Celebration of life for RJ Chaffin Sept. 10

Sat. September 10, 2011 10:16 AM by Windy City Media Group

rj chaffin (center) pictured with mayor richard m. daley

photo credit // spike king
Chicago, IL - A celebration of life for longtime community activist, volunteer and businessman RJ Chaffin will take place Saturday, Sept. 10, at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted.
A reception will be held 12-1 p.m.; the program will be 1-2 p.m.; and a closing reception will take place 2-3:30 p.m.

Inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in 1997, Chaffin was involved in a wide range of causes and helped raise thousands of dollars for many AIDS and gay groups. He was a well-known business activist with the Northalsted Area Merchants Association (NAMA), as owner of the now-closed RJ's Video and Rajin' Rae Jean's. He was NAMA president from 1998-2004.

Chaffin, a native of Ohio, is most associated with International Mr. Leather and its Leather Marketplace, an event he directed for 18 years, including this past Memorial Weekend in Chica- go. He is interviewed in the new book Leather- man: The Legend of Chuck Renslow, about his IML and gay community work.

Chaffin also served on the boards of Strike Against AIDS, the Chicago AIDS Benefit Committee and NAMA.

From the Windy City Times
 

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