The School of Opulence
Opulence for Everyone.
​​Advancing Wellness, Equity, and Joy for Queer People of Color.
To restore the holistic health of queer people of color by advocating for vital resources and delivering programs that elevate quality of service, life, and life expectancy—especially for those facing HIV, housing instability, food insecurity, and other systemic barriers.
The School of Opulence is proud to announce Senite Barih as our new Interim Executive Director.
Senite (she,her), is an Eritrean-American LGBTQ+ nonprofit and creative professional who previously served as School of Opulence’s Operations and Communications Manager. In that role, she played an integral part in advancing the organization’s operations, communications, programming, strategic partnerships, and community engagement across our Chicago and Kankakee initiatives.
As Interim Executive Director, Senite will lead the School of Opulence through this next chapter while continuing to strengthen our organizational infrastructure, deepen our community partnerships, and advance our commitment to creating affirming, sustainable spaces and resources for Black and Brown LGBTQ+ communities.
With more than seven years of experience across the nonprofit, arts and culture, healthcare, community, and creative sectors, Senite brings a multidisciplinary approach to leadership rooted in operations, communications and marketing, organizational development, event production, and community-centered programming.
❊ School of Opulence Programming
Opulence is Everywhere, for Everyone.
Opulence for Everyone
Art Therapy Events
Group Therapy Services
Movement Therapy
D-Up & Defend Yourself
D-Up Dinner and Discussion
D-Up Social Hour
D-Up Community Outreach
Partnership Programming
Financial Literacy Workshop with PNC
Hate Reduction Groups with CCHR
Black Becoming with Black Leadership Lab
❊ Press
Loved and Trusted by the Community.
The School of Opulence provides accessible, high-quality mental health services through a gender-affirming lens, combined with food justice and healthcare navigation to meet the holistic needs of the community. ViiV Healthcare’s support will enable the organization to continue breaking down barriers to essential services and to build resilience among individuals who often face stigma and discrimination in traditional healthcare settings.
— School of Opulence x ViiV Healthcare’s Positive Action Initiative
“
Additionally, The School of Opulence is honored to be the first organization to receive funding to provide gender-affirming care in Chicago's South Shore South East corridor. This groundbreaking initiative will ensure that transgender and gender-diverse individuals have access to the affirming and supportive healthcare services they need.
— The School of Opulence Awarded Historic TGD Wellness Grant
“
In a world of shifting priorities and growing uncertainty, the need for affirming, community-rooted care has never been greater. At the School of Opulence, we are dedicated to uplifting Queer communities of color in Chicago's South East Corridor through innovative programming and unwavering support. But we can’t do this alone.
—Fueling Opulence: Empowering Lives, Building Community
“
Upcoming Events
❊ FAQs
You’ve got questions,
we’ve got answers.
-
We have two sites:
South Shore Office:
1817 E 71st. St
Chicago, IL 60649
Kankakee:
1045 W River St.
Kankakee, IL 60901
-
Art Therapy, Group Counseling, Defend Yourself Workshops, Social and Community Outreach Events, Navigator Healthcare Special Services, and Holistic and Healthcare Centered Case Management.
-
Our events are curated for LGTBQ+ people of color.
-
Completing a client intake assessment form - which the Navigator Healthcare Specialist reviews and assess the case accordingly.
-
We actively have Art Healing Events and D-Up Dinner/Social Hours twice a month on a cyclical basis. We are currently working on expanding our regular programming.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Thank You to Our Sponsors
