 |  | David Aaron & John Bash David Aaron (below) and Johnny Bash are live entertainment promoters in Chicago, with long ties to the club scene, going back to the 1970s.
 | | |  | Angel Abcede Abcede is founder of the School Street Art Movement "Sex Police," which educated about HIV and AIDS. | |
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|  | Carmen Abrego & MariBeth Welch Abrego and Welch live in Oak Park and support various LGBT causes. Abrego is a long-time Chicagoan also known for her poetry. | | |  | Carmen Abrego Abrego is a poet and Latina activist, and co-founder of the International Women's Day Dance. | |
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|  | | | |  | Ann Adams Ann Adams and her partner Lise Alschuler are contributors to LGBT and health causes. | |
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|  | | | |  | Jean Albright Albright is a retired Air Force Master Sergeant, working to overturn the military's gay ban. | |
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|  | Claudia Allen Allen is a long-time playwright whose works have been performed in Chicago and around the U.S. Many have lesbian themes. | | |  | Lise Alschuler Alschuler and her partner Ann Adams are contributors to LGBT and health causes. | |
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|  | Alicia Amador Amador and partner Norma Seledon support a range of Latina lesbian and other causes. | | |  | Alan Amberg Alan Amberg, founder of Lesbigay Radio, has been a advocate for men's health issues for many years. | |
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|  | Jackie Anderson Anderson has been a part of the LGBT community since the 1960s, and has been active on a wide range of issues. | | |  | | |
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|  | Toni Armstrong Jr.Toni Jr. has worked on LGBT rights, lesbian women's music, as well as with groups such as GLSEN Chicago, Color Triangle, BLAST, and many more. | | |  | Tommy AvantGarde Avant Garde is part of the South Side "balls" social scene, active on educating Black gay youth on health and cultural issues. | |
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|  | Miguel Ayala Ayala was co-founder of the Whitney Young Pride GSA, the first in the Chicago area, and active in Chicago youth causes and mainstream political campai | | |  | Javier Barajas Barajas and his partner Kasey Reese are former Chicagoans active in numerous gay and Latino groups. | |
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|  | Paula Basta Basta and partner Terri Worman work on gay political and seniors issues. | | |  | Lois Bates Lois Bates, a longtime transgender activist and community leader passed away Nov. 17, 2011 just three days before Transgender Day of Remembrance. | |
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|  | | | |  | Michael Bauer Bauer is a political activist on the local and national scene. | |
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|  | Jan Berger & Robin Hochstatter Hochstatter (left) and Berger are supporters of various community groups and long-time participants in Chicago's LGBT sports leagues. | | |  | Jan Berger Berger is a supporter of various community groups and a long-time participant in Chicago's LGBT sports leagues. | |
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|  | Bill Bergfalk Bergfalk has supported gay organizations since the 1970s as a volunteer and donor. | | |  | | |
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|  | Sam Bezanis Bezanis has donated his design services to many gay, AIDS and mainstream civil-rights groups, including the ACLU. | | |  | | |
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|  | Alexandra Billings Alexandra Billings is a nationally known performer who transitioned from male to female and has performed in numerous theatrical roles, and on TV. | | |  | Chrisanne Blankenship Chrisanne Blankenship (right) and Alex Billings and partners who both work on culture issues. | |
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|  | David Blatt & David Moore The work of partners in life and business Blatt and Moore has been critical to the survival of many of their clients with HIV and AIDS. | | |  | Michelle Bonnarens Bonnarens is a former Chicagoan now living in Germany. Her activism included fighting back against bigots at the University of Chicago in the 1980s. | |
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|  | Patrick Bova Bova and partner Jim Darby have been together since 1963. They are activists working to overturn the military's gay ban, and support numerous gay caus | | |  | David Boyer Boyer has been a fixture on the gay bar scene for decades, including at Carol's and Touche. | |
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|  | Kevin Boyer Boyer has been a volunteer for Chicago gay groups since 1989, including with the Gay Games, Gerber/Hart Library and the gay chamber of commerce. | | |  | | |
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|  | Wayne Bradley Bradley and his partner Rick Peterson are active on GLBT religious issues. | | |  | Lora Branch Lora Branch is a true renaissance woman, a DJ, an AIDS advocate, an activist and much more. | |
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|  | Linda Bubon & Ann Christophersen Bubon (left) and Christophersen founded Women & Children First in the late 1970s and both have played critical roles in the LGBT and feminist communit | | |  | Linda Bubon Bubob is co-founder and co-owner of Women & Children First Bookstore.
