LAGBAC honors Lambda Legal's Jim Bennett
The Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago ( LAGBAC ) announced that Jim Bennett, Midwest regional drector for Lambda Legal, was honored at the Vanguard Awards Luncheon on April 2.
The Vanguard Awards is an annual luncheon organized by six local bar associations, including LAGBAC. The event is designed to honor individuals and institutions who have made the law and legal profession more accessible to and reflective of the community at large.
In addition to Bennett, awardees included the Hon. Sharon Johnson Coleman, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois ( Chicago Bar Association honoree ); Virginia Martinez of the Illinois Latino Family Commission ( Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois honoree ); Anne Shaw of Shaw Legal Services ( Asian American Bar Association of Chicago honoree ); Justice John O. Steele, Ret., of the Illinois Appellate Court ( Cook County Bar Association honoree ); and the Hon. Mary Jane Theis of the Illinois Supreme Court ( Puerto Rican Bar Association honoree ).
For more information about LAGBAC, visit www.lagbac.org .
Creating Change co-chairs named
Mary Morten, Kenny Martin Ocasio, Precious Davis and Joshua Oaks have been named the co-chairs of Creating Change 2016, which will take place in Chicago for the first time next year.
The 28th National LGBTQ Task Force Creating Change conference will take place Jan. 20-24, 2016. More than 4,000 people from across the country are expected to attend.
New Roosevelt president named
Roosevelt University's board of trustees unanimously elected Ali R. Malekzadeh, dean of the College of Business Administration at Kansas State University, as the sixth president of Roosevelt, effective July 1.
He will succeed Charles R. Middleton, who is retiring June 30 after a distinguished 50-year career in higher education, including 13 years as Roosevelt's president.
An expert on strategic management and an accomplished fundraiser, Malekzadeh, a 59-year-old Iranian-American, has been a business dean at private and public universities for 17 years.
Windy City Times has profiled Middleton, who is openly gay; visit www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Openly-gay-Roosevelt-Univ-president-to-retire/49031.html .
United Latin@ Week June 4-11
United Latin@ Pride ( ULP ) has announced that the sixth annual week of LGBTQQIA Latino/a pride will take place June 4-11.
"We are incredibly excited this year," said Karari Olvera, ULP co-chair, in a statement. "For the past six years, our community has come together to create spaces where we can be ourselves and celebrate the plurality of our experiences."
To get involved or for more information, visit unitedlatinopride.org .
Hall of Fame benefit at Waveland May 9
The Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame's Annual Celebrity Bowl will take place Saturday, May 9, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Waveland Bowl, 3700 N. Western Ave.
Volunteers, "celebrity bowlers" and attendees are sought. The deadline for bowlers is April 15; for volunteers, April 16-30; and attendees, May 1-9.
RSVP at www.eventbrite.com/e/chicago-gay-and-lesbian-hall-of-fame-annual-celebrity-bowl-tickets-16005675406 .
