About Us
Our HistoryStarted and rebranded in February of 2022, the School of Opulence comes from a rich 20-year legacy of groundbreaking advocacy and leadership. The first concept of the school set the standards for organizations of today that serve the Black Ballroom House Community. Holding true to improving the lives of underserved Black queer people, the school has birthed a new attitude.
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Our Impact Thus Far
What We've Done
Empowered 500+ queer people of color through our outreach efforts, we've provided vital support to over 500 Queer people of color facing challenges such as home displacement and living with HIV/STIs, fostering resilience and community strength. |
Conducted 200+ STI/Syphilis Screenings: Our dedicated screenings have reached over 200 individuals, ensuring early detection and treatment of STIs, particularly syphilis, safeguarding community health and well-being. |
Directly Invested $35k+ in Community Support: We've reinvested over $35,000 directly into the hands of the community, empowering individuals and organizations to thrive amidst challenges and fostering sustainable community development. |
How We've Done It
Engaging underserved, underinvested, and disinvested communities of color to help restore the holistic health of our communities through Ballroom House-style performance classes. And community communication capacity-building activities, including substance abuse programming and community meal initiatives. To date, HIV at-home testing kits have been distributed to over 300 individuals in the South Shore and Chicagoland areas. Our advocacy, with equitable healthcare funding, has caused huge shifts in how we’re able to impact the community.