"We are very, very close to having the necessary votes in the Illinois House of Representatives to pass the bill that will add sexual orientation to the Illinois Human Rights Act," said Equality Illinois Political director Rick Garcia earlier this week in an e-mail. "Please call, e-mail or fax your State Representative this week and urge a yes vote on HB101."
Call EI at ( 773 ) 477-7173 or see http://www.elections.state.il.us/dls/pages/DLSAddresscrit.asp
Lobby day in Springfield is Wed., March 28. EI has reserved four coach buses to take activists from the Chicagoland area to the capitol in Springfield. Two buses from the North Side ( Equality Illinois office, 3444 N. Halsted ) , a bus from the South Side ( Affinity, 5650 S. Woodlawn ) and one from Bolingbrook ( Denny's Parking Lot Interstate 55 exit 267 ) . The buses are free.
More than 120 people are already confirmed to participate from Chicago and the suburbs. People from Decatur, Carbondale, Springfield, Bloomington, Peoria, Naperville, Oak Park, Hinsdale, and Aurora are expected.
Black pride changes
Former Chicago Black Pride Secretary Kathy Hardy has left the organization, citing differences with the way the organization is being run.
Hardy said she decided to go public with her resignation because she wants to make sure people know she is no longer affiliated with the group.
Chicago Black Pride President Ken Pickens said Hardy has not yet been replaced but that "there's a few candidates now, and we're just considering those people."
Hardy is now working with Windy City LGBT Black Pride, an organization formed by three former executive committee members of Chicago Black Pride. The three had a split with Pickens after last year's event, and are now planning to hold a competing festival at the same time as Chicago Black Pride, the weekend before July 4.
Chicago Black Pride will take place in Lot 7S near Lincoln Park Zoo, while Windy City Pride has acquired a Park District permit for Rainbow Beach, 3111 E. 77th St., the site of last year's Chicago Black Pride.