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|  | Phil Burgess & Jim Nutter Nutter (left) and Burgess have been a couple since 1976; they donate and volunteer for a range of gay and AIDS groups. | | |  | Phil Burgess Burgess donates and volunteers for a range of gay and AIDS groups. | |
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|  | Deborah Burkhart Burkhart is an architect, and a principal in a women-owned architectural firm. She and partner Starla Sholl support numerous LGBT groups. | | |  | Robbin Burr & Lisa Loudin Loudin (left) and Burr are partners who support LGBT organizations. Burr is former executive director of Center on Halsted. | |
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|  | Robbin Burr Burr is former executive director of Center on Halsted, leading the agency during their drive for a community center building on Halsted. | | |  | Kathy Caldwell Kathryn Caldwell is a Chicago police officer, active in organizing gays on the force, plus an athlete in the GLBT sports leagues. | |
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|  | Val Camilletti Val has owned Val's Halla records in Oak Park since the 1970s. She is a pioneer in women's music and culture for the Chicago area. | | |  | Lori Cannon Lori Cannon has been a long-time supporter of the GLBT community, especially in her pioneering AIDS activism and support services. | |
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|  | Evette Cardona & Mona Noriega Noriega and Cardona are one of Chicago's power couples, active on a wide range of GLBT and Latina issues, including thru Amigas Latinas. | | |  | Evette Cardona Cardona is active in a wide range of GLBT and Latina issues.
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|  | CC Carter Carter is a poet, writer and cultural activist, especially known for her POW WOW poetry slams. | | |  | Aldo Castillo Castillo is an artist and founder of the Aldo Castillo Gallery. He has been openly gay and openly HIV-positive for many years. | |
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|  | Robert Castillo & John Pennycuff Castillo and Pennycuff are partners in life and activism, seen at protests for Queer Nation, ACT UP, anti-violence, pro-marriage, and much more. | | |  | Robert Castillo Castillo has been active for many years on a wide range of gay, AIDS and Latino issues. | |
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|  | Susan Catania Catania served as a Republican state legislator and was among the first to back gay-rights protections. | | |  | Armand Cerbone Cerbone has been an advocate and activist on GLBT mental and physical health issues for several decades. | |
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|  | Mitchell Channon Channon and partner Bruce Koff are active on both gay and Jewish issues. Mitchell is an interior designer. | | |  | Gary Chichester Chichester has been a gay activist since the early 1970s, serving in vital leadership positions. | |
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|  | Tom Chiola Chiola made history by becoming the first openly gay person elected to major office in Illinois, when he won a judge post in the mid 1990s. | | |  | Ann Christophersen Christophersen is co-founder of Women & Children First Bookstore and a critical volunteer and supporter of LGBT and feminist causes. | |
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|  | Michael Cook Cook is former executive director of Howard Brown Health Center, and he has been active on gay legal and health issues for many years. | | |  | Terry Cosgrove Cosgrove is an openly gay man heading one of the top organizations working in the U.S. for a women's right to choose, Personal PAC of Illinois. | |
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|  | Dr. Gladys Croom Croom, Psy.D., has worked on gay and lesbian mental health issues for many years. She was also active in Yahimba and Literary Exchange. | | |  | Randy Curwen In the mid-1970s, Curwen was instrumental in getting the Tribune to rewrite its stylebook and treat the subject of homosexuality in a fairer manner. | |
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|  | John D'Emilio D'Emilio is one of the top U.S. historians on the gay movement, with multiple articles and books on LGBT history. | | |  | Jim Darby & Patrick Bova Bova (left) and Darby have been together since 1963. They are activists working to overturn the military's gay ban, and support numerous gay causes. | |
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|  | Jim Darby Darby is a Navy veteran active in the fight to overturn the military's gay ban. | | |  | Susana Darwin Darwin is a legal activist fighting on women's choice and LGBT issues. | |
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|  | Jan Dee & Janet Gutrich Jan Dee (left) and Janet Gutrich have been partners since Dec. 17, 1994. They support LGBT and AIDS causes as individuals and through their businesses | | |  | Greg Dell Dell is a strong ally of the gay community, risking his job as pastor of Broadway United Methodist Church to back gay unions. | |
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|  | Janine M Denomme Denomme was director of the Horizons Youth Program at the Center on Halsted. | | |  | Andrew Deppe & Stephen Weiser Deppe and Weiser, partners since 1993, volunteer and support various LGBT and AIDS religious, sports and political causes. | |
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|  | Andrew Deppe Deppe has been a founder, staff member and volunteer for many important AIDS ad LGBT groups. | | |  | Karen Dixon Dixon is an attorney and political activist in Chicago. | |
