From a news release
The Legacy Project is pleased to announce the latest upgrades to its website. In a prepared statement, Project Founder and Executive Director, Victor Salvo, said "We have been planning several significant changes to the website for some time. We wanted to wait until after our Kick-Off Luncheon so we would be able to build those changes around the 2012 Legacy Walk Inductees."
On October 25th the organization revealed THE LEGACY WALK's 2012 Dedication will include thirty-six ( 36 ) bronze plaques for individuals as diverse as Italian sculptor Michelangelo, U.S. Social Justice advocate Jane Addams, British mathematician Alan Turing, Transgender activist Christine Jorgensen, WWII French Underground Resistance-Fighter Josephine Baker, Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca, Chinese-American patriot Dr. Margaret Chung, U.S. Gay Rights martyr Harvey Milk, Civil Rights pioneer Bayard Rustin, Mexican nun and feminist Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, Russian Ballet superstar Rudolf Nureyev, and Native American GLBT forebears known as 'Two Spirit People.' The 18" x 24" plaques, featuring a likeness of each inductee and a 300-word paragraph describing their life and contributions, will be affixed to the 25'-tall "Rainbow Pylons" that define Chicago's Northalsted Corridor in "Boystown" as the nexus of the local GLBT community.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NEW WEBSITE CHANGES INCLUDE:
-A dedicated portal that brings all of the 2012 Inductees' plaques together with individual links from each page to reading materials and web-resources for further exploration… ( www.legacyprojectchicago.org/2012_INDUCTEES.html )
-A "Virtual Luncheon" page that features dual slide shows of the October luncheon at the Palmer House, multiple embedded videos of all the speaker presentations, including the keynote address by NAMES Project Founder Cleve Jones … ( www.legacyprojectchicago.org/Luncheon_Highlights.html )
-A link to the HD video "THE LEGACY WALK: Bringing GLBT History Home" which explains the origins of The Legacy Walk concept, the reasons why public education about GLBT historic contributions is important, and the mechanics of the installation and plaque sponsorship… ( www.legacyprojectchicago.org/Bringing_GLBT_History_Home.html )
-A special page dedicated to young people, centered on an educational presentation entitled "The Legacy Walk Through History for GLBT Youth." This page also includes a message for youth at risk with a dozen links to resources for Crisis Intervention… ( www.legacyprojectchicago.org/Message_to_GLBT_Youth.html )
-A special page with a message for the parents of GLBT Youth with parental support resources… ( www.legacyprojectchicago.org/Message_to_Parents.html )
-A special page geared toward educators explaining the Legacy Project Education Initiative ( LPEI ) , which will be a high school course module about GLBT History that is integrated with the website and The Legacy Walk. The LPEI is being developed by teachers and historians with an eye toward introduction into Illinois high schools with Gay-Straight Alliances when The Legacy Walk is dedicated in the fall of 2012… ( www.legacyprojectchicago.org/Message_to_Teachers.html )
"The changes we have implemented will enhance the exploration and research experience while furthering our goal of making GLBT History accessible and interesting for everyone — especially GLBT youth and their families," said Salvo. "As we move forward with securing plaque sponsorships from private donors and corporate underwriters the website helps to illustrate The Legacy Project's importance as a teaching tool and its potential to inspire and nurture GLBT Youth who desperately need every positive message we can give them — all of which only bolsters The Legacy Walk's significance as the only outdoor 'walking museum' in the world created to celebrate the contributions GLBT people have made to world history and culture."
The Legacy Project — whose nominees come from over 30 countries, represent over 20 fields of interest, and hail from every walk of life and era — has been endorsed by dozens of educators, historians, community activists, business leaders and elected officials including Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, and the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance. It is the only GLBT History endeavor to integrate a website portal, an outdoor exhibit and a classroom education initiative into a seamless interactive whole. For more information, to volunteer, to make a tax-deductible donation, or to discuss opportunities and options for plaque sponsorship, please contact Victor Salvo at 312-608-1198 or visit www.legacyprojectchicago.org .
The Legacy Project is a 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit corporation dedicated to creating public memorials recognizing the contributions of GLBT people to world history and culture, beginning with the dedication of The Legacy Walk on October 11, 2012.
