Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley has issued a proclamation declaring July 13-16 to be "Gay and Lesbian Victory Foundation Days in Chicago," coinciding with the Foundation's Midwestern regional training to be held in the Windy City. Call ( 202 ) 628-9151; training@victoryfund.org .
GLSEN/Chicago is pleased to announce that Chicago Teachers Union ( CTU ) members will march with GLSEN and sponsor the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network of Chicago Bus‚ again this year. The CTU is proud to support its gay and lesbian members, and teaming up with GLSEN in the Pride Parade is a great way to do so. We hope lots of CTU members will march with us and we have free visors for everyone," said Patricia Tomaso, Chairperson-CTU Committee on Gay and Lesbian Issues
Call ( 312 ) 409-1835 or e-mail glsenchgo@aol.com
Horizons Community Services will introduce both a new slate of nominees for its Board of Directors, and its newly formed Community Leadership Council at its Annual Meeting of Members scheduled for June 22. Horizons' Board will increase in size as the LGBT social-service agency embarks on an ambitious period of development. New Board members include noted community leaders Dan Foy, Denise Foy, Mary Morten, and Modesto "Tico" Valle. Horizons' newly formed Community Leadership Council brings with it a wealth of resources, and will serve the agency in an advisory capacity as it begins a period of strategic planning and growth. The Council reflects the diversity of Chicago's LGBT community and includes State legislators, community, business, and philanthropic leaders. Key volunteers from each of Horizons' many program areas will also be recognized at the Annual Meeting with Jon Jost Awards, which are presented in recognition of exemplary service to the agency. The meeting is open to the public and will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 22, at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, 2340 N. Cannon Dr., ( 773 ) 472-6469.
Chicago Groups Mobilize Against Syphilis
Howard Brown Health Center, in collaboration with the Chicago Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control, announced that men who have sex with men in Chicago face an increased threat of syphilis. In Los Angeles County, the number of cases of syphilis that were transmitted through male-to-male contact have gone from zero in 1999 to 53 in the first three and a half months of 2000.
Chicago Department of Public Health officials applauded the passage in the U.S. Senate of the Ryan White Care Act. The bill's movement through the Congress comes as the CDPH prepares to host the first Midwest HIV/AIDS policy conference, "AIDS in the Heartland."
Howard Brown Health Center's North Side Prevention Program ( formerly Stop AIDS ) has relocated from to 4025 N. Sheridan Rd.; ( 773 ) 388-1600, fax number ( 773 ) 388-8887.
With the recent hire of Tom Barrett, M.D., HBHC took another step toward building a comprehensive primary care practice for the gay, lesbian and bisexual community. Barrett joins Leigh Roberts, M.D. and acupuncturist, and Belinda Brown, N.D./ F.N.P., two full-time medical practitioners who, along with Medical Director Fred Rachman, M.D., have been laying the groundwork for an integrated healthcare program to serve the specific needs of the community. As part of HBHC's new primary care practice, the center is participating in most major insurance plans and PPOs carried by employers. HBHC also accepts Medicaid, Medicare has a sliding-fee scale. Call ( 773 ) 388-1600.
The Chicago Chapter of Gen-X Bears International recently elected new leadership. The new local officers are Larry Pinnell, chapter coordinator; Kent Schnabel, vice coordinator; Scott Tharp, activities coordinator: Tom Wray, communications coordinator, D.J. Oldenburg, treasurer. Gen-X Bears International is an organization for younger bears and their admirers. Contact the chapter at genxbearschicago@hotmail.com, or call Larry Pinnell at ( 773 ) 871-4190.