Art meets advocacy. Thanks to a partnership between Chicago House and Firebelly Design, Chicagoans are about to see some eye-catching new billboards pop up around Chicago.
Each year, Firebelly Design hosts Camp Firebelly, an intensive 10-day immersion experience that invites talented young designers from around the world to occupy the studio, Camp Firebelly challenges students to address social issues through a collaborative project of their own design.
This year, Chicago House's TransLIfe Center was selected to be the benefactor of that project with the design of billboards targeting widespread misconceptions about the transgender community.
The billboards will be officially revealed on Wednesday, July 2 across the south and west sides of the city, areas where many transgender women, particularly women of color, frequently face discrimination and violence.
Local LGBTQ advocates, political and community leaders, as well as staff members of both Chicago House and Firebelly Design, will meet at one of the billboard locations, 4601 W. Madison, at 10 am, Wednesday, July 2 to celebrate this truly groundbreaking campaign.
Chicago House's TransLife Center is leading the way in advocacy and support for the transgender community of Chicago. One year ago, in July 2013, Chicago House opened the TransLife Center; the TLC provides comprehensive programming to transgender individuals.
For more information about the billboard project or Chicago House, contact James Pomeroy, Project Manager, at 773-248-5200 ext 396 or visit www.chicagohouse.org .
For more information about Firebelly Design, check out their website, www.firebellydesign.com .