Ms. Wade is the founder and executive director of Brave Space Alliance, which is the first Black-led, transled LGBTQ+ Center located on the South Side of Chicago.
CHICAGO, IL, November 16, 2021 /24-7PressRelease/ -- LaSaia Wade has been inducted into Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Ms. Wade is the founder and executive director of Brave Space Alliance, which is the first Black-led, transled LGBTQ+ Center located on the South Side of Chicago. In this capacity, she is dedicated to creating and providing affirming, culturally competent resources, programming and services for LGBTQ+ individuals on the South and West sides of the city. Throughout the course of her life, Ms. Wade observed numerous tragedies due to a lack of education and knowledge, which spurred her to create a safe space where people can be fully comfortable with themselves. In 2008, she obtained a bachelor's degree in human resources and business from Middle Tennessee State University, where she subsequently earned a Master of Business Administration in 2010.
Within the last year, Ms. Wade has serviced over 300,000 people, including over 20,000 per week during the apex of the year. Moreover, she has operated the only LGBTQ+ pantry in the Midwest. Beyond her work with the Brave Space Alliance, she boasts over a decade of experience in organizing and advocacy work with Black, indigenous, transgender and gender-nonconforming people around the world. Her role in organizing ranges between and beyond as a central organizer for the Trans Liberation Collective Chicago, which was the largest march for transgender rights in Midwestern history. In addition, Ms. Wade is the leader of the Midwest Ballroom The International Legendary House of Prodigy, as well as the founder of the Tennessee Transgender Journey Project.
Throughout the course of her career, Ms. Wade has been honored with many accolades, including her recent inclusion as part of Time Out Chicago's "8 Women Who Are Making Chicago a Better Place" in 2021 and Northstar Magazine's "33 Women Who Crushed" in 2020. Moreover, she has been recognized as one of the 20 Most Inspiring Chicagoans and was featured in the 40 Under 40 by the Chicago Business Magazine. Additionally, Ms. Wade was a recipient of the Streetwise Award from Streetwise Magazine and was recognized for her contributions by the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and the United Nations.
Ms. Wade is proud to have been honored at the Chicago LGBTQA Black History Recognitions ceremony as the first transgender woman in Illinois history to be honored for her contributions during Women's History month. She maintains her memberships with the Chicago Trans Gender-Nonconforming Collective and the Trans Liberation Collective. Furthermore, she participates as a board member on her local community council and is active as a board member and state comptroller in Chicago. Looking toward the future, Ms. Wade will be organizing the Trans Relief Fund in partnership with the Trans Liberation Collective, with a pool of $20,000, that will be made available exclusively to BlPOC trans people in Chicago.
About Marquis Who's Who®
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® now publishes many Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in America®, Who's Who in the World®, Who's Who in American Law®, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who's Who in Asia®. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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