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|  | | | |  | Teresa Dobbins Dobbins is active on a wide range of African American lesbian and spiritual issues. | |
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|  | Tim Drake Long-time political activist Drake was the first openly gay candidate to win election in Illinois, as a 1980 John Anderson presidential delegate. | | |  | Randy Duncan Duncan is a legend in the Chicago dance and choreography scene, known for his skills as well as his generosity. | |
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|  | Jean Durkin & Paula Walowitz Durkin (left) and Walowitz are partners, and were married in Canada soon after it became legal to do so. They are cultural activists. | | |  | Jean Durkin Durkin works on the needs of women in the shelter community. | |
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|  | Murray Edelman Edelman was an activist in Chicago in the late 1960s and early 1970s, including with the Chicago Gay Liberation movement. | | |  | Ferd Eggan Eggan was a long-time Chicago and Los Angeles AIDS activist. He died in 2007. | |
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|  | Keith Elliot Elliot is a former dancer who has worked on a wide range of AIDS and gay benefits, including as co-founder of the Dance for Life annual gala benefits | | |  | Eugenia Fawcett Fawcett came out in the 1940s in Chicago as a student at the University of Chicago. She was with her partner Mary from 1955 until Mary's death. | |
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|  | Mel Ferrand Ferrand is a long-time activist on feminist, union, sports and political issues. | | |  | | |
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|  | Patrick K. Finnessy Patrick Finnessy, Ph.D. is the Director of the Office of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns at the University of Illinois at Chicago. | | |  | Jim Flint Jim Flint is founder and owner of the world-famous Baton Show Lounge in Chicago—where female impersonators have been onstage for more than 40 years. | |
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|  | Kathy Forde Kathy Forde and her partner Yvonne Zipter are supportive of various LGBT causes. Forde is an academic advisor at the U. of C., and mentors GLBT youth. | | |  | Susan Franz Franz is a certified financial planner professional with 20-plus years experience. Over one quarter of her clientele is LGBT. | |
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|  | Hannah Frisch Frisch was active in University of Chicago Gay Liberation in the early '70s. She also attended meetings of Chicago Lesbian Liberation. | | |  | Tim Frye Frye has had long-time involvement in PRIDEChicago from the early 1970s through the present day. | |
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|  | Peggy Garner Garner is a former Chicagoan now living in San Francisco. During her time in Chicago, she volunteered with numerous groups. | | |  | Sanford Gaylord Gaylord is an actor, creative activist and writer based in Chicago. He was a co-founding member of A Real Read. | |
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|  | Tom Gertz Gertz was active in the Mattachine Midwest chapter in the late 1960s and early 1970s. | | |  | Mailik Gillani & Jamil Khoury Gillani and Khoury are co-founders of Silk Road Theatre, doing pioneering work on diversity issues in the gay and theater communities. | |
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|  | Mailik Gillani Gillani and partner Jamil Khoury are co-founders of Silk Road Theatre, doing pioneering work on diversity issues in the gay and theater communities. | | |  | Kathleen Gillespie Gillespie and partner Deb Shore are active in a variety of gay organizations. | |
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|  | Diane Gomez Gomez has been active in both the cultural and sports parts of Chicago's gay community. | | |  | Roger Goodman Roger Goodman is a Stonewall Riot survivor, and has been an activist with the queer community for over 40 years. | |
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|  | Carole Goodwin Goodwin is an Oak Park-based writer and she co-owned an important bookstore there for many years, Left Bank Bookstall. She is a long-time activist. | | |  | Carole Goodwin & Renee DeMar Goodwin is a long-time Oak Park and Chicago author and activist. They have been together since June of 2000. See Goodwin's entry for her video intervi | |
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|  | Laura Goring Laura Goring and partner Lawrence Goring work on lesbian healthcare and transgender issues. | | |  | | |
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|  | Lawrence Goring Lawrence Goring and partner Laura Goring work on lesbian healthcare and transgender issues. | | |  | Debbie Gould Debbie Gould participated in ACT UP/Chicago for 6 years and was a founding member of Queer to the Left. | |
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|  | Christopher Grace Grace is a member of the ROTC gay group and a volunteer for numerous GLBT and AIDS charities. | | |  | Vernita Gray Gray has been active on gay rights since the late 1960s. She has been part of a wide range of groups and works on anti-violence issues. | |
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|  | Bill Greaves In 1995 Greaves was appointed to the City of Chicago Commission on Human
Relations’ Advisory Council on LGBT
Issues; in 2000 he became the Directo | | |  | Tina Grossman Grossman has supported a wide range of LGBT causes for many years. | |
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|  | Jessica Halem & Red Tremmel Halem and Tremmel spent many years in Chicago working on a variety of LGBT causes, including cultural activism. They away moved for work in '08.
