Founded in 2014 by the Junior League of London, the Little Black Dress Initiative (LBDI) is a week-long awareness and fundraising campaign that harnesses the power of social media to illustrate the restrictions poverty places on choices, opportunities, and access to resources. Champions wear one black dress (or outfit) for five consecutive days, in an effort to spark conversations and awareness about critical issues. They also tap into their social media networks by posting about the initiative throughout the week. To date, dozens of Junior Leagues have replicated the initiative in their own communities, collectively sparking countless conversations and raising hundreds of thousands of dollars in support of important community programs.

Over the course of its 117-year history, The Junior League has amassed an archive of irrefutable results and an indisputable reputation as thoughtful and influential change agents for the public good. There is perhaps no better example of this than the achievements of Junior Leagues in the fight to end human trafficking.

This year marks the Junior League of Chicago’s first-ever organized participation in the LBDI campaign but, for more than 15 years, Leagues across the nation have joined forces with law enforcement, government officials, anti-trafficking organizations and other critical and influential community change-makers to raise awareness on the hidden world of human trafficking, advocate for the passage of anti-trafficking legislation and support survivors. League coalitions have worked to pass more than 25 different pieces of anti-trafficking legislation, primarily at the state and local level. In 2011, The Junior League was honored by the United Nations Association of New York for its work fighting against human trafficking.

We invite you to register to participate today!

Junior League of Chicago’s Little Black Dress Initiative supporting Junior League of Chicago

Junior League of Chicago’s Little Black Dress Initiative

Junior League of Chicago’s Little Black Dress Initiative supporting Junior League of Chicago