliance with President Donald Trump’s executive order banning gender-affirming care for anyone under 19." Read More

"Brave Space Alliance Stands in Solidarity with Trans & Non-Binary Communities, Denouncing Federal Attacks on Our Rights." Read More

"Channyn Lynne Parker, the CEO of Brave Space Alliance, a Black-led, trans-led TLGBQ+ Center on Chicago’s south side that provides affirming, culturally competent resources, joins The Broad Cast to discuss the crucial role Brave Space Alliance plays in our city and how LGBTQ+ communities in Chicago and beyond can support each other." Listen Now

"In January, the windows at 618 S. Michigan Avenue feature examples of clothing available at the Brave Space Alliance, a place where members of the LGBTQ+ community can find free gender-affirming clothing and more." Read More

"Nikki talks with Anna about who they are, what qualified them for the CEO position out of the 100 applicants who applied, their tentative 10-year strategic plan for the future of Brave Space Alliance, and the impact Brave Space Alliance has had on the LGBTQ+ community." Watch the Full Interview

"Illinois protections for transgender student athletes may not be immediately affected by Tuesday’s Supreme Court rulings upholding bans in other states — but Chicago LGBTQ+ advocates said the high court’s decision delivered a troubling message to trans children everywhere." Read More

"Brave Space Alliance hosted its first yearly 'Embodied' variety show, a celebration of trans Black artistry." Watch the Clip

“A vigil was held to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub Massacre June 12 at Center on Halsted (the Center). The event was a collaboration between Brave Space Alliance (BSA) and the Center." Read More

“The honorees are queer individuals who represent a wide range of fields. Congratulations to them all! They were honored June 3 at a private ceremony at the Chicago History Museum." Read More

“'This show highlights that queerness can show up in any faction of society, especially in sports. We knew partnering with Chicago Pride Hockey would be the exact match of diversity and hockey that this event needed,' said Brave Space Alliance Development Manager Troy Taylor." Read More

"Brave Space Alliance doesn’t just provide services—it provides sanctuary. From its founding in 2016 to address a gap in South Side LGBTQ+ services, through COVID-19 disruptions, leadership transitions, and growing pains, Brave Space Alliance has learned that survival means more than endurance—it means adaptation." Read More

“'Leading Brave Space Alliance has been one of the greatest honors of my life,' Parker said in a statement. 'This isn’t just a job — it’s been a calling. … I remain committed to supporting this organization as it enters its next chapter and beyond.'" Read More

"On the morning of Aug. 17, Brave Space Alliance kicked off its first Dignity Dash from the AIDS Garden, 3003 N. Lake Shore Dr., along Chicago lakefront." Read More

"The Trump administration is shutting down an LGBTQ+ suicide prevention hotline." Watch Now

"'Against all odds, we are still here.'" Read More

"Brave Space Alliance is inviting the community to its first-ever Partners in Dignity Soiree—a celebratory and mission-driven fundraiser marking a new chapter for the Black- and trans-led nonprofit." Read More

"The Chicago International Women’s Rally and March kicked off around noon Saturday at Federal Plaza, 320 S. Dearborn St., where a lineup of speakers broached topics from attacks on gender-affirming healthcare to concerns over corporate and billionaire influence in government." Read More

"For too long, the process of securing a name that reflects who we truly are has been riddled with unnecessary barriers, disproportionately impacting those who are already navigating systemic marginalization. This law is a monumental step forward for trans and nonbinary people across Illinois." Read More

"Brave Space Alliance stood alongside advocates and community leaders to support the safety, dignity, and autonomy of sex workers in Illinois. The push for decriminalization is about recognizing the humanity and rights of those most vulnerable to violence and exploitation." Read More

"Brave Space CEO Channyn Lynne Parker was inducted in to the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame, both a historic event and an exhibit. Through the Hall of Fame, residents of Chicago and the world are made aware of the contributions of Chicago’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities and the communities’ efforts to eradicate homophobic bias and discrimination." Read More