Drag March For Change Fills Chicago Streets With Calls for Justice

Last year, amid the height of the pandemic, hundreds of queer folx and their supporters showed up in Chicago's streets to protest racism, police brutality, and transphobia. The first Drag March for Change would not be the last — the second such event was held on Sunday in the city's northside. Organizer Jo MaMa said the drag march is a way to support the Black Lives Matter movement, LGBTQ+ people of color, and trans rights and trans lives. The march is also a direct response to police violence, with marchers calling for budget cuts to the Chicago Police Department and shifting that money to social services and community programs. Co-organizer Tatyana Chante told the local ABC affiliate that, "I'm hoping that people realize last year wasn't just a one off, one and done," he said. "This is a continuation. This is going to take work." Check out photos of Sunday's event on the next pages. Photography by Evan Cain