Celebrating significant contributions to African American and LGBT communities, this year's PrideIndex.com Esteem Awards honored 18 people and organizations.
The annual award celebrated its sixth year on the deck at Sidetrack June 30. More than 50 people attended the event, which was relocated indoors mid-ceremony due to sweltering heat.
Phil Esteem, who started the awards in 2007, presented honorees with glass plaques.
"People always ask me, 'Why are you doing this and what do you get out of it?'" Esteem said to the honorees. "I get out of it what you do."
Awardees from this year ranged from veteran organizations like Affinity Community Services to young activists like KOKUMO, who is planning the city's first transgender pride event later this month.
C.C. Carter and Langston Smith emceed the two-hour event, which featured musical and poetic performances.
This year's local awardees included:
—Outstanding Service, Male: Charles Nelson, MSM Project Director, South Side Help Center
—Outstanding Service, Transgender: June LaTrobe, Trans* Community Liaison, Center on Halsted and Vice Chair & Public Policy Director, Illinois Gender Advocates
—Outstanding Service, Youth: KOKUMO KINETIC, CEO/Founder KOKUMOMEDIA
—Outstanding Social Services/CBO: Affinity Community Services
—Outstanding Newspaper Reporter/Columnist or Feature Article: "Queer Bronzeville: African American LGBT's on Chicago's South Side, 1900-1985 Windy City Times by Tristan Cabello
—Outstanding Magazine Reporter/Columnist or Feature Article: "The Day Cole & Parker Came Into Our Lives," Grab Magazine by Erik Sosa-Kibby
—Institutional Award: The Transformative Justice Law Project of Illinois
Artistic Expression: Black Ensemble Theater for Black Playwright's Initiative (BPI)
—Special Recognition Award: Bill Greaves, long time advocate for Chicago's LGBT community
National awards went to:
—Outstanding Service, Male: Patrick Kelly, activist and clinical research interviewer, Emory Hope Clinic Vaccine Center (Atlanta)
—Outstanding Service, Female: Michelle E. Brown, longtime civil and LGBT rights Advocate (Detroit)
—Outstanding Service, Transgender: Janet Mock, writer and trans advocate
—Outstanding Service, Youth: Amir Dixon, Board Member, Hispanic Black Gay Coalition and co-host of BrotherHood TV (Boston)
—Outstanding Social Services/CBO: The Ruth Ellis Center for LGBT Runaways (Detroit)
—Institutional Award: Southern Poverty Law Center (Montgomery, Ala.)
—Outstanding Website: TheGrio.com
—Outstanding Podcaster or Web series: Clay Cane Live WWRL 1600 AM Equality Pride Radio
—Special Recognition: The State Of Black Gay America (SBGA) Summit (Atlanta)
