Lambda Legal announced the co-chairs of their 2020 Bon Foster civil rights celebration. This year's co-chairs represent Chicago's talented and diverse LGBTQ communities and will help build local, corporate and grassroots support for Lambda Legal, the nation's largest and most successful legal defense organization working to achieve full recognition for LGBTQ people and everyone living with HIV.
"Our communities have come a long way since Lambda Legal first opened the Midwest regional office nearly 30 years ago — from decriminalizing same-sex love to making marriage equality a reality — national efforts that were led out of our office right here in Chicago," said Lambda Legal Midwest Regional Director, Brian Richardson. "Our annual Bon Foster event is an opportunity to not just celebrate these successes but also to recommit and reenergize for the battles we continue to fight for the LGBTQ community and everyone living with HIV. We are lucky to have this group of leaders join Lambda Legal as this year's co-chairs and help lead us forward."
Below are the 2020 Bon Foster Co-Chairs:
Susan Blake & Pat Ewert
Pat and Susan are leaders in Chicago's LGBTQ women's community. Susan takes an active interest in many LGBTQ causes and supports many local LGBTQ charities. Pat, who was a plaintiff in Lambda's case expediting marriage equality in Illinois, currently works for Illinois Rep. Lamont Robinson, the state's first LGBTQ African American elected official.
Julius Carter
Julius Carter is an attorney at Dentons, where he serves on their Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice focusing on complex commercial litigation. He also has experience advising clients on media and entertainment, real estate, and products liability matters.
Timothy & Patryk Carwinski
Tim, an attorney with Reed Smith LLP, worked at Lambda Legal from 2009-2011 as a law fellow. Pat works at AAM, a third-party asset manager for insurance companies. Tim and Pat have been married since 2015, after a prolonged engagement awaiting Lambda's eventual success in achieving marriage equality in Illinois.
Channyn Lynne Parker
Channyn is an advocate, public speaker and community-centric leader, currently working for Howard Brown Health Center, and serving on the board of Equality Illinois. Channyn is most noted for speaking at the Chicago Women's March and being the recipient of the Equality Illinois Humanitarian, Freedom Award.
The Bon Foster event raises $500,000 for Lambda Legal every year and is named after Robert Bonvoullier "Bon" Foster, a Chicago attorney and civil rights leader who died in 1991 from complications from AIDS. Bon left a significant gift to Lambda Legal, to open the regional office in Chicago. For more information or to purchase tickets to this year's event, please go to www.lambdalegal.org/bonfoster .
—From a press release
