The Illinois Department of Human Rights will host a display based on the 2009 inductees into Chicago's Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday, Nov. 23, through Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2009, in the lobby of the James R. Thompson Center, 100 W. Randolph St., Chicago. Photos and biographies of inductees will be on display, highlighting their achievements and contributions to the City of Chicago.
This display is sponsored by the City of Chicago Commission on Human Relations' Advisory Council on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues.
Viewers of the display about this year's inductees will learn, for example, that:
· U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley ( D-Chicago ) is a long-time supporter of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities who backs the movement to repeal the Pentagon's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy;
· Lou Conte is the founder of the Lou Conte Dance Studio and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, both of which contribute to the arts and culture community in Chicago and beyond;
· Sgt. Lori A. Cooper is an an openly lesbian police officer who has helped create significant policy changes within the Chicago Police Department;
· Zaida Sanabia is a young filmmaker who documented the struggles of starting a gay-straight alliance in her Chicago high school in her film "A Fish Almost Eaten by a Shark," which has been screened nationwide to educate and train school administrators on creating safe schools for LGBT youth;
· AIDS Foundation of Chicago is an organization that has helped lead the fight against HIV/AIDS for 24 years by promoting cooperation among service providers at work across Chicago's various communities, making more than $18 million in grants to agencies coping with AIDS in those communities, aiding the housing needs of persons with HIV/AIDS, and advocating for sound government HIV/AIDS policy.
The Chicago Commission on Human Relations ( CCHR ) , through its organized response to discrimination, bigotry, and prejudice, works to make Chicago a bias-free city. The Commission is charged with enforcing the Chicago Human Rights Ordinance and the Chicago Fair Housing Ordinance. The Commission investigates complaints to determine whether discrimination may have occurred and awards injunctive relief for acts of discrimination. Under the city's Hate Crime Law, the agency aids hate crime victims. The CCHR also employs pro-active programs of education, intervention, and constituency building to discourage bigotry and bring people from different groups together.