About Us

The Queer Girl Initiative (QGI) was born out of both personal struggle and community resilience. It was created to fill a critical gap in resources and support for queer women. As the founder of Lezchic', a women centered queer entertainment platform in South Florida, I witness firsthand how many talented, ambitious queer women struggle behind the scenes with housing instability, mental health challenges, lack of healthcare and limited access to financial resources. 

One of the inspirations behind QGI came from a long standing cultural reference within our community "The U Haul Lesbian" joke. It's often used lightheartedly to describe how quickly women move in together, but behind the humor lies a very real issue. Many queer women enter cohabitation quickly because it feels safe, affirming and financially practical in a world that doesn't always make space for us. Yet when those relationships end, countless women are left without the means to safely separate, relocate or start over. The lack of resources like housing, financial literacy or family support can force many to remain in unsafe or incondusive environments and in many cases, even situations involving domestic violence. 

Last year I experienced the worst era of my life. I was left with 100% of the responsibility and ZERO resources or safety nets. I experienced first hand the vulnerability that comes from having nowhere to turn. It was only through compassion of my community that I was able to get back on my feet. That moment opened my eyes and reshaped my purpose: to create a structured system within our community so that no queer woman ever has to face that kind of instability alone again. 

The Queer Girl Initiative is designed to do exactly that. To transform community compassion into organized support. Through our "Pain to Power" program, QGI aims to provide crisis relief, access to therapy, affordable healthcare, financial literacy, education, skill based learning opportunities and connections to housing and employment by partnering with professionals, educators and small businesses. Together we are building a sustainable network where queer women can rebuild their lives with dignity and long term stability. 

But the true power of QGI will lie in its full circle model of mentorship and community engagement. Every person who receives assistance through our grants will have the opportunity to return as a mentor sharing their success, guidance and lived experience with new members. QGI will also host recurring networking events and community panels where providers can discuss their expertise, share resources and offer real world advice. This cyclical system aims to transform those once in need into future leaders building confidence, stability and economic mobility within our community. QGI will be more than a program, It'll be a foundation for generational change. Proving that when queer women have access to mental healthcare, housing, education and economic opportunity, they not only have the chance to heal but thrive, creating ripple effects that uplift entire communities. 

The Queer Girl Initiative is MY commitment to turning lived experience into liberation and to redefine what safety, growth and empowerment look like for queer women everywhere. 

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Founder

- Rae Jenae