| | |  | Jessica Halem Halem is former executive director of the Lesbian Community Cancer (now Care) Project, and a standup comic. She is a long-time feminist. | |
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|  | | | |  | Joel Hall Hall has been a pioneering openly gay activist since the 1970s. He founded the Joel Hall Dancers. | |
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|  | Roland Hansen & Bill Bergfalk Hansen (left) and Bergfalk have been partners since 1984, and both have supported gay organizations since the 1970s. | | |  | Roland Hansen Hansen's volunteer work has included Gerber/Hart Library, the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, Windy City Athletic Association, and more | |
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|  | Jean Hardisty Jean V. Hardisty, Ph.D., was a critical activist in Chicago in the 1970s and 1980s. She also founded Political Research Associates She died in 2015.. | | |  | Jorjet Harper Harper is a writer, editor, musician, artist and more. She has been part of Chicago's lesbian community since the 1970s. | |
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|  | Greg Harris Harris was elected to the Illinois General Assembly in 2006. He is a long-time Chicago-based activist on gay and AIDS issues. | | |  | Matthew Harvat Harvat, known as "Circuit Mom," has helped raised funds for gay and AIDS groups for many years. | |
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|  | Juarez Hawkins Hawkins is a Chicago-based lesbian artist who has contributed her work to many causes.
| | |  | Ron Helizon Helizon has been active on gay issues since the 1960s, including as a bar owner, bar personality, and Catholic activist. | |
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|  | Neena Hemmady Hemmady is active on a variety of LGBT issues, including including those impacting people of color. | | |  | Marcia Hill Hill has been a fixture on the Chicago gay sports scene for 25 years. She has been both a participant and official. | |
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|  | Ted Hoerl & Steve Scott Both Hoerl (left) and Scott are active theater professionals in Chicago, with long ties to the gay community. They have been together since Nov. 1, 1 | | |  | Ted Hoerl Hoerl is an Actor-Director/ Adjunct Professor of Acting CCPA at Roosevelt University. In the 1980s he owned Opal Station, a popular gay bar. | |
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|  | Joe Hollendoner Hollendoner is Director of the Broadway Youth Center for Howard Brown Health Center and a youth activist. | | |  | | |
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|  | Tonda Hughes Hughes is a researcher looking at lesbian health issues, and is active on LGBT issues in Chicago. | | |  | Lynn Hull Hull is a long-time Chicago lesbian-feminist activist, including on making trades jobs available to women. | |
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|  | Mark Ishaug Ishaug is President/CEO of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.
| | |  | Sherri Jackson Jackson is a minister and healthcare practitioner with a wide range of gay and AIDS organizational involvement. | |
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|  | T. Khyentse James James is founder and executive director for the Estrojam Music and Culture Festival, a gathering of acclaimed and emerging women artists of all kinds. | | |  | Cat Jefcoat & Bonnie Wade Jefcoat (left) and Wade are a young power couple, both working for GLBT rights in community agencies. | |
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|  | Cat Jefcoat Jefcoat works with the Lesbian Community Care Project, now housed within Howard Brown Health Center. | | |  | Chris Johnson Christine Johnson is a co-founder of Metis Press, Publisher of Lesbian Feminist Literature, and a founding member of the national Women In Print netwo | |
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|  | Phyllis Johnson & Barb Smith Partners Johnson (left) and Smith are supportive of a range of women's and African-American causes, including Affinity. | | |  | Phyllis Johnson Johnson supports numerous gay, AIDS and African-American causes, including the AIDS Ride and Affinity. | |
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|  | Art Johnston & Jose A. Pena Johnston and Pena are co-owners of Sidetrack bar, which has been much-honored for its contributions to GLBT and AIDS charities. | | |  | Art Johnston Johnston is co-owner of Sidetrack bar in Chicago, and a long-time activist on GLBT and AIDS issues. | |
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|  | Lola Lai Jong Lola Lai Jong has been important cultural and activist pioneer on lesbian and Asian Pacific Islander LGBT issues in Chicago and internationally. | | |  | Nancy Katz & Janine Denomme Katz and Denomme were partners and both active on lesbian and gay issues. Katz is an associate judge, Denomme was director of the Horizons Youth Progr | |
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|  | Nancy Katz Katz is an Associate Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County, sitting in Domestic Relations Division. | | |  | Corinne Kawecki Kawecki and partner Maureen Sweeney have been active in support of LGBT causes for many years, including with the Lesbian Community Cancer Project. | |
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|  | Irwin Keller Keller was active on Chicago gay-rights in the 1980s while at the University of Chicago. He is now a member of The Kinsey Sicks dragapella quartet. | | |  | Marilyn Keller Marilyn Keller has been a long-time part of the Chicago-area PFLAG movement. She and husband Jerry, parents of two gay children, founded PFLAG Glenvie | |
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|  | Bill Kelley & Chen Ooi Kelley and Ooi were long-time partners and activists. Kelley has been fighting for gay rights since the 1960s. Kelley died in 2015. | | |  | Bill Kelley Kelley was among Chicago's longest-serving and most important gay activists, having worked since the 1960s to secure gay rights. He died in 2015. | |
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|  | Jamil Khoury Jamil Khoury and partner Malik Gillani are co-founders of Silk Road Theatre, doing pioneering work on diversity issues in the gay and theater communit | | |  | Richard Knight Knight is a writer, musician, and all-around performer, working in and outside Chicago's gay community since the 1970s. | |
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|  | | | |  | Bruce Koff Bruce Koff, LCSW, has been a pioneering advocate for LGBT concerns in the fields of social service and mental health since 1977.
