|
|
Equality Illinois to honor Chicago filmmaker Lana Wachowski
2014-01-14
|
|
This article shared 5391 times since Tue Jan 14, 2014
|
|
CHICAGO Chicago filmmaker Lana Wachowski will be presented with the 2014 Equality Illinois Freedom Award at the organization's February 8th gala, it was announced today.
A native of Chicago's Beverly neighborhood, Wachowski made her mark in the world of imagination, most famously by writing, directing and executive producing with her brother Andy Wachowski the "The Matrix" trilogy as well as films "Cloud Atlas", "Bound" and "Speed Racer".
Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality Illinois, the state's oldest and largest advocacy organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Illinoisans, said the Freedom Award recognizes Wachowski's personal journey. Over the last year the intensely private Wachowski has opened up about her story of being transgender and the difficulties she faced through her life. She said she decided to abandon her privacy in order to serve as a possible inspiration for others going through similar challenges.
"Lana Wachowski's brave decision to share her story with a world that needs to hear her account of growing up transgendered is worthy of recognition with the Equality Illinois Freedom Award," Cherkasov said.
After being informed of the award, Wachowski said, "It is a hugely humbling experience to be sitting in a coffee shop listening to someone as sweet and kind as Bernard explaining why an organization involved in so many important issues, doing so much for our community, yet wants to honor you."
In addition to Wachowski, it was previously announced that an Equality Illinois Freedom Award will also be going to the Chicago Urban League. Other honorees and notable figures at the 2014 Equality Illinois Gala on Saturday, Feb. 8 in the Hilton Chicago, chaired by Colonel ( IL ) Jennifer N. Pritzker, IL ARNG ( Retired ), will be announced in the coming weeks.
The Equality Illinois Freedom Award is given annually to individuals who demonstrate remarkable vision, courage, and leadership in the effort to achieve full equality for LGBT individuals in Illinois. Past Freedom Award winners include Illinois Senate President John Cullerton, state Rep. Greg Harris, former state Rep. Constance "Connie" A. Howard, the late state Comptroller Dawn Clark Netsch, the late state Rep. Mark Beaubien Jr., and state Sen. Heather Steans.
|
|
|
|
This article shared 5391 times since Tue Jan 14, 2014
|
ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE |
---|
|
| | SHOWBIZ 'Priscilla,' Tony nods, Oscars, Ncuti Gatwa, Jonathan Bailey, GLAAD event 2024-04-26 - Stephan Elliottwho directed the cult classic The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desertsaid a sequel "is happening" and that the original movie's stars (Terence Stamp, Guy Pearce and Hugo Weaving) are back "on board" 30 ...
|
| | WORLD Queer-friendly spots, religion items, Argentine protests, Iraqi bill 2024-04-26 - Following a travel warning issued for LGBTQ+ tourists in Greece, euronews published a list of the European spots that are most welcoming to queer people. Even though same-sex marriage was recently legalized in Greece, the British ...
|
| | The importance of becoming Ernest: Out actor Christopher Sieber dishes about the Death Becomes Her musical 2024-04-20 - Out and proud actor Christopher Sieber is part of the team bringing Death Becomes Her to life as a stage musical in the Windy City this spring. Sieber plays Ernest Menville, who was originally portrayed by ...
|
| | SHOWBIZ Celine Dion, 'The People's Joker,' Billy Porter, Patti LuPone, 'Strange Way' 2024-04-19 - I Am: Celine Dion will stream on Prime Video starting June 25, according to a press release. The film is described as follows: "Directed by Academy Award nominee Irene Taylor, I Am: Celine Dion gives us ...
|
| | LGBTQ+ film fest Queer Expression to feature Alexandra Billings in 'Queen Tut' 2024-04-12 --From a press release - CHICAGO — Pride Film Fest celebrates its second decade with a new name—QUEER EXPRESSION—and has announced its slate of LGBTQ+-themed feature, mid-length and short films for in-person and virtual events in April and May. QUEER EXPRESSI ...
|
| | SHOWBIZ Jerrod Carmichael, '9-1-1' actor, Kayne the Lovechild, STARZ shows, Cynthia Erivo 2024-04-12 - Gay comedian/filmmaker Jerrod Carmichael criticized Dave Chappelle, opening up about the pair's ongoing feud and calling out Chappelle's opinions on the LGBTQ+ community, PinkNews noted, citing an Esquire article. Carmichael ...
|
| | SHOWBIZ Outfest, Chita Rivera, figure skaters, letter, playwright dies 2024-04-05 - For more than four decades, Outfest has been telling LGBTQ+ stories through the thousands of films screened during its annual Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ+ Film Festival—but that event may have a different look this year because ...
|
| | SHOWBIZ Dionne Warwick, OUTshine, Ariana DeBose, 'Showgirls,' 'Harlem' 2024-03-29 Video below - Iconic singer Dionne Warwick was honored for her decades-long advocacy work for people living with HIV/AIDS at a star-studded amfAR fundraising gala in Palm Beach, per the Palm Beach Daily News. Warwick received the "Award of ...
|
| | WORLD Israel court, conversion therapy, death sentences, Georgia bill, fashion items 2024-03-29 - Israel's Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Population Authority must register female couples as mothers on the birth certificates of their children they have together, The Washington Blade reported. The decision was made following a petition ...
|
| | JP Karliak morphs into non-binary character for Disney+'s X-Men '97 2024-03-22 - series X-Men '97, a revival of the popular X-men: The Animated Series that's both continuing the ongoing mutant storyline and breaking new ground along the way. The character of Morph now looks more like the comic ...
|
| | WORLD Uganda items, HIV report, Mandela, Liechtenstein, foreign minister weds 2024-03-21 - It turned out that U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Senior LGBTQI+ Coordinator Jay Gilliam traveled to Uganda on Feb. 19-27, per The Washington Blade. He visited the capital of Kampala and the nearby city of ...
|
| | SHOWBIZ Queer musicians, Marvel situation, Elliot Page, Nicole Kidman 2024-03-21 - Queer musician Joy Oladokun released the single "I Wished on the Moon," from Jack Antonoff's official soundtrack for the new Apple TV+ series The New Look, per a press release. The soundtrack, ...
|
| | SHOWBIZ Lady Gaga, 'P-Valley,' Wendy Williams, Luke Evans, 'Queer Eye,' 'Transition' 2024-03-15 - Lady Gaga came to the defense of Dylan Mulvaney after a post with the trans influencer/activist for International Women's Day received hateful responses, People Magazine noted. On Instagram, Gaga stated, "It's appalling to me that a ...
|
| | SHOWBIZ Jinkx Monsoon, Xavier Dolan, 'Frida,' Lena Waithe, out singer 2024-03-08 - Two-time RuPaul's Drag Race winner Jinkx Monsoon is headed back to the New York stage, joining off-Broadway's Little Shop of Horrors as Audrey beginning April 2, according to Playbill. The casting makes Monsoon the first drag ...
|
| | SHOWBIZ Queer actors, icons duet, Hunter Schafer, Oscars, Elizabeth Taylor 2024-03-01 - Queer actor Kal Penn is set to star in Trust Me, I'm a Doctora film that chronicles the final days of actress/model Anna Nicole Smith, whose overdose death in 2007 at age 39 sparked a tabloid ...
| |
|
|