Mayor Rahm Emanuel has proposed 10 appointments to the Chicago Commission on Human Relations, and at least one of them is from the LGBT community.
The commission, which works to prevent hate crimes, adjudicates in cases of discrimination and oversees the city's identity-based advisory councils, is currently operating with 10 commissioners instead of its usual 15.
All of those commissioners are expected to be replaced by year's end, with the exception of Director Mona Noriega, a veteran lesbian activist whom Emanuel appointed last year. In addition to the 10 proposed replacements awaiting City Council approval, four remaining seats on the commission come due in July. Proposals for those positions have not yet been announced.
Of the 10 awaiting approval currently, at least one is a well-known LGBT advocate. Attorney Ray Koenig, who is active in several LGBT organizations, is on the list.
"It's an honor, is what it is," Koenig said. "For me, it's a great opportunity to help the city protect equal rights."
Koenig currently sits on the boards for Chicago House and Heartland Alliance and is a member of Congressman Mike Quigley's LGBT Advisory Council, the State's Attorney's LGBT Advisory Council and openly gay Ald. Tom Tunney's Senior Advisory Council, among other groups.
Koenig and others still need to be approved by City Council vote. Candidates were selected through an application process.
"These individuals are dedicated to bringing together communities across Chicago, and are especially committed to eliminating discrimination," Emanuel said in a statement. "I'm confident these appointees will help educate and intervene when discrimination takes place."
Yet to be appointed, however, are members of the new advisory councils, which Emanuel consolidated into three councils from eight at the end of last year, despite protest from some community groups.
The all-volunteer council on LGBT Issues was combined with a council on women's issues, and members of both groups were let go to make way for new appointments. A new equity council also replaced councils on African affairs, Arab affairs, Asian affairs, Latino affairs, and immigration and refugee affairs. The remaining council on veteran affairs was left intact.
Both the new councils on Equity and Women and LGBT issues have yet to reconvene. Noriega said the hold-up is with the appointment process as the city needs more applicants.
"I would have liked to have completed it sooner," she said.
The applicant pool for the commission itself has been strong, however, according to Noriega.
"I'm excited," she said. "This is a group of applicants that bring a lot of experience to the table."
The proposed commissioners as announced by the City of Chicago are Rochelle Grimbau, Law Offices of Rochelle Grimbau; Salvador A. Cicero, Cicero Law Firm; Ray J. Koenig, III, Clark Hill PLC; Juan Carlos Linares, Institute for the International Education of Students Abroad; Andrew S. Kang, Asian American Institute;
Joanna Borowiec, Allied Health Career Network;
Leisa Y. Mosley, most recently with Jane Addams Hull House;
David J. Mussatt, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights; Majdel S. Musa, Consumer Bankruptcy Center, P.C.; and Tiffany M. Ferguson, Pugh, Jones & Johnson, P.C.
Additional information on the commission and application details can be found on the commission website: www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/cchr.html .