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|  | Danny Kopelson Kopelson has been a key staff member and volunteer for numerous gay and AIDS organizations, including AIDS Foundation of Chicago. | | |  | Eileen Kreutz Before becoming active in the Chicago lesbian community, including as co-founder of critical groups, Kreutz was part of the peace movement. | |
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|  | Julie Kruse Kruse is a former Illinois lobbyist on a range of women's, LGBT and progressive causes. She is now based in Washington, D.C. | | |  | Deb Lake & Terri Pease Lake and Pease have been partners since Oct. 10, 1998. Lake is a minister and author, Pease is a domestic violence and trauma consultant. | |
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|  | Deb Lake Rev. Lake is the executive director of Sankofa Way, creating new approaches to addressing oppression. | | |  | Nancy Lanoue Lanoue co-founded the Womyn's Gym in the 1980s, later to become Thousand Waves. She co-founded the Lesbian Community Cancer Project. | |
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|  | Joe LaPat & Dick Uyvari Uyvari (left) and La Pat are supporters of gay sports and community groups, as well as numerous AIDS causes. | | |  | Janice Layne Layne is a writer and activist, working on a range of LGBT and AIDS issues. It was Layne's idea for the LGBT community to march in the Bud Billikin Pa | |
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|  | Kristin Lems Musician Kristin Lems has been a staunch LGBT ally since the '70s. She is the founder of the National Women's Music Festival. | | |  | Michael Leppen Leppen is among Chicago's most important philanthropists, supporting a wide range of gay, AIDS and human-rights causes. | |
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|  | Marcia Lipetz Lipetz has a long history of working on LGBT and AIDS causes, including as past executive director of AIDS Foundation of Chicago | | |  | Pat Logue Logue is an attorney with a long career working on LGBT and AIDS causes. She is now a judge. | |
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|  | Lynnell Long Long is a writer, performer and poet who was part of A Real Reed and a columnist writing on intersex and gender-identity issues for BLACKlines newspap | | |  | Joe Loundy Loundy is a retired social worker and travel agent who has been a volunteer at numerous gay groups since the 1970s. | |
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|  | Amy Maggio Maggio has worked and volunteered for AIDS and gay organizations in Chicago since the 1980s. | | |  | | |
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|  | Judith Markowitz Markowitz has been active in community culture and events since the 1970s. | | |  | Amy Matheny Matheny is an actor, radio host, and senior account representative for Windy City Media Group. She is executive producer of Windy City Queercast. | |
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|  | Dwight McBride McBride is an academic activist writing about LGBT issues, especially within an African-American context. | | |  | Pat McCombs McCombs has been an integral part of Chicago's LGBT community since the 1970s, when she first fought back against racial carding in the bars... | |
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|  | Susan McConnell Susan McConnell and partner Beth O'Neil are long-time activists on women's LGBT and AIDS issues.
| | |  | Steve McDonough Steve McDonough and his partner Dan Smith have broken new TV ground as the Hearty Boys. | |
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|  | | | |  | Carl McDowell McDowell and partner Don Nowotny support a variety of gay political causes. | |
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|  | Larry McKeon McKeon had a long public service career, from serving as a police officer in Los Angeles, to being the state's first openly gay, HIV-positive rep.
| | |  | Deb Mell & Christin Baker Mell and Baker are active in gay-rights and political causes. Mell runs unchallenges for a state rep post in the 2008 general election. | |
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|  | Deb Mell Mell is expected to become the state's first openly lesbian representative the fall of 2008. She runs unchallenged in the election. | | |  | Iakovos Mesaritis Mesaritis and partner Patrick Finnessy are active on academic gay issues. | |
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|  | Jill Metz Metz has practiced law since 1978, with many gay clients. She has volunteered with numerous gay organizations. | | |  | Gwen Meyer Meyer is a long-time part of the lesbian community, including as co-owner of Razmataz bar. | |
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|  | Charles Middleton Middleton is openly gay and president of Roosevelt University, the first openly gay person appointed to lead a major university in the U.S. | | |  | | |
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|  | Carlos Mock Mock is a writer and activist, donating his time and money to many gay, AIDS and Latino causes. | | |  | Joey Mogul Mogul is an attorney who is also active on progressive causes, including with Queer to the Left. | |
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|  | Sid Mohn Mohn, as president of the Heartland Alliance, has been a key part of work on behalf of people with AIDS and civil-rights for the LGBT community. | | |  | Mary Morten Morten has worked on a diverse range of projects in the feminist and LGBT communities. | |
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|  | | | |  | David Munar Munar is an executive with AIDS Foundation of Chicago and a long-time volunteer for gay and AIDS groups, including Association of Latin men in Action. | |
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|  | Angelique Munro Munro was born a male but always felt she was a woman. She has donated her performing talents to numerous Chicago groups. | | |  | Kathy Munzer Munzer was a long-time member of the Mountain Moving Coffeehouse collective, producing hundreds of women's music and culture events. | |
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|  | Deb Murphy & Kay Miles Miles (left) and Murphy support a range of non-profits, including through donation of accounting services. They also fought a pioneering adoption case | | |  | Sharon Mylrea Mylrea is a former board member of Lesbian Community Cancer Project who supports gay political and health causes. | |
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|  | Yasmin Nair Nair is an academic, activist and writer, and was a member of Queer to the Left. | | |  | Ifti Nasim Nasim was born in Pakistan and has been active on gay Southeast Asian issues in Chicago. | |
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|  | Charlotte Newfeld Newfeld is an ally of the community, having support numerous gay-rights efforts and gay candidates for office.
