The Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame, which will honor its new inductees in a ceremony at Chicago History Museum Nov. 9, continues to make changes that ensure the longtime organization is relevant for generations to come.
The organization, which just recently changed its name from the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame to better reflect its inclusivity and diversity, is adding new board members, updating its website and will soon introduce a streamlined online process for nominating new members, according to officials.
This year's inductees include philanthropist Robert Allerton; illustrator Tom Bachtell; police investigator Ronald E. Bogan; Association for Latin Men for Action ( ALMA ) co-founder Roman Buenostro; Hell in a Handbag Productions co-founder David Cerda; graphic designer David Csicsko; author Patrick Dennis; Pride Action Tank Executive Director Kim Hunt; physician Thomas Klein; activist Norma Seledon; TransLatin@Coalition President Maritxa Vidal; and filmmaker Yvonne Welbon. Organizational inductees include Amigas Latinas and Big Chicks. The John Marshall Law School and former Gov. Pat Quinn will also be inducted as "Friends of the Community."
The new inductees represent an "esteemed group of individuals and organizations," said Hall of Fame Executive Director Israel Wright. "We have personalities like David Csicsko, who has worked all over the city, and and Tom Bachtell, who does drawings for the New Yorker."
Friends of the LGBT Hall of Fame Board Co-Chair Gary Chichester added he was particularly excited about Dennis' inclusion; the author's family is expected to be in attendance. Chichester joked that Dennis' story Auntie Mame "is a 'gay starter-upper.'"
Board co-chair Mary Morten will step down at the beginning of 2017. She's been in the role for about four years and led the organization's recent round of strategic planning. The search is still on for a replacement, she said, adding, "We would ideally have a man and woman co-chair the board and we are still looking for someone from the inductee ranks to fill my role."
The board expanded its membership to eight this year and the organization changed its name from the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame to the LGBT Hall of Fame.
"There are some details we're still working on, but for the most part it has been a smooth transition," Wright said. "It is something that has been acceptable to people we do business with. It was something we considered in order to be more inclusive. Generally, we achieved that, and we made many people happy. It's a lot of work that goes into changing your namelegalities, documents, letterhead."
Morten emphasized that the name change was put into place to properly brand the organization. "The reality is, since the organization came into being in the early 1990s, it always has had people who were bi and trans," she said.
"There were members of those communities who had already been honored, and we felt we should be more inclusive," Wright added. "This was a good way to honor their contributions."
"Times have changed," Chichester added. "We have to keep up."
Wright said the Hall of Fame is open to "reaching out to as many individuals, organizations and friends of the community as possible to let them know who we are and that we're available to provide recognition of achievements."
He added, "There is a larger effort to reach out to youth to participate. We have always had an openness about accepting and including youth. As with many organizations, you see older individuals managing something and you feel like it's not something that's relatable, until you enter it and you find out it's just as relatable as anything else."
The Hall of Fame's website will be upgraded, as will the nomination process. The organization will soon accept nominations online.
"We have certain things that need to be done, and when people previously sent in nominations they sometimes didn't include pictures or certain write-ups," Chichester said. "So that'll be 'policed' by the website itself."
Beyond the November induction ceremony, the Hall of Fame will also unveil an exhibit at Harold Washington Library in December.
"Part of the work I've been doing the last four years has been support beyond the ceremony," noted Morten. "We've added new people power and we still need volunteers. We are always looking for help."
The 2016 induction ceremony is free and open to the public. It takes place Wed., Nov. 9, at Chicago History Museum, 1601 Clark St., with a reception at 5:30 p.m. The ceremony begins at 6 p.m.
Related coverage at the link: www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Chicago-LGBT-Hall-of-Fame-2016-inductions-announced-/56232.html .