"A veteran, non-profit leader, parent and non-binary person, Church and their wife - who was six months pregnant at the time - fled Richmond, Virginia in 2023 amid ongoing anti-queer harassment and set up just outside Chicago in Illinois, some 800 miles away. It was a place they had a family connection to, where they no longer heard gun shots at night or felt like they could not use the bathroom for fear of being questioned about their gender."
"It became home, a safe space that allowed Church to "take some of that armour off" and just enjoy the simplicity of visiting local restaurants, walking around the neighbourhood and taking their child to the park. Increasingly, as the federal government cracks down on LGBTQ+ rights, immigrants and US citizens alike are violently detained - and shot - and the voices of local voters are effectively silenced by those in power, the newfound safety Church and their family found in Illinois is under threat."
Lindsay Church is a veteran, non-profit leader, parent and non-binary person who fled Richmond, Virginia in 2023 amid anti-queer harassment. Church and their pregnant wife relocated to a community outside Chicago in Illinois approximately 800 miles away. The move provided safety from nightly gunshots and gender-based questioning, allowing Church to feel at home and bring their newborn into a supportive neighborhood. Rising federal crackdowns on LGBTQ+ rights and immigrant enforcement now threaten that security. Church launched a campaign for federal office in the state's 4th congressional district to defend safety, voting rights, and community protection.
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