| | |  | Mona Noriega Noriega has been active on GLBT and Latina political and cultural issues since the 1970s. | |
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|  | | | |  | Don Nowotny Don Nowotny is active on gay political issues. | |
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|  | Jim Nutter Nutter and partner Phil Burgess are a long-time couple supportive of various gay and health issues. | | |  | Susan O'Dell O'Dell has been on the frontlines of counseling for the LGBT community since the 1970s. | |
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|  | | | |  | Beth O'Neil Beth O'Neil was a key part of the founding of women's groups in the 1970s. | |
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|  | Achy Obejas Obejas is the award-winning author of Days of Awe, Memory Mambo, and We Came all the Way from Cuba So You Could Dress Like This?. She was born in Hava | | |  | Renae Ogletree Ogletree has been active on a range of youth, LGBT, AIDS and other causes in Chicago since the 1980s. | |
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|  | Dwight Okita Dwight Okita is an openly gay Japanese American writer in Chicago. | | |  | Chen Ooi Chen Ooi has been active on gay Asian issues, and has also donated his graphic design service to gay organizations. | |
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|  | Paul Oostenbrug Oostenbrug is active on sports and health issues in Chicago's gay community, including with Team Chicago. | | |  | Nick Patricca Patricca is professor emeritus of theater at Loyola University, playwright in residence at Victory Gardens Theater, and artistic associate at Bailiwic | |
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|  | | | |  | Mary Patten Mary Patten is a visual artist, videomaker, writer, educator, occasional curator, and long-time community/political activist. | |
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|  | Rick Paul Paul is founder of Lionheart gay theatre, a pioneering company started in the late 1970s to produce gay works. | | |  | Terri Pease Pease is a domestic violence and trauma consultant.
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|  | Jose A. Pena Pena is co-owner and video director of Sidetrack bar. He is a video pioneer, and donates his time and energy to numerous causes. | | |  | John Pennycuff Pennycuff has been seen around town marching and protesting for a wide range of gay and AIDS issues. | |
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|  | Rick Peterson Rick Peterson and his partner Wayne Bradley are active on GLBT religious issues. | | |  | Sherry Pethers Pethers was the first open lesbian to be elected judge in Illinois, in 2004 (previous ones had been appointed when they first became judges). | |
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|  | Rich Pfeiffer & Tim Frye Pfeiffer (left) and Frye have been partners since 1971, working on a range of gay issues, including the Pride Parades. | | |  | Rich Pfeiffer Pfeiffer is best known as Coordinator of PRIDEChicago annual Pride Parade from the early 1970s through the present day. | |
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|  | Lisa Pickens Pickens is a co-founder of Affinity, a group for African-American lesbians, and is active on a variety of LGBT causes. | | |  | Jim Pickett Picket is an HIV-positive activist and athlete. He is director of public policy for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. | |
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|  | Nancy Poore Poore co-founded Helaine Victoria Press in the 1970s and was active for decades on lesbians issues in Chicago. | | |  | Jerry Pritikin Pritikin is an athlete and photographer who has documented the Chicago and San Francisco gay communities for several decades. | |
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|  | Bill Rattan Rattan is an artist and computer graphics person and a master gardener. He and partner Carlos Mock donate their time and money to gay and AIDS causes. | | |  | Kasey Reese Reese and his partner Javier Barajas were critical parts of numerous Chicago gay groups when they lived here. | |
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|  | Chuck Renslow Renslow is a critical contributor to a wide range of political, social, business, health and other causes. He is a pioneering leather activist. | | |  | Otis Richardson Richardson is an artist, filmmaker, and activist with involvement in several key LGBT and African-American LGBT organizations. | |
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|  | Christine R. Riddiough Riddiough was a critical feminist and lesbian activist in Chicago in the 1970s and 1980s; she now lives in D.C. | | |  | Tony Rivera Tony Alvarado Rivera was a very out teenager, winning awards for his pioneering activism. He continues to help youth now that he is out of school. | |
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|  | Raymond Rodgers Rodgers is a deaf gay man who opened the first gay-deaf-owned interpreter service in the U.S, Deaf Communication By Innovation. | | |  | | |
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|  | Julio Rodriguez Rodriguez is a critical activist working on LGBT, AIDS, Latino and anti-violence issues, including as a founder of ALMA. | | |  | Harriet Ross Ross is an ally of the community, and a former dancer and manager of dance groups. She is a co-founder of the Dance for Life AIDS charity event. | |
