On April 30, Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St., in partnership with Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, presented Sashay into Spring, a fashion and accessory show celebrating transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) youth.
The event was conceived by the Center’s Youth & Family Services Department; Senior Director of Youth Programming Luke Romesberg; and Sophie Buchman. Jae Matthiessen took on hosting duties and made other contributions to the show.
Photo by Vern Hester
“This event is deeply personal for me,” Matthiesen said in a press release. “I moved to Chicago from South Dakota where a community like this simply didn’t exist for me. Growing up, I never had a space where my identity was celebrated or even acknowledged in this way.”
Matthiesen added, “Now being able to host this for the next generation of queer youth in Chicago feels like a full-circle moment.”
Hair and make-up for the show were done at Noella Salon Space,1018 N. Ashland Ave., with outfits curated through Monarch Thrift Shop, 2875 N. Milwaukee Ave.
