This is a time of year when family, fellowship, and togetherness are integral to everyone’s lives. This weekend, a group of Chicago residents are making sure that queer families in the area have just as much access to those needs as everyone else.

This upcoming Sunday, Families of Chicago will be hosting the inaugural “Save Our Scene” banquet at the Ida Noyes Hall. More than 150 attendees are expected to fill the Cloister Club Room on Nov. 27 from 6-10 p.m. for a night meant to highlight the black queer community.

“The program will be organized to address the past, present and future of the Chicago Family Scene,” said Lance Keene, a University of Chicago Ph.D. candidate and organizer of the event. “With that in mind, the planning committee for the S.O.S. Banquet anticipates the invited families will walk away with an increased appreciation of the rich, diverse histories of Chicago’s gay and/or queer families.”

The “Save Our Scene” banquet will welcome everyone from gay men, trans men, trans women, femme and butch identified individuals to enjoy a list of performers and speakers, including Founder JoJo Kash (the MC of the event), Halle Kardashian, Beverly Christian, Channyn Parker, JD Baldwin and more. Special guests will include Sha Sha Golden and DJ Matty Aga.

“This year’s S.O.S. “Save Our Scene” banquet was inspired by a desire among members of the various Families’ to hold an event that first and foremost will bring community members together,” said Keene. “Members of the family scene have expressed wanting to have an event that might foreground some of the original core values of the scene—that is, to function as a safe space of community, support, and socializing for diverse young LGBTQ people in Chicago. ”

Keene hopes that “Save Our Scene” can be the first of many events that bring together the multiple families found within the Chicago area. After all of the hard work that’s been put in by members of the Families’ scene and a handful of involved University of Chicago students and staff, we hope that he event is a huge success.

Photo Credit: Lance Keene