Pictured Daley with ( from left ) : Alexandra Scott Billings, Aldo Castillo and Rev. Juan Reed. Photos by Tracy Baim
Mayor Richard Daley was in high spirits at the 15th annual Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame induction ceremony Nov. 1 at the Chicago Cultural Center. Daley and others spoke about contributions of the GLBT community in Chicago, and mentioned the upcoming 2006 Gay Games. Gary Chichester presented the mayor with a Gay Games VII shirt.
The Chicago Commission on Human Relations' Advisory Council on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues hosted the event. The honorees:
— Alexandra Scott Billings ( actor ) , 43, for her performance achievements as a transgender artist onstage and on TV, her example as a person living with AIDS, her educational and fundraising work to combat AIDS, and her work with About Face Youth Theatre.
— Megan Carney ( writer, director and producer ) , 35, for her illumination of LGBTQ youth issues and other social justice concerns through About Face Youth Theatre and other performance vehicles.
— Aldo Castillo ( artist and curator ) , 49, for his promotion of Latin American art and artists and for his human-rights activism in AIDS and political organizations.
— John D'Emilio ( historian ) 57, historian, for pioneering research that has enriched academic study of the sexual-minority past, helped to make Chicago a national center of such scholarship, and social activism, including historical work that was cited by the Supreme Court in its landmark 2003 Lawrence v. Texas decision.
— Mike McHale ( attorney and judicial candidate ) , 41, for service as an openly gay Cook County assistant state's attorney and for activism in neighborhood organizations, gay sports groups, and Equality Illinois.
— Jim Pickett ( writer and activist ) , 39, for more than 10 years of leadership as an openly HIV-positive gay man in organizing against HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, STDs, and homophobic politics and for support of the LGBT arts community in the press.
— The Rev. Juan Reed ( priest ) 57, for his example as an openly gay African-American clergyman on the West Side, for leading a parish ( St. Martin's ) that openly welcomes LGBT persons, and for providing pastoral support to men living with HIV and AIDS.
— C. Michael Savage ( social work executive and religious activist ) , 1952-2004, for leading programs that served such groups as the homeless, the addicted, low-income persons with HIV/AIDS, immigrants, and the medically needy as well as leading Dignity, the gay and lesbian Roman Catholic organization.
— Catherine Sikora ( photographer and activist ) , 54, for advocacy of laws against discrimination because of gender identity or sexual orientation and for images of the transgender community.
— Lawrence E. Sloan ( theatrical director and fundraiser ) , 1959-1995, for achievements at the Goodman Theatre and Remains Theatre and for serving as the first executive director of Season of Concern.
— Equality Illinois.
— Test Positive Aware Network.
— Merry Mary ( friend of community ) , for more than 25 years of volunteer service as a Lakeview resident and ally to such groups as Howard Brown Health Center, NAMES Project, Chicago Gay Men's Chorus, Windy City Gay Chorus and Vital Bridges' Groceryland Pantry.
— State Sen. Carol Ronen, 60, for service as a friend to the community through two decades in the Democratic Party, the Illinois General Assembly, and nonprofit groups in support of human rights.
