Legacy Project announces website upgrade

Wed. November 23, 2011 10:33 AM

the legacy project's bronze plaques shown at oct. 25 event

photo credit // frank failing
Chicago, IL - The Legacy Project, a Chicago-based International GLBT history foundation, announced upgrades to its website focusing on 2012 Inductees, research tools and messages targeting GLBT youth, parents and teachers.

"We have been planning several significant changes to the website for some time," said Project Founder and Executive Director, Victor Salvo. "We wanted to wait until after our Kick-Off Luncheon so we would be able to build those changes around the 2012 Legacy Walk Inductees."

On October 25th the organization revealed The Legacy Walk's 2012 Dedication will include thirty-six (36) bronze plaques for individuals as diverse as Italian sculptor Michelangelo, U.S. Social Justice advocate Jane Addams, British mathematician Alan Turing, Transgender activist Christine Jorgensen, WWII French Underground Resistance-Fighter Josephine Baker, Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca, Chinese-American patriot Dr. Margaret Chung, U.S. Gay Rights martyr Harvey Milk, Civil Rights pioneer Bayard Rustin, Mexican nun and feminist Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, Russian Ballet superstar Rudolf Nureyev, and Native American GLBT forebears known as ‘Two Spirit People.'

The 18" x 24" plaques, featuring a likeness of each inductee and a 300-word paragraph describing their life and contributions, will be affixed to the 25'-tall "Rainbow Pylons" that define Chicago's Northalsted Corridor in "Boystown" as the nexus of the local GLBT community.

The new website features a dedicated portal that brings all of the 2012 Inductees' plaques together with individual links from each page to reading materials and web-resources for further exploration.

"The changes we have implemented will enhance the exploration and research experience while furthering our goal of making GLBT History accessible and interesting for everyone – especially GLBT youth and their families," said Salvo.

Visitors to the website can also view the HD video "The Legacy Walk: Bringing GLBT History Home" which explains the origins of The Legacy Walk concept, the reasons why public education about GLBT historic contributions is important, and the mechanics of the installation and plaque sponsorship.

"As we move forward with securing plaque sponsorships from private donors and corporate underwriters the website helps to illustrate The Legacy Project's importance as a teaching tool and its potential to inspire and nurture GLBT Youth who desperately need every positive message we can give them – all of which only bolsters The Legacy Walk's significance as the only outdoor ‘walking museum' in the world created to celebrate the contributions GLBT people have made to world history and culture," said Salvo.

The website also includes a special page dedicated to GLBT youth with a message to at risk youth.

The Legacy Project, whose nominees come from over 30 countries, represent over 20 fields of interest, and hail from every walk of life and era – has been endorsed by dozens of educators, historians, community activists, business leaders and elected officials including Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, and the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance.

The website is available at www.legacyprojectchicago.org.

From a Press Release
 

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