Sun. September 17, 2006
Chicago, IL -
The Chicago Commission on Human Relations' Advisory Council on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues has named the 2006 list of individuals and organizations for inclusion in the only known government-sponsored hall of fame that honors members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities, announced Commission Chairperson Clarence N. Wood, and Advisory Council Chairperson Laura Rissover.
At the 15 previous Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, Mayor Richard M. Daley has participated in the awards presentation. This year, he will receive an award himself.
"Chicago is a city of many faces, and the LGBT community is an important part of that diversity. The community is thriving and moving forward, helping to build a strong social and economic foundation for Chicago," said Mayor Richard M. Daley.
Chosen nominees will be inducted at the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame's 16th annual ceremony, at a date and time to be announced. The event will be free and open to the public.
"The rich contributions made to Chicago by its various communities are important to Chicago's quality of life" said Clarence N. Wood. "It is for that reason that we are pleased to recognize lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals and their allies with these Hall of Fame awards each year."
The Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame was established in 1991 under the auspices of the Advisory Council, with continuing support from the Chicago Commission on Human Relations and Mayor Richard M. Daley. Its purpose is to recognize the achievements of LGBT Chicagoans, their contributions to the development of the city, and the help they have received from others.
Those inducted can fall into one of three categories: individual, organization, or friend of the community. Potential nominees comprise members of Chicago's entire sexual-minority community, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Chicagoans, past, present, living, and dead, as well as those who have supported or assisted the community. A committee of prior inductees makes each year's selections from nominations submitted by members of the public.
Those honored in 2006 are:
Individuals
Margaret Anderson (1886*1973) and Jane Heap (1883*1964), partners and free-thinking literary figures, for founding, editing, and publishing the avant-garde magazine The Little Review, which featured works by some of the most influential modern American and English writers between 1914 and 1929.
Jacques Cristion (1936*2003), dancer, costume designer, and dressmaker; for more than 31 years of hosting and performing in the annual Halloween drag ball on the South Side, which created a community of gay men and lesbians that continues today.
Jill M. Metz, 54, lawyer and activist, for nearly three decades of work in developing domestic relations law for same-sex couples, producing LGBT arts events, lobbying for human rights, and serving the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, of which she is now board president.
Charles R. Middleton, Ph.D., 62, historian, educator, and (as Roosevelt University's current president) the first openly gay man to head a major U.S. university, for the inspiration his professional achievements have provided and for his active support of sexual-minority interests in academia and in society.
Edward Negron, 36, activist and substance-abuse counselor, for years of dedicated service as a volunteer, mentor, leader, and advocate in the LGBT, Latino, and recovering communities.
Laird Petersen, 49, currently state Rep. Larry McKeon's chief of staff, for 25 years of volunteer and professional contributions to Chicago's LGBT communities, including fund-raising and administrative work to support social service, HIV/AIDS, and political organizations.
Dick Uyvari, 62, athlete, real-estate investor, and philanthropist, for 27 years of dedicated service to the LGBT sports community as a bowler, tournament director, leader, fundraiser, and sponsor.
Organizations
Congregation Or Chadash, for 30 years of service to Chicago's LGBT Jews and their friends, families, and partners, both as a voice for sexual-minority concerns in the city's Jewish community and as a Jewish voice in sexual-minority communities.
Sidetrack, for 25 years not only as an innovative, nationally known, and world-class music-video bar but also as an unparalleled backer of LGBT organizations and efforts of all stripes, ranging from social to social service to sports to cultural to political.
Star Gaze, a women's bar that for 8 years has been a contributing and supportive member of the LGBT communities, with consistent commitment without qualification to LGBT organizations and individuals.
Friends of the Community
Marigold Bowl (1941*2004) and the Fagenholz Family, for being early advocates for diversity after WWII and for establishing, in the mid-1970s, gay bowling leagues that were some of the first openly gay social organizations in Chicago * and that were followed by additional gay and lesbian leagues, the annual Chicago Pride Invitational bowling tournament, the Strike Against AIDS benefit, and support for DirectAID, Howard Brown Health Clinic, and Season of Concern.
Richard M. Daley, 64, Chicago's mayor since 1989, for his years of historic top-level support for sexual-minority Chicagoans as integral parts of the city's fabric, and for repeatedly and vocally bolstering their pursuit of fully recognized legal equality in all areas of civic life.
Photo: Richard M. Daley at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2006 Chicago Gay Games at Soldier Field
Photo by: Ryan Kolodziej
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