GLAAD celebrated the fifth anniversary of its Chicago Leadership Council with a reception at the MillerCoors 16th-floor pub on July 22.
The celebration, which has been held at the same venue since the first anniversary, was open to all GLAAD staff, supporters and friends. MillerCoors served its various ciders, beers and non-alcoholic beverages.
Douglas Sanborn—the community affairs manager, LGBT at MillerCoors—said the event with the casual scene exposes the community to MillerCoors products, and shakes things up by doing something different and having it at the corporate headquarters.
"It's like having someone come to your home," said Sanborn of having the event at MillerCoors. "It makes it personal."
As described in its mission statement, GLAAD "rewrites the script for LGBT acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love." GLAAD and MillerCoors have had a partnership for over 10 years.
"It's part of our platform to be civic leaders and what better way to do it than with an organization that's helping the community," Sanborn said. "There are leaders locally and I think it's important for the community to understand their time and talent to try to make a difference."
"What I like about this event is we're not here asking for money," said GLAAD Chicago Leadership Council Co-Chair Kinley Preston.
In the coming year, Preston said GLAAD Chicago will be paying attention to the trans community and that LGBT people are supported in sports, especially LGBT youth.
"As GLAAD is rebuilding with our new president Sarah Kate Ellis, she's going into her second year as well, I'm looking forward to our infrastructure being rebuilt a little bit here with our leadership councils and I'm excited about the way we're restructuring," said Preston. "I'd like to see our presence in Chicago grow and, hopefully, our leadership council grow. That's one thing I'm focusing on with the leadership council is increasing our presence and awareness here in Chicago."
"Helping talk about equality in marriage and making sure people are using the right terminology, I think, is a big difference that every organization has helped and the result of the population understanding that marriage isn't about one thing other than just being equal and offering for everybody," said Sanborn regarding what he hopes to see in GLAAD Chicago Leadership Council's fifth year. "I think that that's something GLAAD plays a big part in. I hope as we go in and continue that the growth of the community continues and in the general population, with our LGBT community, is that it's truly about acceptance and understanding. It's not about special anything. It's just about equal opportunities in life and that's an amazing thing. "
For more information, visit GLAAD.org .
