• DSC_5874JacquelineBoydandBeckyHuinky
    Jacqueline Boyd and Becky Huinky at Southside Swell. Photo by Vern Hester
  • DSC_5871ErikGlennMyaGreenandunidentified
    Erik Glenn, Mya Green, and friend at Southside Swell. Photo by Vern Hester
  • DSC_5885networkingandminglingatSouthsideSwell
    Networking and mingling at Southside Swell at Southside Swell. Photo by Vern Hester
  • DSC_5891ChristopherGarciaandErikGlenn
    Christopher Garcia and Erik Glenn at Southside Swell. Photo by Vern Hester
  • DSC_5881JaeTaylorSaraGubercezandImaniRupert-GordonIni
    Jae Taylor, Sara Gubercez and Imani Rupert-Gordon at Southside Swell. Photo by Vern Hester
  • DSC_5869minglingandnetworkingatSouthsideSwell
    Mingling at Southside Swell. Photo by Vern Hester
On Sept. 15, The Care Plan—a networking group aimed at health, aging and HIV-care professionals and housing advocates—held South Side Swell, its monthly gathering at The Jeffrey Pub.

The event, spearheaded by Care Plan CEO Jacqueline Boyd, is aimed at connecting South Side health and professional service providers face to face so that they may facilitate, partner, collaborate and provide badly needed health, counseling, housing, aging, HIV and transgender services more effectively.

Among the individuals and groups who attended were Mya Green of Howard Brown Health; attorney Aisha Davis, of Loevy and Loevy; Chris Garcia, of Northwestern University; Imani Rupert-Gordon, executive director of Affinity; LaSaia Wade, executive director of The Brave Space Alliance; Angie D’souza, of The Trust Collective; M. Shelly Conner, of The Quare Square Collective; and Jae Taylor and Becky Huinky, of About Face Theatre. For this edition, Chicago Black Gay Men’s Caucus (CBGMC) was spotlighted, with CEO Erik Glenn representing the organization.

After a brief happy hour, Boyd started the informal evening by having everyone speak about themselves, their organization and what they have coming down the pipeline. Many upcoming events and new programs from Project Fierce Chicago, The Northwestern University Center for Sexual and Gender Minority Research Center, Howard Brown Health, The Quare Square Collective and CBGMC were unveiled.

Along with many professionals present, there were a few individuals who wanted to look into and get involved as volunteers in some of the organizations.