The Pink Angels Anti-Violence Project, known as the Pink Angels. The Angels were an all-volunteer group in Chicago whose mission was to prevent and report anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes which were out of control in the early nineties. The team came together as a response to increased LGBTQ+ and homophobic hate crimes in the city and the inaction of police and other authorities to address the issues. The Pink Angels taught self-defense tactics to their volunteers, as well as training them how to identify and report hate crimes. They were on the busses and trains, in alleyways, outside bars and restaurants. They were unarmed volunteers, and guardians of the streets on weekends, wearing black berets, where they intervened in a variety of violent situations - regardless of sexual orientation, navigating sexual assaults and race-related hate crimes. They were badass and were the guardians of the streets, and we always felt a little safer when they were around. We celebrate them. We run for Pink Angels.