A collective of grassroots organizations in Chicago have joined
together to hold a community-wide candlelight vigil honoring nine LGBTQ teens that committed suicide due to homophobic bullying. The vigil will be held on Friday, October 8, 2010, at 7:30 PM on DePaul University’s quad near the corner of Fullerton and Seminary, in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood.

“After the recent suicide of Tyler Clementi,” said DePaul University sophomore and event co-organizer Jeremy Kauffman, “I felt compelled to do something that would raise awareness of this crisis.” Over the past several months, a number of homophobia-induced suicides have come to national attention, including the deaths of children as young as thirteen and as old as nineteen.

The organizers believe these senseless deaths did not occur in a vacuum, but rather in a society that lacks respect for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people and their right to dignity and equality. This vigil is being held in the hopes that both the LGBTQ and straight communities will come together to remember those lost, to provide support for the living, and to inspire hope and action for the future.
 
“LGBTQ teens are four times more likely to commit suicide than their straight counterparts,” stated Anthony Martinez of LGBT Change. “With the outrageous number of deaths this past month it has become very clear that as a community we cannot wait to take action.  We must stand together and work harder to address bullying and homophobia in schools. In September alone we lost eight teens. It is truly horrifying“
 
Organizers request that those attending bring a candle and lighter if they have one. There will also be an opportunity to leave behind something for those we are remembering. “We want to allow people to offer something in the remembrance of these kids,” said Andrea Crain of Join the Impact Chicago. “A flower, a balloon or something personal to you – a remembrance.”
 
The collective of organizations coordinating  the event includes:  LGBT Change, Join The Impact Chicago, Illinois Safe Schools Alliance, Gay Liberation Network, All Saints’ Episcopal Church, 50 Faggots, Adler Pride, The Civil Rights Agenda, Genderqueer Chicago.

For more information please contact endgaysuicide @   gmail.com
Facebook event page