Taking a ribbon: Gerber/Hart Library, 1127 W. Granville, will exhibit the second portion of Norman Sandfield's 'Red Ribbons: To Remind Us All…' collection beginning Feb. 26. An opening reception will take place on that day 4-7 p.m. Call ( 773 ) 381-8030 for more info.
Getting political: Jamaican-descended Thomas Glave reads from his book, Words to Our Now: Imagination and Dissent, a collection of lyrical and political essays that deals with topics including anti-gay violence and homosexuality in Jamaica and the U.S., at the Afrocentric Bookstore, 4655 S. King, Feb. 25, at 5 p.m. Call ( 773 ) 924-3966 for more info.
Legal eagles: The Chicago Public Library continues its partnership with the Center on Halsted by spotlighting estate planning and advance directives with a LGBT focus on March 1 at 6:00 p.m. at the Sulzer Regional Library, 4455 N. Lincoln. For more information, visit www.chicagopubliclibrary.org or call ( 312 ) 747-4050.
SYN city: SYN Nightclub, 1009 N. Rush, hosts 'SYN-the-sis' Mondays, an LGBT-themed event, at 6 p.m. Donations are $10 and benefit various organizations, including Chicago House and Test Positive Aware Network. Call ( 312 ) 664-0009 or see www.synchicago.com .
Girl power: 'Shojo Manga! Girl Power!,' a Japanese art exhibition featuring animation, runs from March 13-April 26 at C33 Gallery, 33 E. Congress. Call ( 312 ) 344-7663.
Words from youth: 'Intersections: Youth Culture, Arts and Politics,' a panel discussion, will take place March 1 at 6 p.m. in the 1st Floor West Meeting Room of the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington. The event is free. Call ( 312 ) 744-6630.
Movie night: 'What We leave Behind: A Visible Voices Video,' a documentary involving former female prisoners, will be shown Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. at MoJoe's Hothouse, 2849 W. Belmont. ( Proceeds from the program, co-sponsored by Chicago NOW, benefit My Sister's Circle. ) Contact Rachel Durchslag at ( 773 ) 919-2081 or rdurchslage@gmail.com .
Worship: Oak Park Temple, 1235 North Harlem, in Oak Park, will join 700 synagogues throughout North America in hosting Shabbat Across America on March 3. LGBT-friendly worship services will begin at 6 p.m., followed by dinner. Tickets from $7-$13. Babysitting is free. RSVP by Feb. 28 to ( 708 ) 386-3937.
Studs wanted: 'Don't Call Me Sir: Butches and Studs Talking' will be held March 11 at LCCP, 4025 N. Sheridan, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. ( Note: The forum is only for self-identified butch people and studs. ) RSVP by March 8 to Lawrence Goring at logan@lccp.org or ( 773 ) 572-5118.
Getting in the spirit: 'Queer Woman & Spirituality' is April 1 at 5209 N. Clark, 2nd Floor, at 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Contact Christina Santiago at ChristinaS@HowardBrown.org or ( 773 ) 388-8993.
True colors: Test Positive Aware Network will host 'The Real Deal in Black & White,' a panel discussion, Feb. 24 at 5537 N. Broadway at 5:30 p.m. Lora Branch of the Chicago Dept. of Public Health will serve as host. For more info, call ( 773 ) 989-9400, ext. 239.
Meet and greet: Equality Illinois will host a reception that allows attendees to meet politicians running for office in the March primary at Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted, on March 3, 6-8 p.m. Candidates scheduled to appear include judicial contenders Mike McHale and James Bailey as well as Debra Shore, who is running for Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner. The suggested donation is $10. Call ( 773 ) 477-7173.
Hustle and flow: Writer Bruce Benderson will discuss The Romanian: Story of an Obsession, his memoir about an affair with a Romanian hustler, at Barbara's Bookstore, 1100 Lake Street, Oak Park, on Feb. 27 at 7:30 p.m. Call ( 708 ) 848-9140 for more info.
Black celebration: Illinois State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka will host her 10th annual African-American Heritage Month celebration in the James Thompson Center, 100 W. Randolph, Feb. 24 at noon. Call Gladys Piper or Janet Hardy at ( 312 ) 814-1700.
Black and proud: GAMBA ( Getting All My Brothers Aware ) , a discussion group for Black same-gender-loving men, meets every 2nd and 4th Wednesday; bro2brochi@aol.com .
AIDSCare will hold its Fat Saturday Ball on Feb. 25 at Union Station, 225 S. Canal, from 6:30-11:30 p.m. The black-tie event will feature cocktails, dinner, auctions and entertainment from The 'Original' Supremes starring Mary Wilson. Tickets are $225 each. Contact Kirstan Natoli at ( 773 ) 935-4663, ext. 120 or see www.aidscarechicago.org .
Center on Halsted, About Face Theatre and the Museum of Contemporary Art host a performance and reception for 'Loving Repeating: A Musical of Gertrude Stein,' Feb. 23. Tickets are $50 each. Call ( 773 ) 472-6469 or visit www.centeronhalsted.org .
Starr power: Windy City Times columnist Steve Starr will be photographing guests at Chicago Sings For New Orleans, a benefit for the Emergency Fund of the New Orleans Musicians Clinic, at the Park West, 322 W. Armitage, on Feb. 28. For further information, visit www.ChicagoSings.com .
The 'F' word: Chicago Foundation for Women ( CFW ) and the Institute for the Study of Gender and Women in Arts and Media at Columbia College will host 'Defining the 'F' Word in the African American Community,' an intergenerational discussion regarding feminism, on Feb. 23, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at CFW, 1 E. Wacker. Visit www.cfw.org for more details.
HIV/AIDS and Women: The first annual National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is March 10. To access materials to help educate, motivate, and mobilize your local community in the fight against HIV/AIDS, visit www.omhrc.gov/hivaidsobservances/women/index.html .
Party time: The Ride for AIDS 2006 Kick Off Party, which will benefit BEHIV ( Better Existence with HIV ) and TPAN ( Test Positive Aware Network ) , will take place Feb. 27, 7-9 p.m., at Chicago in Bloom Floral and Events, 4223 N. Lincoln. RSVP to ( 773 ) 989-9400 or rideforaids@tpan.com .
