Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender journalists will gather in Chicago Sept. 22-25 for the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association ( NLGJA ) 2005 National Convention at the Palmer House Hilton.
This year's theme, 'Out in the Heartland,' will focus on four days of newsworthy panels and plenary sessions as well as recognition of America's most respected openly lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender journalists. For the first time in its 15-year history, NLGJA will establish its own Hall of Fame by inducting individuals beginning with NLGJA founder and Pulitzer Prize-winning editor, the late Leroy F. Aarons.
Other inaugural 2005 inductees include:
— Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, pioneering lesbian journalists, life partners and co-editors of 'The Ladder,' considered America's first publication ( 1956 ) for lesbian readers;
— Thomas Morgan III, veteran New York Times editor, openly gay President of the National Association of Black Journalists;
— The late Sarah Pettit, co-founder and editor of Out Magazine ( 1992 ) ;
— The late Randy Shilts.
— The late Don Slater, founder and editor of the crusading gay publication, ONE.
At the NLGJA closing plenary, scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Sept. 24, the attendees will hear a special panel of journalists who overcame countless obstacles in their eyewitness reports of the devastation and recovery efforts from Hurricane Katrina.
NLGJA will offer its second annual LGBT Media Summit with panels Sept. 22. Coordinators of the 2005 LGBT Media Summit are Tracy Baim, publisher of Windy City Times, and Tom Musbach, News Director for PlanetOut Inc. and an NLGJA board member.
See www.nlgja.org .