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|  | Wanza Rowe Rowe and her partner Jean ping have been partners since April 9, 1971. | | |  | Wanza Rowe & Jean Ping Ping (left) and Rowe have been partners since April 9, 1971. They have supported lesbian social and service groups. | |
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|  | Jane Saks Saks is Executive Director of the Ellen Stone Belic Institute for the Study of Women and Gender in the Arts and Media, Columbia College Chicago. | | |  | Victor Salvo Salvo is a designer by trade, and an activist in his down time, having been a key part of Chicago's political and AIDS activism. | |
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|  | | | |  | Norman Sandfield For almost 30 years, Sandfield has been an organizer of lesbian and gay Jewish activities and of Jewish AIDS programs in Chicago and internationally. | |
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|  | | | |  | Nan Schaffer Schaffer is a political activist and philanthropist in Chicago. | |
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|  | Steve Scott Scott is active as a director and teacher in Chicago's theater community. | | |  | | |
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|  | Norma Seledon Amador and partner Norma Seledon support a range of Latina lesbian and other causes. | | |  | Patrick Sheahan Sheahean was president of the Center on Halsted's board during its critical campaign to build a new community center. | |
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|  | Linda Shear & Windflower Linda Shear is a former Chicago musician, founder of the first open lesbian band in U.S., and Windflower is her partner. | | |  | Linda Shear Linda Shear is a former Chicago musician, founder of the first open lesbian band in the U.S. | |
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|  | | | |  | Starla Sholl Sholl is a social worker in full-time private practice, with a large LGB clientelle. She has volunteered with several LGBT groups. | |
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|  | | | |  | Debra Shore Shore became the first open lesbian elected to countywide office in Illinois, as a commissioner for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. | |
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|  | Larry Simpson & Ed Zasadil Zasadil (left) and Simpson have been partners since 1962. Since their retirement they have been active on gay issues, including on gays in the militar | | |  | Art Sims Art "Chat Daddy" Sims is a relationship advice expert who helps both straight and gay people. As an openly gay man, he breaks down barriers.
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|  | Patrick Sinozich Sinozich is a nationally renowned director of choral groups, including gay choruses in Chicago.
| | |  | Stan Sloan Sloan is CEO of Chicago House and Social Service Agency, which provides housing for people impacted by AIDS. | |
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|  | Art Smith Smith is a world-renowned chef with a popular restaurant and cookbook, and is well known for his work as Oprah's chef.
| | |  | Barb Smith Smith has been active in the community since the 1960s, when she was raising her daughter Chris. She is a key supporter of Affinity and WACT. | |
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|  | Chris Smith Smith is co-founder of Affinity, a South Side-based group for African-American lesbians. | | |  | Dan Smith As one-half of the Hearty Boys, Smith and his partner Steve McDonough have broken new TV ground as top chefs and philanthropists. | |
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|  | Max Smith Max Smith has been a gay activist since the 1970s, including on media, health and political issues. | | |  | | |
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|  | Coco Soodek Soodek is a partner with the law firm Bryan Cave and has supported numerous gay and lesbian causes. | | |  | Larry Spang Spang is a retired dentist who fought against AIDS discrimination in the federal prison system. | |
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|  | Bev Spangler Spangler is a theater writer, performer and singer who has been in numerous LGBT productions. She has also volunteered for many LGBT and AIDS groups. | | |  | Byron Stewart Stewart is an actor, cultural pioneer and diversity trainer. | |
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|  | David Stienecker David Stienecker was a critical 1960s and early 1970s Chicago activist who fought back against police harassment. | | |  | Lauren Sugerman Sugerman is one of the co-founders of Chicago Women in Trades, a critical support for women entering non-traditional trades jobs. | |
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|  | Marge Summit Summit was a long-time bar owner in Chicago. Her bar His 'n Hers was popular among women and men, especially performers. | | |  | Kathleen Thompson Thompson's involvement in the lesbian community includes opening the city's first feminist bookstore in the early 1970s. | |
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|  | Maida Tilchen Tilchen was an LGBT activist in Bloomington, Ind. in the '70s; a journalist on lesbian pulp novels, women's music and lit, and lesbian Jewish issues. | | |  | Kevin Tindell Tindell is a change management consultant and minister. He and his partner are raising two sons. Tindell is active in Black gay and spiritual groups. | |
