Thu. June 25, 2026
CHICAGO, ILL. -
By Michael Oboza, Special to GoPride.com
Editors note: Last names of speakers have been left out of this story.
During Pride Month, the Party for Socialism and Liberation Chicago hosted an educational community forum at the Chicago Liberation Center. The event spotlighted the intersectional and interconnecting struggles for workers rights, civil rights, immigration rights, sex workers rights and LGBTQ rights.
The Party for Socialism and Liberation Chicago is an active Marxist-Leninist political organization. Its members volunteer to place human need and collective well-being over wealth and corporate profit. The Chicago Liberation Center serves as a volunteer community center for and by the working class and oppressed peoples in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago.
Organization member Kathryn welcomed the crowd with chants of "One struggle! One fight! All unite for trans rights!" followed by "One struggle! One fight! All unite for workers rights!" She then asked visitors to turn to those around them and discuss what Pride means to them.
After the crowd came back together, Kathryn shared a favorite quote from revolutionary Leslie Feinberg: "You’re already wondering if the world could change. Try imagining a world worth living in, and then ask yourself if that isn’t worth fighting for. You’ve come too far to give up on hope."
Kathryn closed her remarks by sharing the history of revolutionaries Marsha P. Johnson, known for her phrase "Pay it no mind," and Sylvia Rivera. The two women worked together to support queer and trans homeless youth, and they also engaged in civil rights activism alongside Black Panthers founder Huey P. Newton.
Organization member Eddie spoke about the history of police violence and capitalism, noting how people united and fought back during key historical moments. He highlighted the Society for Human Rights in 1924, Illinois becoming the first state to decriminalize same-sex relationships in 1961, the civil rights movement from 1964 to 1968, and the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s.
Organization member Samir explained the intersectional ties between the labor movement and the queer and trans rights movements. He highlighted the Marine Cooks and Stewards Union, where workers, who were often people of color, queer or trans, faced mistreatment. The workers went on strike during the West Coast waterfront strikes in 1934, using the chant, "If you let them red-bait, they'll race-bait. They'll queen-bait."
Samir also shared what Pride means to him personally.
"Pride means being able to be visible and a role model that I never had, especially as a Bosnian Muslim, to future generations," Samir said.
Organization member Amira shared the important process behind the policy of the Cuban Family Code, noting that 87% of the working population between ages 15 and 65 participated in its development.
Amira expressed her own definition of the celebration.
"Pride means to preserve life," Amira said. "To celebrate for those who are not able to today."
The event concluded with a community discussion centered on the question, "What should we include in a future family code?"
The diverse group proposed several ideas, including education, workers rights, universal healthcare, full legalization, marriage equality for consenting adults, and housing rights.
To close out the forum, Kathryn led the room in a call-and-repeat chant originally popularized by Sylvia Rivera, shouting, "Gay power! Gay power!"
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