Anarchistic organizing is built on the principle of mutual aid, not charity. These groups reject state reliance and top-down hierarchies, focusing instead on community autonomy, abolition, and radical solidarity with those most marginalized by capitalism and white supremacy.
Local Chicago Groups
These grassroots collectives work within Chicago to build community power and provide direct support without state intervention.
Organized Communities Against Deportations (OCAD)
- Organized Communities Against Deportations is a grassroots group in Chicago dedicated to ending the deportation and criminalization of undocumented immigrants. They utilize community organizing and direct action to challenge police-ICE collaboration and advocate for the rights of all community members regardless of status.
- Support: https://www.organizedcommunities.org
National Lawyers Guild Chicago
- The National Lawyers Guild Chicago provides legal support to social justice movements and activists through legal observation and defense. Their mission is to use the law as an instrument for social change and to protect the civil liberties of those advocating for a more just society.
- Support: https://nlgchicago.org/
Ujimaa Medics
- Ujimaa Medics is a collective that provides community-based emergency first-response training specifically designed for neighborhoods impacted by violence and health inequities. They empower residents with life-saving skills to treat gunshot wounds and asthma attacks before professional medical help arrives.
- Support: https://www.umedics.org/
Chicago Action Medical
- Chicago Action Medical is a volunteer collective of street medics and healthcare workers who provide first aid and medical support at protests and community demonstrations. They are committed to the health and safety of activists, operating under the principles of mutual aid and social justice.
- Support: https://opencollective.com/chicago-action-medical
Chicago Food Sovereignty Coalition (CFSC)
- This coalition works to build a sustainable and equitable food system by connecting local growers with community-based food distribution efforts. Their focus is on ensuring all Chicagoans have access to fresh, healthy food through mutual aid and collective resource sharing.
- Support: https://www.chifoodsovereignty.com/get-involved
Food Not Bombs
- Food Not Bombs is a global grassroots movement that recovers food that would otherwise go to waste and shares free vegan meals in public spaces as a protest against war and poverty. The Humboldt Park chapter focuses on local food justice by providing consistent nourishment and community support to neighbors in need.
- Rogers Park: https://www.instagram.com/rogersparkfoodnotbombs/
- Humbolt Park: https://fnbhp.org/
- Start Your Own: https://foodnotbombs.net/new_site/seven-steps.php
PO Box Collective
- PO Box Collective is a volunteer-run community space in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood that hosts creative workshops, art exhibitions, and mutual aid initiatives. The collective provides a dedicated environment for neighbors to share resources and engage in social justice programming through artistic expression.
- Support: https://poboxcollective.us/
Freedom Fighter Herbs
- Freedom Fighter Herbs is a grassroots initiative that provides herbal medicine and wellness education to community members and those directly impacted by state violence. Their work focuses on the intersection of herbalism and social justice, offering natural remedies as a form of community care and resilience.
- Support: https://dirtandfree.world/freedomfighterherbs
Little Village Solidarity Network
- The Little Village Solidarity Network is a grassroots organization in Chicago that focuses on tenant defense and labor rights through collective direct action. They empower residents to resist displacement and exploitation by fostering neighborhood-level solidarity and mutual aid.
- Support: https://www.lvsolidaridad.com/
Haymaker Collective
- Haymaker Collective is a community gym and education center that offers training in self-defense and physical fitness with an emphasis on social justice. The project aims to provide an inclusive space where members can build physical strength and community autonomy through shared learning and mutual support.
- Support: https://www.patreon.com/HaymakerGym
Midwest Books to Prisoners
- Midwest Books to Prisoners is an all-volunteer organization that sends free books and educational materials to incarcerated individuals across the Midwest. By facilitating access to literature, they strive to support the personal growth and intellectual freedom of those navigating the prison system.
- Support: https://midwestbookstoprisoners.org/get-involved/
Community Birthwork & Wellness Project
- The Community Birthwork & Wellness Project is a collective dedicated to improving maternal health outcomes through ancestral wisdom and professional birth support. They provide doula services, lactation education, and wellness resources to ensure families receive culturally competent care throughout the birthing process.
- Support: https://www.cbwp.org
National Networks
These organizations coordinate autonomous efforts across the country, focusing on indigenous sovereignty, disaster relief, and the destruction of patriarchal systems.
Tranzmission
- Tranzmission is an organization that provides advocacy, education, and direct support to transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming individuals. They offer community programming and resources designed to enhance the safety, well-being, and visibility of the gender-diverse population.
- Support: https://tranzmission.org/
Black Mesa Indigenous Support
- Black Mesa Indigenous Support is a grassroots network that works in solidarity with the Diné (Navajo) people resisting forced relocation and environmental exploitation in Arizona. They coordinate direct aid and raise awareness to support the sovereignty and traditional lifestyles of Indigenous communities protecting their ancestral lands.
- Support: https://supportblackmesa.org/
SWOP Behind Bars
- SWOP Behind Bars is a national organization that advocates for the rights and safety of sex workers who are currently or formerly incarcerated. They provide peer support, legal resources, and harm reduction tools while working to dismantle the criminalization of the sex trade.
- Support: https://www.swopbehindbars.org/
Anarchist Black Cross Federation
- The Anarchist Black Cross Federation is a support network dedicated to providing aid and advocacy for political prisoners and prisoners of war. Through their Warchest program and community outreach, they provide financial assistance and keep the public informed about the struggles of those imprisoned for their activism.
- Support: https://www.abcf.net/about-us/
Black Rose Anarchist Federation
- The Black Rose Anarchist Federation is a political organization committed to building social movements and popular power through the principles of libertarian socialism. Their work focuses on organizing within workplaces and communities to challenge systemic oppression and create a society based on direct democracy and mutual aid.
- Support: https://www.blackrosefed.org/abolitionist-organizing/
And The List Goes On!
Please note that the organizations featured here are intended as a starting point and do not constitute an exhaustive list. There are countless other incredible groups doing vital work, and you’re encouraged to explore and seek out additional organizations that align with your specific interests and values. If you feel called to take action, we invite you to get involved in whatever way resonates most with you: whether through advocacy, volunteering, or community support. Follow your heart and find the space where your contribution feels most meaningful.