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|  | Pat Tomaso & Linda Palm Tomaso (left) and partner Linda Palm live in Barrington, Illinois. Tomaso is a retired teacher with many years of activism on behalf of gay teachers. | | |  | Pat Tomaso Tomaso is a retired teacher who works to make change for gay teachers in the Chicago schools. | |
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|  | | | |  | Red Tremmel Tremmel is active on trans issues, including access to lesbian spaces. Tremmel also co-founded the Sissy Butch Brothers, which did burlesque shows. | |
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|  | Betty Tsamis Tsamis is a Chicago-area attorney who has worked on GLBT cases here and in Colorado. She has been activist on numerous GLBT and AIDS causes. | | |  | Tom Tunney Tunney is Chicago's first openly gay alderman, and so much more. As a business owner he has given much to the GLBT and mainstream Chicago communities. | |
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|  | Richard Turner Turner has been active on local and national GLBT and AIDS issues for decades. | | |  | Dick Uyvari Uyvari has been a critical part of the Chicago sports scene since the 1970s. He has also played a role in the national gay bowling movement. Died: 201 | |
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|  | Tico Valle Valle has been a volunteer and staff member of a range of gay and AIDS groups, and serves as executive director of the Center on Halsted. | | |  | Bonnie Wade Wade works for the rights of GLBT youth in a variety of ways, including as a staff member of Teen Living. | |
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|  | Ronald Wadley Wadley is involved in the Same Gender Loving Ministry at Trinity United Church of Christ. | | |  | Steve Wakefield Wakefield spend many years in Chicago working for and heading up various gay and AIDS agencies. | |
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|  | Paula Walowitz Walowitz is a performer, singing out lesbian music since the 1970s. | | |  | Guy Warner Warner was the founder of the first support groups for parents and friends in Chicago, in the 1970s. | |
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|  | Vera Washington Washington is an HIV/AIDS counselor, party promoter through Executive Sweet, and longtime worker on LGBT youth issues. | | |  | Vera Washington & Pat McCombs McCombs and Washington have been business partners for more than 25 years, running Executive Sweet, parties for women. | |
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|  | Shelton Watson Watson has a long and varied activist background in Chicago, from mainstream gay groups to African-American gay organizations. | | |  | Christy Webber Webber is owner of owner of Christy Webber Landscapes, a top women-owned business in Chicago. She donates to numerous LGBT and political causes. | |
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|  | Donna Weems Weems is a cultural and political activist and long-time Chicagoan who recently retired to Mexico. | | |  | Stephen Weiser Weiser and partner Andrew Deppe have volunteered for and supported LGBT religious, sports and political causes for many years. | |
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|  | Yvonne Welbon Yvonne Welbon is an award-winning lesbian filmmaker. | | |  | | |
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|  | | | |  | Honey West Honey West is an all-around entertainer who has contributed her services to numerous AIDS and GLBT charities. | |
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|  | | | |  | Kathleen Rose Winter Winter was a writer, athlete and activist on LGBT band African-American issues. | |
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|  | Rex Wockner Wockner has reported news for the gay press since 1985. His work has appeared in 300+ gay publications in 38 countries. | | |  | | |
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|  | | | |  | Terri Worman Terri Worman works on gay political and seniors issues. | |
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|  | Terri Worman & Paula Basta Basta and partner Terri Worman work on gay political and seniors issues. Basta's involvement includes Equality Illinois.
| | |  | Israel Wright Israel Wright is a well-known photographer and long-time Chicago LGBT community activist. | |
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|  | | | |  | Julie Zolot Zolot was part of the Chicago Women's Graphics Collective, an important feminist organization in the 1970s and 1980s. | |
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|  | Mark Zubro Mark Richard Zubro has published 20 books in two mystery series set in Chicago, and he’s still writing. One Lambda-winning series features a gay cou | | |  | Fred Zucker Zucker, born in 1924 in D.C., has been a behind-the-scenes volunteer and supporter of various Chicago gay groups, candidates and events. Died 10-8-12 | |
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|  | Jose Zuniga Zuniga was one of the first victims of 'don't ask, don't tell,' the military's gay ban. | |
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Out and Proud in Chicago:
An Overview of the City's Gay Community, the book is edited by Tracy Baim and features the contributions of more than 20 prominent historians and journalists. It is published by Surrey Books, an Agate imprint, and is hard cover, 224 pages, 4-color, with nearly 400 photos.
Click Here for more Information.
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Chicago Gay History
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